It is the question we hear most about Bolivia right now, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a reassuring one. The honest version is this: in normal times, the great majority of travelers explore Bolivia without serious trouble, and the realistic risks are petty theft, altitude sickness, and the occasional disruption rather than violence against visitors. But mid-2026 is not normal times. The country is in the middle of a serious wave of political protests, and that changes the picture in specific, important ways.
This guide gives you the real picture: what is happening with the current unrest, how to handle crime and scams, the altitude and health risks that catch travelers out, and the sensible precautions that reduce nearly all of it. It is written to be useful, not to talk you into a trip you should not take. We plan custom Bolivia journeys, and the first thing we do is read the conditions on the ground honestly. You can see how we cover this on our Bolivia health and safety page.
Journeys behind this story
Current situation: as of June 2026 (check before you book)
Bolivia is experiencing weeks of anti-government protests and widespread road blockades, concentrated in the La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosi, and Oruro regions.
The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia all currently advise against non-essential travel to the department of La Paz. The Chapare region has long been off-limits.
Blockades can cut intercity roads and access to airports, strand travelers, and cause shortages of fuel, food, and medicine. Never try to cross a blockade, even one that looks unattended.
This situation changes week to week. Always check your own government’s official travel advisory before you book and again before you fly. Traveling against that advice can also invalidate your travel insurance.
The short version
In normal conditions, most visitors travel Bolivia without serious incident. The main risks are petty theft, scams, altitude sickness, and transport disruption, not violent crime against tourists.
Right now, the protests make the La Paz department specifically unreliable. Avoid non-essential travel there until it settles, and watch the advisories.
Altitude is the health risk travelers most underestimate. La Paz sits at about 3,650 metres and its airport higher still. Ascend gradually.
See a travel clinic four to six weeks ahead for vaccines and antimalarials matched to your route, and buy insurance that covers high altitude and medical evacuation.
Sensible precautions remove most of the risk: radio taxis, reputable buses, no night road travel, valuables hidden, buffer days before flights, and never crossing a blockade.
What is happening in Bolivia right now?
Since May 2026, Bolivia has seen sustained anti-government protests rooted in a long economic crisis: fuel shortages, high inflation, a US-dollar shortage, and the rollback of fuel subsidies. The protests have been led by labor unions and other groups, and the main tactic is the bloqueo, the road blockade, a feature of Bolivian political life for decades.
For a traveler, the blockades are the real issue, and the risk is less about personal danger than about getting stranded. They can close intercity roads, cut access to airports (flights may still operate while the road to the terminal is blocked), and trigger shortages of fuel, food, and medicine in the worst-hit cities. The La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosi, and Oruro regions have been most affected; Santa Cruz and the eastern lowlands have seen less disruption, though that region carries its own health note covered below.
The single most important thing to know is that this is a fast-moving situation. Conditions, and the official advisories, change week to week. Avoid the La Paz department for non-essential travel for now, check your government’s advice before booking and again before flying, and build real flexibility into any plans. If you are caught near a protest or blockade, do not try to cross it; turn around and wait for official guidance.
How safe is Bolivia from crime?
Set against its neighbors, Bolivia does well on violent crime. Its homicide rate was about 3 per 100,000 in 2024, among the lowest in South America and far below countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador. Violent crime against tourists is uncommon. What is common, and what actually catches travelers out, is opportunistic theft.
Pickpocketing, bag-snatching, and theft on buses and in terminals are the everyday risks, concentrated in crowded tourist areas, markets, and bus stations, and after dark. Keep valuables out of sight, carry a photocopy of your passport rather than the original when you are out, use a cross-body bag, and stay alert in crowds. Express kidnapping, a short abduction with forced cash-machine withdrawals, exists but is rare and usually involves unlicensed taxis, which is why your choice of transport matters.
Bolivia is manageable for solo travelers and for women with the usual precautions, though catcalling and harassment can occur and care is warranted at night. Use vetted accommodation and trusted transport, and trust your instincts.
Common scams, and how to handle them
The fake police scam is the one to know. Someone in plain clothes claims to be an undercover officer and asks to see your passport or wallet for a drug check, sometimes with an accomplice posing as a fellow tourist. Real Bolivian police are almost always uniformed and do not stop tourists for street document checks. Do not hand over your documents or money. Offer to walk to the nearest real police station and to call your embassy, and the scam usually evaporates.
The distraction scam involves someone spilling a substance on you, mustard, sauce, even fake bird droppings, while a helpful stranger cleans you up and an accomplice empties your pockets. Decline the help and keep walking. For taxis, use radio taxis with a company name and phone number on the roof, or a ride app, and never share a cab with strangers. Be wary of cut-price Uyuni tour operators, and watch your drink in nightlife districts.
Altitude sickness: the risk most travelers underestimate
Much of Bolivia’s highland circuit sits very high. La Paz is around 3,650 metres, its El Alto airport higher still at roughly 4,060 metres and among the highest in the world, with Uyuni, Potosi, and Lake Titicaca all near or above 3,650 metres. Altitude sickness, known locally as soroche, is common, especially if you fly straight in from sea level. Symptoms include headache, nausea, fatigue, breathlessness, and dizziness.
Most cases are mild and pass with rest, but watch for the dangerous progressions: severe breathlessness at rest, a persistent cough, confusion, or unsteadiness. These are medical emergencies, and the response is to descend immediately and seek care. Fitness does not protect you; anyone can be affected.
To reduce the risk, ascend gradually. Where possible, start lower, in Santa Cruz, Sucre, or Cochabamba, before heading up to La Paz or Uyuni, rest for the first day, drink plenty of water, and avoid alcohol at first. Coca tea can ease mild symptoms, and the drug acetazolamide can help, but it is prescription only, so talk to your doctor or a travel clinic before you go. Because evacuation from high altitude can be difficult, make sure your insurance covers high-altitude activities and medical evacuation. Our Bolivia health and safety page goes into the acclimatization planning we build into trips.
Vaccinations and disease risks
See a travel clinic four to six weeks before you go for advice matched to your exact route, since the risks differ enormously between the high Andes and the eastern lowlands.
Yellow fever: recommended for the eastern lowland and Amazon areas below about 2,300 metres (Beni, Pando, Santa Cruz, and parts of other departments), and not needed for a highlands-only trip. A certificate may be required if you arrive from a country with risk of transmission, so carry your vaccination card.
Malaria: a risk in the lowland and Amazon regions, with prophylaxis advised depending on your itinerary. There is no malaria risk at highland altitude.
Mosquito-borne illness: dengue, Zika, and chikungunya occur in the lowlands, and a notable chikungunya outbreak in 2026 has centered on Santa Cruz. Avoid bites with repellent and by covering up.
Chagas disease: Bolivia has the highest rate in the world, spread by insects living in poorly built rural adobe housing. The practical risk is mainly for travelers sleeping in such dwellings; use nets and repellent.
Food and water: do not drink the tap water. Stick to bottled or boiled water, be careful with food hygiene, and pack something for travelers’ diarrhea.
Medical care is good at private clinics in La Paz and Santa Cruz but limited in rural areas, and clinics often expect payment up front. Comprehensive travel insurance is essential, not optional.
Roads, buses, and the Death Road
Bolivia’s intercity roads are genuinely dangerous, and bus crashes are a real cause of injury. Use reputable tourist bus companies rather than the cheapest option, avoid traveling overland at night, and use radio taxis or ride apps in the cities. In the rainy season, roughly November to March, landslides and flooding can close roads and make the Uyuni salt flats hard to reach.
The North Yungas Road, the famous Death Road outside La Paz, is now mainly a cycling attraction rather than a through route. It can be done safely with a reputable operator, look for quality bikes with good brakes, full helmets, a proper safety briefing, and a low ratio of riders to guides, but check that your travel insurance actually covers it, as some policies specifically exclude Death Road cycling.
How to stay safe in Bolivia: a practical checklist
Acclimatize gradually, and start lower before going high where you can.
Use radio taxis or ride apps, never unmarked cabs, and do not share with strangers.
Take reputable tourist buses, and avoid overland travel at night.
Keep valuables hidden and carry a passport photocopy rather than the original.
Never try to cross a road blockade, and stay away from protests and demonstrations.
Build buffer days before international flights in case of disruption.
Get vaccines and antimalarials matched to your route, and avoid the Chapare region.
Carry enough cash, since Bolivia runs largely on cash and has had a shortage of US dollars.
Buy insurance that covers high-altitude activities and medical evacuation.
Check your government’s travel advisory before booking and again before you fly.
So, is it safe to travel to Bolivia?
In normal conditions, yes, for the well-prepared traveler. Most visitors have a trouble-free trip, the country compares well on violent crime, and the main risks, petty theft, altitude, and the occasional disruption, are manageable with the precautions above. Bolivia is one of South America’s most rewarding and least crowded destinations, which is exactly why we run trips there. You can see the country and the experiences on our main Bolivia page.
Right now, in mid-2026, the picture comes with a clear caveat. The protests have made the La Paz department specifically unreliable, official advice is to avoid non-essential travel there, and the responsible move is to steer away from that region and to consider rerouting or postponing until things settle. The smart approach is to travel informed, flexible, and well-prepared, and to lean on people who watch conditions daily rather than guessing from afar.
How EcoVoyager approaches Bolivia
We are a Seattle-based eco-expedition company running small-group and private custom journeys to remote destinations, built on access, expertise, and cultural connection rather than luxury, with conservation partners on the ground in Bolivia. We monitor the advisories and local conditions, and we plan every trip to order, which means we build in flexibility, route around trouble, and will tell you plainly if now is not the time for a particular region. We will not send you somewhere we would not go ourselves. When you are ready, you can explore our Bolivia tours.
Thinking about Bolivia? Tell us what you want to see and when, and we will give you an honest read on conditions and build a route that fits. Get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to travel to Bolivia right now? As of mid-2026, ongoing protests and road blockades have led the US, UK, Canada, and Australia to advise against non-essential travel to the La Paz department. Other regions have been less affected, but the situation changes week to week, so check your government’s current advisory before booking and before you fly.
What is the biggest safety risk in Bolivia? For most travelers it is altitude sickness and transport disruption, followed by petty theft and scams, rather than violent crime. Acclimatizing gradually, choosing safe transport, and keeping your valuables secure handle the large majority of the risk.
Do I need vaccinations to visit Bolivia? See a travel clinic four to six weeks ahead. Yellow fever is recommended for the eastern lowlands and Amazon, malaria prophylaxis for those regions too, and routine vaccines plus hepatitis A and B and typhoid are commonly advised. A highlands-only trip needs less, but get advice matched to your route.
How do I avoid altitude sickness in Bolivia? Ascend gradually, ideally starting lower in Santa Cruz, Sucre, or Cochabamba before La Paz or Uyuni. Rest the first day, hydrate, avoid alcohol at first, and consider acetazolamide, which is prescription only, so ask your doctor. Descend and seek care if symptoms become severe.
Are the protests dangerous for tourists? The main risk is disruption rather than direct danger: blockades can strand you and cut off airports and supplies. Avoid the most affected regions, never try to cross a blockade, stay away from demonstrations, and keep buffer days around your flights.
Is the Death Road safe to cycle? It can be ridden safely with a reputable operator that provides quality bikes, full helmets, a safety briefing, and a low rider-to-guide ratio. Confirm your travel insurance covers it, since some policies specifically exclude Death Road cycling.
About EcoVoyager Adventures
EcoVoyager Adventures is a Seattle-based eco-tourism company running small-group and private custom expeditions to remote destinations, built on access, expertise, and cultural connection rather than luxury. We partner with conservation organizations in the places we travel and are members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. See our Bolivia destination page and Bolivia health and safety page to plan responsibly.
This article is general information, not medical or security advice. Always consult a doctor or travel clinic and check your government’s official travel advisory before you travel.