Bolivia

“If you were to erase every country on Earth and save Bolivia, you would still have a sample of every environment of Earth.” – unknown

I heard that quote, or something similar, when we were on our first trip through the spectacularly diverse country.
Bolivia is perfectly positioned at the heart of South America. Sitting between Peru and Brazil, it holds a massive amount of the great Andes Mountains as well as untouched expanses of the Amazon rainforest. It has dry deserts, foggy cloud forests, lush savanna, and even its own portion of the truly enormous wetland called the Pantanal. For all of these ecosystems, Bolivia holds the record for the most species of birds of any other landlocked country on Earth!

Vibrant culture, expansive wilderness, rich biodiversity, unique and delicious food, and sometimes unplanned adventures are all things that make Bolivia an amazing country to travel through. In many places, it’s rugged exterior and worn roads give you the feeling of traveling back in time. Just behind the stoic appearance, Bolivia is a warm and friendly place with the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

It takes a certain fortitude as a traveler to really experience Bolivia. But I can assure you, it’s worth it.
So incredibly worth it.

Stephanie and I spent 45 days in Bolivia, from November 27, 2018 to January 12, 2019. We entered the country from Arica, Chile and exited during our salt flats tour (red line), leaving through the southwestern corner.