Bolivia

As my bus slowly rattled and groaned its way out of La Paz for the long journey south, I shuddered at what I’d let myself in for. For three weeks since arriving in Bolivia I’d resisted the lure of the far south-west. Though described by many as the most extraordinary experience in all Bolivia, there were many drawbacks. It was too far. Too high. Above all, it was much too cold. But, with a certain inevitability, my fascination overtook my reservations. I was on my way to Uyuni.

It was an early morning in July and Alberto Olivera was manoeuvring his minibus along the treacherous mountain road from La Paz to Coroico.

Abdul probably has the best legs in La Paz. As he strides around the de facto Bolivian capital in his kilt – a tartan from the Steward clan borrowed from a Scottish friend – he attracts attention not only for unusual attire, but also for his finely-crafted calves.

Life passes slowly for the people of la Higuera, a sleepy pueblo in a forgotten corner of Bolivia’s eastern lowlands. But this remote community harbours an uneasy heritage that is set to return to haunt the lives of its inhabitants: this is the place where Che Guevara was put to death.

The poorest (and thus least expensive) and debatably the best (from an independent budget traveller's perspective) of South American nations. Bolivia is no secret, it's generally crammed full of backpackers who come for a cheaper stay than elsewhere in the region and the great diversity on offer.

Each of the graded walks are presented against a background of cultural

Since the Bolivian revolution in 1952, migrants have come to the city of Cochabamba, seeking opportunity and relief from rural poverty

Historically a common trust, water has become the focus of commodification and privatization. It is easy to understand why water is also the center of an international movement to turn back the rising tide of corporate globalization.

This definitive guidebook to the wild landscapes, vast salt deserts, and captivating people of Bolivia, has been completely updated, with detailed information on adventure and ecotravel options, including mountain trekking, jungle safaris, and hikes along the Che Guevara Trail.

Landlocked and isolated at the heart of South America, Bolivia encompasses everything that outsiders find most exotic and mysterious about that continent.