Best time to visit Bolivia

The best time to visit Bolivia is between May and October, during the country’s dry winter months. The start and end of the dry season are best, with fewer crowds, milder temperatures, blue skies and sunshine, as it can get very cold in the highlands (or Altiplano) and in the desert during June and July, midwinter in the southern hemisphere.

Although you can visit during the summer rainy season from November to March, the rains can often cause disruption to travel so you may be limited as to where you can visit. As you’re planning when to go to Bolivia, make sure your destination is still accessible if you’ll be visiting during the rainiest months.

The eastern lowlands, including Santa Cruz and the Amazon tend to be warmer year-round, although the heat is less overwhelming in winter, which is also one of the busiest times to visit.

Right in the heart of Bolivia’s rainy season, you’re most likely to encounter travel disruption from this month on with flooded roads, occasional landslides as well as fog and cloud at higher altitude. If you’re planning to hike, this is the wettest month of the year so while wildflowers are blooming this month, it’s definitely not a good time to get outdoors. The water levels at the Uyuni salt flats are usually too deep even for 4x4s this month.

Despite being the middle of summer, you’ll find some unexpected extremes of weather. The Amazon and the Pampas are unsurprisingly hot, wet and humid which makes exploring difficult, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra is also hot, up to around 31C this month with regular rain all month. The Andes and Altiplano can still get very cold, although La Paz is milder with highs of around 17C but it’s rainy here too.

It’s the wettest month of the year in the capital Sucre although temperatures are pleasantly warm at 21C if you’d like to visit Bolivia’s pretty capital, tucked away in its sheltered valley.

Festivals: The Feria de Alasitas takes place in the last week of January in La Paz, where thousands buy miniature versions of what they hope they’ll acquire over the coming year, including offerings to Andean god of abundance, Ekeko.

Best for: Exploring Sucre without the crowds, festivals in La Paz

It’s another wet month in Bolivia in February, with more travel disruption after the long periods of rain including flooded roads, fog and cloud, as well as intense thunderstorms in the Andes and highlands of the Altiplano, plus snowfall in some places. The Uyuni salt flats are also still deep underwater too.

While the mountains get very cold, the lowlands are much hotter with high humidity, high rainfall and temperatures over 30C in the Amazon and the Pampas, making it unpleasant to explore. The subtropical climate of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the lowlands means it’s still hot and wet here too.

One of the best locations for a holiday in Bolivia in February is the capital Sucre where the rainfall has lessened slightly from February and it’s still a pleasant 21C. Between the extremes of weather and the country-wide rain, February definitely doesn’t top the list of when to go to Bolivia though.

Festivals: Carnival is celebrated across Bolivia in February (or early March) with some of the biggest and best festivities in Santa Cruz for a more tropical flavour or Oruro for a traditional feel. Expect parades, processions, dancing and a party atmosphere.

Best for: Sucre without the crowds, festivals in Santa Cruz

The rainy season is finally starting to come to an end, although you can still expect storms and even snowfall in the mountains. Temperatures can drop significantly overnight in the Andes and Altiplano too, even if it’s getting warmer during the day. La Paz is still rainy too this month, especially towards the beginning of March.

As the month goes on, conditions improve at the Uyuni salt flats, so if you time your visit right, you could get to see the spectacular reflections in the standing water after the rainy season, although there’s a risk of it still being inaccessible if the level is too deep. The Amazon is also bursting into life after the wet weather, but it’s still very hot and humid, and you can expect heavy rainfall throughout March, with similar steamy conditions on the Pampas around Rurrenabaque.

If you’re looking to explore one of Bolivia’s cities, there’s not much difference between February and March if you’re heading to the capital Sucre where it’s still warm but rainy, or in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where it’s hot and rainy. If you can postpone your visit for another month, conditions improve markedly in April.

Festivals: The Pujllay carnival takes place in Tarabuco on the third Sunday in march, commemorating a triumph by local tribes over Spanish troops in 1816, with colourful costumes worn and traditional dances.

Best for: Sucre without the crowds

The dry season has finally arrived with less travel disruption and bright, clear, blue skies above. Temperatures are dropping as autumn continues but before the coldest weather of winter. You can expect some unsettled and unpredictable conditions throughout the month, but with the weather gradually improving and smaller crowds in the shoulder season.

It’s one of the best months to visit the salt flats at Uyuni if you’re hoping to capture the reflections in the water under blue skies, but while still being able to travel around the area without the problems of rainy season. It’s easy to combine with a visit to the Atacama Desert in neighbouring Chile, before the subzero temperatures of the winter months too.

There’s still a possibility of snow in La Paz, with cold temperatures at night in the highlands and around Lake Titicaca so go prepared if you’re heading up to higher altitudes.

Down in the lowlands, it’s still hot although it’s getting drier too, which means lower humidity in the Amazon. If you can cope with the heat, it’s a good time to see the lush undergrowth before peak season arrives. Bear in mind that it never gets cold, unless your visit coincides with the unpredictable surazos, storms from the south which temporarily bring colder temperatures. There are similar conditions in the Pampas and the wetlands around Rurrenabaque, with lower rainfall and humidity but temperatures still over 30C.

Elsewhere, the rain is easing in Sucre if you want to explore Bolivia’s compactly pretty capital, while Santa Cruz de la Sierra is slightly cooler than the heat of midsummer, with less rain this month as well.

Festivals: The Holy Week celebrations of Semana Santa take place across the countryside in April (or late March), especially in Copacabana – called the Lourdes of Bolivia – where countless pilgrims arrive on Good Friday after walking from La Paz.

Best for: Exploring without the crowds, the salt flats at Uyuni

The dry season is firmly underway, and it’s one of the best months to visit all the highlights of Bolivia. Temperatures are beginning to drop as autumn comes to an end, but the Amazon rainforest and wetlands of the Pampas around Rurrenabaque are far less humid and slightly cooler this month if you’re hoping to see some of the country’s wildlife. The vegetation is still green and lush after the wet months, with full rivers too.

It’s also a great time for a holiday in Bolivia if you want to avoid the coldest weather in the Andes and Altiplano, although with austral winter around the corner, you’ll still want to pack your thermals. Temperatures in La Paz are a pleasant 18C this month with only a few days of rain, but drop to just above zero at night. Wrap up warm and make the most of the views of Lake Titicaca under cloudless blue skies, with the snow-capped mountains in the background. You can also use La Paz as the starting point to explore further in the Andes, whether that’s travelling onwards towards Peru via the Inca site of Isla del Sol or heading south to the salt flats near Uyuni and onwards to the Atacama Desert in Chile. May is another good month to explore the salt flats, with the high water levels of the summer dropping so you can get out to explore this unique stretch of dramatic desert.

Or discover another side to the mountains further south at Potosi, one of the highest towns in the world, in the shadow of the Cerro Rico peak where you can explore one of the country’s silver mines up in the Andes. It’s an easy journey from here to the capital Sucre, where it’s still pleasantly warm during the day at around 21C, with no rain to prevent you from wandering the picturesque streets of Bolivia’s white city.

You could also explore a gentler side of Bolivia’s scenery this month in the lowlands around Santa Cruz de la Sierra with some time in the city before heading out to enjoy hiking in the countryside, following in the footsteps of Che Guevara.

Festivals: The feast of El Señor del Gran Poder (Jesus Christ) sees over 20,000 dancers in colourful costumes take to the streets of La Paz, with groups competing for the honour of being named the best in this traditional parade.

Best for: Exploring the whole country, hiking, salt flats, wildlife in the Amazon and wetlands

June is another good month to visit Bolivia as long as you’ve packed carefully. In many places, the days are dry and sunny but it’s bitterly cold at night. If you’re heading into the high Andes to Potosi and the nearby silver mines or further north to La Paz and Lake Titicaca, the midwinter temperatures drop below zero so if you have early morning starts, you’ll need to be prepared. It’s also one of the most popular months to visit Bolivia, so plan ahead as the most popular tourist destinations will be busy and often booked up, and it’s not a good idea to head high into the Andes with a high risk of snow.

The salt flats of Uyuni are similarly busy and just as cold overnight, sometimes dropping to -5C. But the sparkling white of the salt desert under dazzling blue skies makes for some incredible photographs. It’s easy to combine it with a visit to the Atacama Desert across the border in Chile, where you’ll face similarly dramatic landscapes and subzero night-time temperatures.

If you’re looking for somewhere to warm up, it might be the coolest month of the year in Rurrenabaque and the wetlands of the Pampas but that still means daytime highs of around 28C, and lows in the high teens. It’s a good time to venture into the Amazon rainforest too, which has similar temperatures and comparatively low humidity this month for exploring.

For something more temperate, the capital Sucre is pleasantly warm and sunny during the day, although you’ll still need a coat in the evenings if you’re out and about in Bolivia’s white city. The subtropical climate of Santa Cruz de la Sierra ensures it’s around 25C during the day, with lovely conditions to head out hiking in the surrounding countryside of the lowlands.

Festivals: At the Winter Equinox, the celebration of the first rays of the sun marks the beginning of a new year in La Paz, with ceremonies by the Aymara population for fertility and a good harvest in the year to come.

The feast of St John the Baptist on June 24 is marked across the country, traditionally with people jumping across the flames of large bonfires, lit partly to keep evil spirits away on one of the coldest days of the year. Some of the best celebrations take place in the highlands.

Best for: Wildlife in the Amazon and wetlands, Sucre, hiking around Santa Cruz, festivals

It’s midwinter in Bolivia this month, so you can expect freezing temperatures in the Andes and the highlands of the Altiplano. The sun will still be shining and the skies are clear, so it’s warm during the days but it’s snowy high in the mountains. Despite the bitterly cold temperatures at night, this is peak season for Bolivia, with people making the most of summer holidays in the northern hemisphere to visit. If you’re hoping to visit the most popular destinations, you’ll need to plan well ahead.

Don’t forget your thermals if you’re heading to La Paz and onwards to Lake Titicaca and Peru, with gloriously clear days and temperatures hovering around 17C in the daytime but dropping to under zero at night. High in the Andes further south, Potosi and the nearby silver mines are even colder.

It’s equally chilly at the salt flats near Uyuni, where the sparkling white expanses are only moderately warm, at around 12C during the day, and positively bitter at night with temperatures below -3C. The dry weather shows off the salt desert at its best though, so if you’re prepared for the weather, it’s a dramatic sight. Temperatures are cold at night in the capital Sucre as well, although it’s warm and sunny for sightseeing during the day.

If you’re looking for a warmer option to get outdoors, Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the lowlands has a subtropical climate so it’s 26C this month and one of the driest months of the year, ideal if you’re hoping to go hiking in the countryside nearby, where you can follow in the footsteps of Che Guevara.

And despite being midwinter, it’s always hot in the Amazon rainforest as well as the wetlands of the Pampas near Rurrenabaque, at around 28C during the day and with comparatively low humidity.

Best for: Wildlife in the Amazon and wetlands, Sucre, hiking around Santa Cruz

It’s the busiest month of the year for holidays in Bolivia, not to mention being one of the coldest, so go prepared for crowds and chilly conditions, plus you’ll need to book well in advance for the most popular destinations including the salt flats at Uyuni. If you’re hoping to get outdoors, snow makes part of the high Andes impassable, although you can still discover the silver mines around Potosi as well as pretty La Paz, or travel onwards to Lake Titicaca and Peru. Just don’t forget your thermals

If you’re looking to go hiking, it’s best to head to the lowlands, where you can follow in the footsteps of Che Guevara as you hike in the countryside – it’s easy to combine this with a stay in Santa Cruz de la Sierra for another side to Bolivia.

At the other end of the temperature scale, the Amazon and the wetlands near Rurrenabaque are still hot during the daytime, although without the searing heat and humidity of the summer months, so it’s a good time to explore the rainforest and to spot some of Bolivia’s wildlife.

It’s a good, though busy, month to visit Sucre as well, with evening temperatures beginning to rise, and plenty of sun to walk the streets of the country’s capital.

Festivals: Bolivia marks Independence Day on August 6 with a public holiday across the country, including marches taking place in the bigger towns and cities.

Best for: Hiking in the lowlands, sightseeing in Sucre, wildlife spotting

September is another of the best months for a holiday in Bolivia, with the peak season crowds heading back home, those freezing winter nights starting to warm up and warm, dry days across the country. There’s often a mild spell across much of the Altiplano, ideal if you’re heading right up to Potosi, one of the highest towns in the world up in the Andes. It’s still cold at La Paz and Lake Titicaca though. You’ll also get to see flamingos flocking to the lakes of the high Altiplano this month, making the dramatic views even more memorable.

Despite the chilly temperatures, the salt flats at Uyuni are also at their best this month, after months of dry weather, with the sparkling white stretching out endlessly. It’s still chilly in the evenings, with temperatures dropping to around 6C overnight but well worth it for those unique panoramas. For more flamingos, plus a few volcanoes, combine the salt flats with a trip to the Atacama Desert in neighbouring Chile.

In the lowlands, the rains are starting to return from late September, so it’s best to plan any hiking early in the month. You can follow in the footsteps of Che Guevara in the countryside, as well as saving time to explore Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Rainfall is also starting to pick up in Sucre as the month goes on, although the capital is still generally dry for some sightseeing.

And September is one of the last good months of the year for spotting wildlife in the Amazon and the wetlands near Rurrenabaque, where it’s getting hotter once again, although without the worst of the summer humidity.

Best for: Salt flats, spotting flamingos, visiting the Amazon and Pampas, escaping the crowds

October is the last of the peak months to visit Bolivia, with spring on the horizon, the weather starting to warm up and the crowds leaving. It does come with some mixed blessings though, as there’s more chance of rain throughout the month, with storms in the Andes and Altiplano at times, combined with freezing temperatures overnight if you head to high altitude around Potosi. La Paz is only slightly wetter than September, so it’s a good chance to make the most of the blue skies before the rainy season begins in earnest.

The increasing warmth also brings hotter and more humid conditions in the Amazon and the wetlands near Rurrenabaque. Go prepared for sudden downpours as well as temperatures of around 33C.

It’s also a particularly good month to visit the Uyuni salt flats, now the bitterly cold temperatures of the winter are past but with little chance of your views being disrupted by rain yet. If you’re planning to head on from Bolivia to Chile, it’s easy to combine the salt flats with the Atacama Desert and make the most of the dry days with the colder nights behind you.

In the lowlands, it’s a similar story with the days getting warmer throughout the month and rain increasing. Hiking in the countryside around Santa Cruz de la Sierra is still possible, but there’s more chance of showers and with temperatures hitting 31C, you’ll need to avoid the worst heat of the day. And while the capital Sucre is cooler, in the low 20Cs, you can expect more rainy days here as well this month.

Best for: Uyuni salt flats, La Paz

The rainy season begins this month, with milder temperatures in the highlands and more humid weather in the lowlands. The worst travel disruption is still a few months in the future, but you can expect to face some delays and diversions during the heaviest downpours.

There is still time to visit the Amazon rainforest or the Pampas around Rurrenabaque before the worst of the rains kick in, but there’s no question it will be wetter and steamily hot this month, so it’s not a great option if you struggle with high humidity. It’s hotter and getting humid in the lowlands around Santa Cruz de la Sierra, with more rain here too which makes hiking less tempting.

It is one of the best months to visit the salt flats at Uyuni, and you may be lucky with the rains creating that mirror-like effect as the white landscape begins to flood. Going early enough in the season gives a better chance to getting those magical photos before the wet weather makes the flats inaccessible – it’s tricky to predict precisely when it will be rainy enough for the optical illusions of the water but not too rainy that you’re restricted to the edges of the salt flats though.

Snow will be starting to fall at higher altitudes in the Andes and Altiplano, and La Paz sees more rain although it’s pleasantly warm with temperatures reaching 20C at times. You’ll have more cloudy days than the bright blue skies of winter, but it’s still possible to visit.

And while it’s getting rainier in the capital Sucre as well, it’s still drier this month than it will be until April, so if you’re hoping to explore, it’s the last chance for a while.

Festivals: Todos Santos is celebrated on November 1 and 2, with a public holiday on the Day of the Dead. It’s marked particularly throughout the highlands, where remembrance parties are held in ceremonies, and graves decorated with flowers and garlands.

Best for: Uyuni salt flats, La Paz

The rainy season is well underway this month and all in all, the weather means December is not the best time to visit Bolivia. The Amazon and the Pampas are getting ever hotter and more humid with regular torrential downpours, while in the lowlands, it’s the wettest month of the year in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, as well as being one of the hottest.

You can’t easily escape the heat by heading into the mountains either, with thunderstorms and some snow in the Andes and the Altiplano, while Lake Titicaca can be hit with hurricanes. Rain will be hitting La Paz even more heavily than November too, while the wet weather has set in at the salt flats of Uyuni too so it’s neither the best time to enjoy the flooded mirror-like effect of the rain or to soak up those dramatic views of the dazzling white salt flats stretching off to the horizon.

It’s not a great month to explore the capital either, one of the wettest of the year in Sucre, although its sheltered location means it’s never too hot here if you can dodge the showers.

Festivals: Christmas is a public holiday across Bolivia, with traditional variations in different parts of the country as well as religious ceremonies. San Ignacio de Moxos and Tarija have some of the more colourful celebrations.

Best for: Sucre without the crowds