When is the best time to visit Bolivia

Bolivia map

If you are preparing your trip but you are not sure when to travel to Bolivia, you should know that the climate changes according to region. Temperatures can differ from 8ºC in La Paz, to almost 30ºC in Trinidad. In general, the country is warm and humid in summer and cold and dry in winter.

When to travel to Bolivia

If we try to provide a general view on when to travel to Bolivia, there is no doubt that the months of April to October are the ones to choose, although you can visit the country at practically any time of the year.

Depending on the region that you want to explore during your visit, it will have a climate which is more or less favourable in relation to the months you choose to travel. And talking of months, keep in mind that the rainy season in Bolivia is from November to March. The dry season, however, is from April to October, and these are the most recommended month for travel.

Therefore, in short, we could say that the best time to travel to Bolivia would be during the dry season. You should also keep in mind that, although the weather in Lake Titicaca is warm, there are great contrasts between winter and summer.  The weather of the Altiplano (high plateau) is cooler, while in the Andes, it is sub-tropical. In the lowlands, the weather is very hot with low humidity.

But let’s see what the climate is like according to region, and when is the best time to travel to this country.

When to travel to the Bolivian Altiplano

When to travel to Bolivia

This region is the highest area of Bolivia, with some places located at an altitude of almost 4.500 metres. Clear examples of these are La Paz, el Salar de Uyuni, and the famous Lake Titicaca. Nonetheless, at these altitudes, the average temperature ranges between 15ºC and 22ºC during the day. The nights are much more dangerous, as temperatures can drop to below 0ºC.

Here, the dry and humid seasons coincide with the rest of the country, that is, the former is from April to October, and the latter from November to March. Travellers believe this region can be visited throughout the year, although the dry season is preferable.

When to travel to the central Bolivian mountain chain

If you have included the cities of Potosí, Sucre or Cochabamba in your trip, you should keep in mind that they also have two seasons. The rains come from November to March, and their intensity varies with each city. In this case, the higher the altitude, the less rainfall there is, so it is more likely that it will rain more in Sucre than in Potosí.

The temperature in this region ranges from 17ºC to 27ºC during the day, reaching freezing point during the night. As can be imagined, there is snow at this altitude, but this won’t spoil your trip.

When to visit he Bolivian Andes

Another of the most spectacular destinations in this country is the Valle de los Yungas, situated in the Bolivian Andes. This region has a climate which could be considered semi-tropical and which also has two seasons.

Once again, we recommend you visit this region during the dry season (from April to October). You will notice the variations in temperature according to altitude, as you could be at 1000 or perhaps at 3.500 metres. It all depends on your spirit of adventure.

When to visit the Bolivian Amazon

This region occupies a large part of the national territory and has different climates according to the area. To the north, in Pando and Beni, for example, you will find a very hot and humid climate which tends to have abundant rainfall during the humid season. But the city of Trinidad has the highest annual rainfall in the whole country.

Further south, the two seasons can be clearly differentiated, and they also have very high average rainfall. You will notice this if you visit Santa Cruz de la Sierra during the humid season from October to May.

When to travel to the Gran Chaco

This is one of the regions of Bolivia with the most extreme climate, as temperatures can easily reach 40ºC during the day and fall to 0ºC during the night. Nonetheless, Gran Chaco borders other South American countries, like Argentina and Paraguay, which have less rainfall when compared to the previously mentioned regions.

Avoid the months of December to March if you don’t want to travel in the rain, as well as the hottest months of the dry season.  This is the ideal region if you want to find out about the Quechuan culture, as it is the home of forty different ethnicities. Within it, the region contains various climates, from the warm sub-tropical, through to semi-arid and dry.

With all the above, you now know when to travel to Bolivia and what you need to keep in mind, depending the region that you want to visit. Take note and get your suitcases ready.