Right after you cross into Bolivia, you are already surrounded by “boletas” of the Aymaras that flock the “mercado” of Copacabana, with its white church overlooking the square.

At 4000 meters altitude, towered over by Illimani, La Paz is one of the highest capitals in the world, boasting the longest airport runway to compensate for the thin air. And this rarefied air is the thing you’ll feel right away while walking, mainly uphill in the city. Its surroundings are full of interesting sites from the ruins of Tiahuanaco to the otherworldly landscape of Valle de la Luna.