Walking Tour of La Paz: 10 Things We Learned

Walking Tour of La Paz: 10 Things We Learned

From a lawless harem in the middle of the city to loving zebras roaming the city, this walking tour of La Paz is no ordinary day trip

Few cities have a setting as dramatic as La Paz. At 3,650m above sea level, it is often referred to as the highest capital in the world, although this is not entirely true. The country's official capital is Sucre, which is 690 km southeast.

Still, La Paz has long been Bolivia's political and commercial center and a popular stopover for tourists. The sprawling city sits in a gorge and offers dramatic views of the Andes Mountains in the distance.

The curves of its valley are covered by the makeshift shelters of the poor, who stubbornly cling to the steepest inclines. It is essentially a city with two stories: on the one hand, a modern metropolis with cable cars that carry its citizens to dizzying heights; on the other side, a rickety old town associated with beliefs bordering on alchemy.

We really wanted to get under our skin, so we booked a walking tour of La Paz. We were tempted to go with a free tour, but heard good things about the La Paz Off The Beaten Track Walking Tour from Banjo Tours and decided to book that instead. It turned out to be an excellent decision. T

The group size was much smaller than we were used to on free tours (which often hovers over 20). Our guide Sergio had a genuine love for his hometown and a deep knowledge that went far beyond the scope of the tour. Clearly, his enthusiasm, which infected us as we set off, was that La Paz was one of the most fascinating cities we had ever visited.

Here are just some of the reasons why.

Shoe shiners literally mask their shame

old=““>Dreamtime'Lustrabotas' use hats and balaclavas to hide their identities

They look menacing at first glance, but after hearing their story, you will feel a sense of poignancy when you come across the shoeshine boys of La Paz, or “Lustrabotas” as the locals call them. Many are runaways who live hand to mouth and shine shoes for a living. They are so ashamed of what they do that they wear baseball caps and balaclavas to hide their identity. While some become involved in drugs and alcohol, many are simply trying to make ends meet. Many La Paz residents feel some sort of obligation to the shoeshine boys, mentoring them whenever possible and paying more than advertised to help them on their way.

The San Pedro prison is basically just a lawless harem

alt="San Pedro Prison, La Paz Walking Tour">Atlas & BootsThe infamous San Pedro Prison is ruled not by guards but by its inmates

Oy vey, where do we start? This prison – designed for 250 prisoners but actually housing 2,000 – is a lawless pit ruled not by guards but by prisoners, usually those with the most money. Rich prisoners are able to bring their own furniture and furnishings and even their own guests, while the poor have to sleep in the corridors and survive on a diet that barely covers maintenance. The notorious prison was once open for tours, but its doors were closed following violence against visitors. However, we hear that if you sit on a certain bench at a certain time on a certain day, a man will pick you up for an unofficial tour of the prison. (Of course we advise against this.)

It's worth noting that San Pedro is the subject of Marching Powder, a fascinating book by Rusty Young about his time in prison with drug dealer Thomas McFadden. Brad Pitt's production company has partially bought the rights to the book, so it could be coming to our screens soon.

The current president is Bolivia's first indigenous person

Evo Morales is loved across the country as he is the country's first indigenous president. He is left-leaning and has focused on reducing poverty while advocating for indigenous rights, environmental protection and anti-imperialism. He once quoted former President Gualberto Villarroel López in a speech as saying: “I am not the enemy of the rich, but rather a friend of the poor.”

A clock in the main square runs backwards to remind citizens to think differently

alt=“Backwards clock on La Paz walking tour”>Atlas & BootsThe backward clock reminds citizens that they can challenge established norms

At first we didn't notice anything unusual, so Sergio asked us to take a second look. We quickly realized that the clock on the National Congress building was running backwards. Sergio explained that this serves as a reminder to all citizens that they can question established norms and think creatively. Some don't like the clock because they say it is a symbol of looking backwards, but not everyone takes it so literally.

You may encounter an affectionate zebra or two

Driving in La Paz used to be pretty “overzealous,” shall we say. Enter the Zebras, an army of once-at-risk youth who now wear zebra costumes to educate drivers and pedestrians about road safety. Known for their exuberant, affectionate style, the city's zebras are likely to rejoice as you wait for the green light or clutch their heads in mock desperation as you sprint through traffic instead. In recent years, the scope of zebras' work has expanded. They now also run educational programs on recycling, water conservation and bullying.

There are dead animals everywhere

alt="interesting facts about Bolivia">Atlas & BootsDried animals are purchased and offered to Mother Nature in exchange for blessings

Well, not everywhere, but in many places. We visited the “witch market” in El Alto, on the outskirts of La Paz, where women sell rows of dead animals to citizens who in turn offer them to Pachamama (Mother Nature) in return for blessings. We asked Sergio how this fits in with the country's Catholic faith. He explained that while the church does not officially endorse these rituals, it also understands the importance of indigenous culture and beliefs.

Bolivia is desperate for sovereign access to the sea

Bolivia is one of the two landlocked countries in South America and also one of the poorest. Compare this to Chile, one of the wealthiest countries on the continent. This inequality is due in part to the 420 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline and 120,000 square kilometers of land that Bolivia lost to Chile in the War of the Pacific in the 1880s. The former has been fighting for access to the sea ever since and only filed a lawsuit with the World Court on May 4 this year. Sergio told us he prays his country will one day gain access, but doubts this will ever happen.

There's a car wedged casually into a cliff...

old=““>Atlas & BootsA car wedged into a cliff as seen from a cable car

Once a car drove over a cliff and got stuck. It's been there ever since. Every now and then it slides down a few meters, but stays in the cliff. Really standard stuff.

The poor are buried on top of each other

alt="La Paz Cemetery">Atlas & BootsLa Paz Cemetery from above

Although this practice is widespread in several cities on the continent, this is the first time I have come across it. The La Paz cemetery has coffins essentially stacked on top of each other to accommodate citizens whose families cannot afford proper graves.

The rooms are rented for up to 10 years, after which the dead are exhumed and cremated. The ashes can then be stored in rented or purchased glass-fronted rooms within the cemetery walls, where families place memorial plaques and memorabilia.

You can eat in the “highest curry house in the world”.

Sergio told us about Star of India, which claims to be the tallest curry house in the world. It also claims to sell the world's hottest curry. When you're finished, you'll receive a t-shirt to commemorate your achievement. Apparently a crazy Turk devoured the curry in 48 seconds while a calmer Englishman went at it for five hours.

Unfortunately, we didn't rate the food there too highly (as a Bangladeshi, I have high standards for South Asian food), but it was worth the visit just to say that we ate at the world's highest curry house.

La Paz Walking Tour: The Essentials

What: La Paz Off The Beaten Track Walking Tour ($29 per person), a 4.5-hour La Paz walking tour that takes in La Paz's historic district, its colorful and bizarre markets, cable cars and viewpoints, not to mention a delicious morning snack (the best empanadas we've had in South America!).

If you have time, book the full-day tour, which covers the above but also includes Moon Valley, a moon-like landscape that offers fantastic photo opportunities on clear days ($45 per person).

Where: La Paz, Bolivia. We stayed at the fantastic Residencial Latino. The street doesn't look like much, but the hostel was super clean, airy and bright. There were hot showers 24/7 and we even had a heater in the room. Wifi was standard for Bolivia (i.e. not super slow, but not super fast) and there is a PC in the common area that offers a much faster connection for free.

When: The period from May to October offers dry, sunny days, with August being the most popular month. November to April is the rainy season. We were there in April and had a few showers but still enjoyed it!

How: Fly into El Alto International Airport (book via skyscanner.net) and take a 30-minute taxi to Residencial Latino (B$60-70). If you take a bus from Copacabana, you can take a taxi around the bus station (actually just a roadside stop) for the 10 minute ride. Book the tour directly with Banjo Tours.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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