IBOBolivia
24articles
Aguas Termales de Empexa: hot springs in the middle of nowhere—with a dog
While tracing the western edge of the Uyuni Salt Flat, we penciled in a small detour: the Aguas Termales de Empexa. On the map it looked like a tempting bonus, but…
18 February 2026
By car up Uturuncu: along one of the highest roads on Earth
After a grueling haul from Laguna Salada , we’re finally settled into the warm, spacious dining room of our guesthouse in Quetena Chico . A few hours ago, sunshine…
24 December 2025
Torre de Chochís: the rock tooth of eastern Bolivia
Bolivia isn’t just the Altiplano, its high plateaus, and snow capped Andean peaks. In the east, the land softens into the warmer, greener, far flatter region known…
20 January 2026
Elevation, prominence, and the illusion of height in the Andes
Say "Andes," and most people picture extreme heights, snow and thin air. The reality is far more complex. The Andes aren’t a single, uniform massif—their elevation,…
3 February 2026
The reality of dog walking in South America: experiences from Paraguay and Bolivia
Dog walking in Europe tends to follow clear rules. Parks, leashes, fenced off‑leash areas, mandatory vaccinations, and a general sense that you’re in control of…
12 February 2026
Codo de los Andes Trek with a Dog
Trip date: Late July 2025 Introduction Codo de los Andes is an impressive trekking destination in Bolivia’s Eastern Andes. Its name means “the elbow of the Andes”—a…
25 December 2025
Almost out of fuel in Bolivia: How to road-trip through a gasoline and diesel shortage
On our summer 2025 trip to Bolivia, it didn’t take long to learn that fuel—both gasoline and diesel—is a real issue. We’d heard about shortages before we flew out,…
22 February 2026
Traveling with a dog from the EU to Bolivia: what to know and how it works in practice
Traveling with a dog to South America is always a mix of thorough preparation, patience, and a dose of improvisation. Bolivia is rarely mentioned in this context,…
8 February 2026
Hike to the Crater of Tunupa Volcano
After a day on the endless Uyuni salt flats, we head out in the morning from our hotel near the village of Coqueza for another adventure. The plan: drive as close…
28 December 2025
Uyuni Salt Flats with a Dog
The Salar de Uyuni salt flats are among Bolivia’s most iconic sights and, for many, the main reason to come to this corner of the world. We didn’t want to miss this…
28 December 2025
Licancabur: a two-and-a-half-year dream of climbing an Altiplano icon
About two and a half years ago, we drove from Argentina into Chile via Paso de Jama. On the Chilean side, the monumental bulk of Licancabur suddenly loomed to our…
21 December 2025
Chorro de San Luis Waterfall: an unassuming cascade near Roboré, Bolivia
During our stay in San José de Chiquitos in eastern Bolivia , I headed over to Roboré on a side trip. Roboré sits about 132 kilometers south of San José de…
21 December 2025
Viru Viru Airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia: our experience traveling with Ibo
We flew into Viru Viru Airport near Santa Cruz de la Sierra from Asunción with our dog, Ibo. It was a direct flight of roughly two hours, so the journey itself was…
21 December 2025
Icons of Southern Bolivia
For most travelers, Uyuni is the gateway to the salt flats and an ideal jumping off point for exploring the most iconic landscapes of southern Bolivia. This…
24 January 2026
A Week Around Salar de Uyuni
Everyone has heard of Uyuni, the jumping off point for the world‑famous salt flats of Salar de Uyuni. Most travelers drop in for a quick look and move on. But…
24 January 2026
Hoyada Ulo: a mysterious crater on Bolivia’s Altiplano
We spotted the Hoyada Ulo crater on the map before leaving our guesthouse in the village of Coquesa. We’d planned to work the visit into our travel day from Coquesa…
21 February 2026
Blue Dollar: Everything for Half Price?
If you travel through Latin America (and beyond), sooner or later you’ll come across the term blue dollar and the gap between the “official” and “unofficial”…
7 February 2026
Bolivia with a dog: a realistic guide to high altitudes, long distances, and wild landscapes
Bolivia isn’t your typical holiday destination. There’s no coastline and the infrastructure isn’t exactly slick. Distances are on a different scale than in Europe.…
23 February 2026
Traveling with a Dog from the EU to South America: Country-by-Country Entry Rules
Traveling with a dog outside the European Union is always a notch trickier than traveling within Schengen. Add South America and you enter a world of different…
9 February 2026
What to Have in Your Car for an Altiplano Road Trip
Traveling the Altiplano often takes you into areas where you can’t rely on infrastructure or quick help. Most of the time everything feels straightforward, but when…
22 December 2025
Choosing the right vehicle for exploring the Altiplano: practical, on-the-ground advice
The Altiplano is a vast high plateau in South America, sitting roughly between 3,500 and 4,800 meters above sea level. It spans mainly Bolivia , northern Peru ,…
22 December 2025
From Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Roboré: Jesuit missions and waterfall swims
Eastern Bolivia is often overlooked. Most travelers head for the Andes, the Salar de Uyuni or the Amazon. Yet the lowlands around Santa Cruz hide places that feel…
6 April 2026
To the summit of Cerro Hualchisa—with a dog in the car
The town of Llica sits on the western edge of the Salar de Uyuni, high on Bolivia’s Altiplano. It’s a quiet, unassuming place that feels a little cut off from the…
20 February 2026
From Uyuni to Tupiza: It Can Always Be Worse
After two intense weeks on the Altiplano, we’ve had our fill of cold, wind, and thin air. The plan is simple: drop to a lower elevation where it’s warmer, greener,…
26 December 2025