Travelling Bolivia With Young Children

October 29, 2026

Read this before booking, October 2026. A nationwide state of exception has covered Bolivia since June 2026. Protests and road blockades can stop traffic, including on roads to airports, with very little warning, and fuel is scarce at times, which is hard going with small children in the car. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Chapare Province, Villa Tunari included, and the US warns against travel there as well. Consult the FCDO advice and the US advisory first.

Travelling Bolivia With Young Children

A family can enjoy Bolivia if the trip is built around three things: starting low, keeping to a few short outings, and leaving buffer days for roadblocks. This page follows that order, with the child-friendly sights placed where they fit in a realistic route.

Start low, then climb

Sucre sits at about 2,810 m, while La Paz and El Alto range from about 3,600 to 4,000 m and Potosí and the Uyuni plateau are just as high. Children can suffer from altitude and may be unable to describe it. Typical signs are headache, poor sleep, nausea and unusual tiredness. Talk to a doctor or travel clinic before the flight, rest on arrival, give plenty of fluids and avoid heavy meals. Coca tea is a custom, not a proven treatment, and no tea or tablet is known to prevent altitude illness. If a child gets worse, go down. Many families therefore begin in Sucre and move to La Paz after a few days.

In and around Sucre

Parque Cretácico at Cal Orck’o. The big draw for children. A limestone wall about 110 m high and 1.2 km long is covered in dinosaur tracks, and the park has large models of dinosaurs, including a long-necked Titanosaur, plus a sandpit for digging. The wall is a candidate on UNESCO’s Tentative List for Bolivia. Foreign adult entry was listed at about Bs 30, and the Dino Bus from Plaza 25 de Mayo at about Bs 15 return. Prices and tour times shift, so ask at your hotel.

Parque Bolívar. The central park has a small iron tower and pedal karts. Plan on an hour at most.

La Paz

Mi Teleférico. The cable car network crosses the city bowl above rooftops, football pitches and ridgelines, and Illimani shows on clear days. The first line costs about Bs 3 and each transfer about Bs 2, with reduced fares for some groups. It often keeps running when roads are blocked. Ten or more lines operate, so choose one or two short rides rather than the whole map, and ride in daylight.

Toward the Yungas

La Senda Verde. This rescue centre in Yolosa cares for animals taken from traffickers, among them monkeys, macaws and spectacled bears, and enforces a strict no-touch rule. It suits school-age children who like animals. Check sendaverde.org for hours, prices and rooms, because landslides can close the road from La Paz.

What to leave out

Cerro Rico mine tours, Death Road cycling and high-altitude climbs are adult activities. The mines are dusty and cramped, the road has claimed several cyclists, and the peaks need acclimatisation that children should not attempt. Long overland days at altitude are also a poor fit.

Packing and health notes

Bring sun protection and a hat, plus warm layers for cold nights.
Carry bolivianos in small notes. The currency floated in 2026 and traded near 12 to the dollar in late October, and cards are rare.
For any lowland trip, such as the Amazon, ask a clinic early about a yellow fever certificate.
Hire a licensed driver for long road legs and pack snacks for delays.

To compare family tours, search GetYourGuide for Bolivia family tours .