What to Pack for Bolivia – Everything You NEED to take

Wondering what to pack for Bolivia? After visiting, I’ve come up with the ideal list!

Bolivia is a very special place. The salt flats are straight from the imagination—just beautiful. When we visited, our driver got stuck in the salt, and we had to be rescued by a different vehicle, which was hilarious. But only afterwards.

La Paz was also fascinating, but because it’s the highest capital city in the world, Callie got struck by altitude sickness even after we spent over about two weeks at altitude in Cusco, Peru.

I loved learning about the local culture on a walking tour, hearing an indigenous shaman tell our future, and making an offering to Pachamama on the salt flats.

I often think back to the night I was drinking Bolivian wine with a visitor from Peru and two local men. They didn’t speak a word of English. As the night got older, and the wine started talking more and more, I suddenly spoke Spanish. I had whole conversations with these people in a language I didn’t even know I spoke.

They might have just entertained me and pretended I was doing well, or I might have actually picked up a lot of Spanish. Who knows?

It was such a special and exciting time.

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General Tips on What to Pack for Bolivia

Other than the things to take with you, there are some other things to consider.

The seasons

Bolivia generally has two seasons: dry and wet or rainy. The rainy season is from November to March, and the dry season is from April to October.

Depending on the region you’ll be visiting, it is essential to know the season. This is especially true at Salar the Uyuni, where the salt flats are normally flooded during the wet season, making the views otherworldly.

It’s a great time to visit that specific area, but it does mean you’ll likely get wet. Thus, your packing list might look slightly different from that of others. That being said, taking a raincoat to Bolivia is always advisable.

Checking weather forecasts is one of the things you should always do before you travel.

Pack for the weather

Again, this means knowing your rough plan. Are you visiting the rainforest, La Paz, or just the salt flats? As you can imagine, the weather in these places is quite different.

The rainforest is hot and humid, and the salt flats are very cold.

The different regions of Bolivia

Bolivia has multiple regions: the Andes, the Altiplano, the Yungas, the highland valleys, the Gran Chaco, and the tropical lowlands. Your packing list may look different depending on which region you want to visit.

That said, the following packing list includes everything you need to visit every region of the country.

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What to Pack for Bolivia

And now for the main event! The packing list. This list will cover everything you need to take to Bolivia. You will be able to visit any region and be prepared for any weather you might encounter.

Baggage

Maybe the most important piece of gear. The bags you use to take all your stuff.

Big backpack

Callie and I have the Osprey Farpoint 55 and Farpoint 70. The Osprey Fairview is the female version of these. Great comfortable backpacks with a small 13L daypack you can take off. The newest Farpoint 55 is even carry-on compliant with most airlines.

Daypacks

Although the Farpoint backpacks come with daypacks, we found these a little small for our trip. We travel with laptops and weren’t comfortable stowing these in the baggage compartments of planes and buses. The 13L daypacks that come with them were too small to fit our laptops.

So we also decided to take bigger daypacks, and I’m glad we did. We were on a 10-month backpacking trip from Mexico down to Chile. We needed the extra space. If you’re visiting Bolivia, or maybe Peru and Bolivia and now taking a laptop with you, you probably don’t need a separate daypack if you’ve got the Farpoint 70.

If your backpack lacks a daypack, I highly recommend the Osprey HikeLite range. Callie has the 32, and I took the 26. They even come with a rain cover.

Rain Covers

For both your daypack and your big backpack. As Bolivia has a rainy season, it is essential to take a rain cover for them. Even if you’re not travelling during the wet season, you might end up in the rainforest. And even if you don’t, we also use them to protect our bags from dust.

Clothing

Without going into too much detail, here is what to pack for Bolivia to cover all its climates. Areas such as La Paz are nice during the day but very cold as soon as the sun goes down. Therefore, it’s essential to take multiple different kinds of layers that you can add on or take off during the day.

• Multiple vest tops and/or t-shirts
• Multiple long-sleeved t-shirts
• 1 or 2 sweaters and hoodies
• A warm coat, but not too thick. I recommend something like this. And this one for women.
• Raincoat, such as these for men and for women
• Thermal underwear
• Pants for hiking
• Jeans or something comfortable for daily use
• Shorts if visiting the lowlands and rainforest
• Pyjama’s
• Thick and thin socks
• Hat
• Scarf
• Gloves

Shoes

Since Bolivia offers many different activities, the right footwear is highly important. You don’t want to wear flip-flops in the freezing cold or hiking boots at the pool in the rainforest.

• Sturdy hiking boots, such as these for men and these for women.
• Flip-flops for showers or in the rainforest area. Of course, not in the actual rainforest, but some hotels in the areas have pools.
• Sportshoes such as Sketchers or Nike for comfortable strolling in towns and cities.

Accessories

This will vary from person to person and will be optional for many people.

• A washing line to dry washing
• Laundry bag, like this one
• A reusable bag for shopping
• A money belt to feel safe
• Padlock for hostel lockers
• Earplugs – these are my go-to.
• Sunglasses are a must for the salt planes, as the bright whiteness damages eyesight. Our driver made people buy sunglasses if they didn’t already have any.

Toiletries and Medicine

• Any prescription medication you need during your trip.
• Altitude sickness pills (highly recommended if visiting Uyuni or La Paz).
• Sunscreen – it might be cold, but you’re still quite close to the equator.
• Moisturiser, as the altitude and salt flats dry your skin out.
• Lip balm, for the reason mentioned above.
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrush, et cetera.
• Mosquito repellent
• Paracetamol and ibuprofen

First Aid

I always recommend taking a first aid kit when travelling. It doesn’t have to be large or fancy, but having some plasters and bandages ready can be handy.

For our 10-month trip, we took a first aid kit very similar to this one. If you’re going on a short trip, this one will suffice.

Documents and money

The visa requirements are different depending on your nationality. Please check your government’s advice for up-to-date information.

• A passport with AT LEAST 6 months validity
• Entry visa
• Yellow fever certificate
• Some cash on entry, you can exchange cash at borders and airports; otherwise, just use ATMs
• Credit/debit cards (preferably NOT AmEx)
• Proof of accommodation, like hotel bookings
• Proof of onward travel, such as a return flight ticket

Electronics

Electronics aren’t all necessary, and more luxury items. I won’t go over all the electronics we took, but here are some ideas:

• Noise-cancelling headphones, such as the Sony WH-1000XM4
• Chargers for all devices
• A Cable organizer to manage your cables
• A powerbank to charge devices on the go
• Laptop, tablet, phone
• Travel adapter: even if the sockets are the same, they’re great for charging multiple devices at once.

Travel Insurance

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FAQs – What to Pack for Bolivia

We covered the list, but you might have more questions. Here are the most frequently asked questions and their answers!

What do the locals wear in Bolivia?

Depending on the region, Bolivians dress as you might expect. In La Paz, it’s just what anyone would wear: jeans, hoodies, and coats. Casual clothing.

In the colder, more indigenous areas, you can expect to see alpaca and lama items, such as hats, scarves, and ponchos—similar to Peru!

Are shorts allowed in Bolivia?

Absolutely. Shorts are perfectly fine to wear. Just mind the temperatures!

Do women have to dress differently?

No, women do not have to dress differently. However, if you don’t want to be the obvious tourist, try to avoid shorts and low-cut shirts. This is not necessary, as you will most likely look like a tourist anyway.

Is there a dress code?

Not really, no. Casual clothing is your best bet anywhere in Bolivia.

What should you pack for the salt flats in Bolivia?

Lots and lots of layers! Callie was wearing just about anything she could find on our last night of the trip and was still cold. Now, that says more about Callie than the temperature, but if you’re prone to being chilly, the more layers, the better.

There are usually lots of blankets available in your accommodations.

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Final Thoughts – What to Pack for Bolivia

Bolivia is amazing. I loved every second of it! Due to the different geographical areas and climates, the packing list must consist of many different things: shorts for the hot weather, multiple layers, and even thermal underwear for the cold.

There is no need to worry if you’ve got what you need because following this packing list will make you comfortable at any temperature.