Through the mountains in La Paz

Snowboarding in Bolivia may have some challenges, but not for the common reasons.

I go to Bolivia once a year to visit family but ever since I moved abroad, I feel like I need to explore more of my own country. So I decide to go snowboarding with my sister. It took us around 3 hours to get to the snowboarding location from the city of El Alto. At around 4000 meters above sea level, we felt at ease but the bright sun made it difficult to see. Tours for this activity are available most days from the city.

Notes

• It is definitely a good idea to get food from the last exit from El Alto, since the tour leaves relatively early and there are very few places to buy things from there on.
• Sunscreen is essential. While the weather was good, meaning sunny and had snowed recently, this meant that the snow would reflect the light. Without sunscreen be ready to get some sun burn.
• Most tours will give you the gear to snowboard but you will need to walk from the base of the mountain with your gear and the walk may be a bit tiring. Even when you reach the top, there is almost no infrastructure for snowboarding, so once you go down the hill you have to walk back up.