La Paz
Bolivia's seat of government, poured into a canyon below the Altiplano, where cable cars carry the city up to El Alto and new kitchens cook from the Andes to the Amazon.
- Arrival
- El Alto International · LPB
- To the city
- About 13 km, down from El Alto
- Private jets
- Customs and fuel at 4,061 m
- Best time
- May to October
The city
A city that commutes by cable car.
La Paz fills a deep bowl in the Andes, and its twin, El Alto, spreads across the plateau some 400 metres above. Since 2014 the two have been stitched together by Mi Teleférico, now ten lines and more than 30 km of cable, the longest urban cable-car system in the world; a ride is the quickest way to grasp the shape of the place.
At this altitude afternoons rarely pass 15 °C, and May to October is the dry winter, with clear skies and cold nights. The city has also become a serious place to eat: three of its restaurants are on the Latin American ranking, cooking from the Andes and the Amazon.
- Mi Teleférico Ten cable-car lines over the rooftops, climbing from the city to the rim of El Alto.
- Valle de la Luna Eroded clay spires and gullies on the southern edge of the city.
- Illimani The triple snow peak that stands over the city to the south-east.
Arriving
Landing above four thousand metres.
El Alto airport lies on the plateau about 13 km from the city, at 4,061 m; it describes itself as the highest international airport in the world. Its main runway is 4,000 m long, and the airport and tower are open around the clock.
- Lima 1 h 45
- Santiago 2 h 50
- Buenos Aires 3 h 15
- Punta Cana 5 h 20
- Milan 13 h 35 long-range jet
When to go
May to October.
At this height highs stay between 12 and 15 °C all year, so the season is read in rainfall. From May to October a few millimetres to about 35 mm fall each month; December to February bring the summer rains, at over 100 mm.
- 13° J 130
- 13° F 102
- 13° M 81
- 13° A 32
- 13° M 15
- 12° J 4
- 12° J 5
- 13° A 14
- 14° S 32
- 15° O 35
- 15° N 50
- 14° D 100
Where to stay
Towers, design and the Zona Sur.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Stannum Boutique Hotel & Spa Twenty-two rooms on the twelfth floor of a tower, some looking out to Illimani, with a spa.
- Casa Grande Hotel Sixty-five rooms with whirlpool baths, up to a presidential suite of 148 m².
- Atix Hotel Fifty-three rooms hung with the work of Gastón Ugalde, and a rooftop bar over the southern districts; in the MICHELIN selection.
Where to dine
Bolivia on the Latin American list.
No MICHELIN guide covers Bolivia; tables ranked by Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, including the extended 51–100 list.
- Arami Latin America's 50 Best, No. 48 Amazonian and Andean Achumani
- Gustu Latin America's 50 Best, No. 75 (51–100) Modern Bolivian Calle 10, Calacoto
- Ancestral Latin America's 50 Best, No. 79 (51–100) Wood-fired grill Achumani
Elsewhere in Bolivia
More reasons to come.
Flying to La Paz?
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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.