Located just across the border from Argentina, and known as Bolivia’s Wild West, Tupiza is a logical place to rest after a long bus journey. Give the town some time however, and you’ll discover more than just a place to break up the journey!
In this guide you’ll discover the best things to do in Tupiza plus advice on where to stay, eat and onward travel.
This post was completely updated August 2023
We had only planned for Tupiza to be a brief stop-off to help us recover from a pretty long day crossing the border and several sweaty bus rides. We had read that it might be a good, alternative jumping off point for a multi-day Salt Flats tour but, other than that, it was not going to form a significant part of our Bolivia itinerary.
However, after basic digs had been found and our bags dumped off, a late afternoon stroll through the market and on to the pretty little plaza made us reconsider; filled with families sharing ice-cream, giggling gold-toothed cholitas and old men sharing the day's news whilst the sun faded behind them, it looked like a place to savour.
The last weeks of Argentina had seen us cover great distances and struggle on our reduced budget; staying in Tupiza for a few more nights than planned would at least allow us to regroup, enjoy being able to make our money go further in a small laid-back town and, maybe, just maybe, start a love affair with Bolivia.
We walked the streets, seeking out cheap haircuts and photo opportunities. We bought our food fresh from the market. We did some treks and walks in the stifling and sticky summer heat through the dusty dry red rock landscapes full of quebradas y cañones.. We watched children hustle each other at the outdoor pool tables. We avoided groups of Argentinians conquering our hostel and we sipped cold, surprisingly expensive beer from over-sized bottles in bars where locals stuffed their cheeks with coca leaves at the plastic tables and got roaring drunk on cheap spirit. We planned our route in Bolivia. We practised our Spanish with welcoming and friendly residents. We acclimatised to the jump in altitude. We enjoyed ourselves.
So, if you are reading this and planning on simply passing through Tupiza, maybe it's time to reconsider. It's not the liveliest, most interesting place in South America, but it's certainly somewhere that merits more than just a one-night stop-over.
Here's what we recommend you do in and around town.
tupiza essentials
Route / Ideally located after border crossing from Argentina
Altitude / Sits at 2,950m
Known / For its red rock, ‘Wild West’ landscapes
Explore / Several hikes within walking distance of city
Next / Can start Salt Flats tour from here
Stay / Our hostel pick is Hostal Butch Cassidy but if you need somewhere a little fancier, consider Hotel Mitruhere.
Our Favourite Things to Do in Tupiza, Bolivia
walk to cerro de la cruz
Whilst you get a lovely view over Tupiza, the desert and the striking rock formations that encircle it from any neighbouring hill, the most popular vantage point is Cerro de la Cruz. Located here on Google Maps, it’s a very manageable 30 minute walk from the centre of Tupiza.
It’s particularly lovely spot to head to during golden hour, to watch the colours of the mountains change under the falling sun.
How to get to Cerro de la Cruz | Ask your hostel or a passing local which direction for 'cerro de la cruz' and follow the road until you pass a small stadium and arrive at a short bridge. Cross the bridge and go left. Ahead of you, you'll see the hill with a small cross atop. Keep walking towards this and stay on this road as it goes to the left around the hill.
Eventually - when you think you've probably missed it - you'll see a brown sign and very small church on the right hand side; this marks the start of the ascent up the hill on roughly carved-out steps. It's steep and, given the altitude, you're likely to need a few pit-stops. Along the route, you will see a little white crossed painted on to the rock - these mark the correct path to follow up the hill, so keep an eye out for them as it's not always immediately obvious which direction to go in.
Important information | Take plenty water, wear good shoes (there are some slippy parts) and cover yourself in sunscreen. Attempt this in the early morning or late afternoon when the climate is at its most agreeable - there is very little shade on this route and you will feel the effects of the sun.
We felt safe walking the route and up the hill, but do be aware that you're walking in a rural area, just outside of town; use common sense, tell your hostel where you're going and don't take too many valuables.
Additionally, there are a few stray dogs around so be sure to carry a few rocks in your pocket or have a stick to scare them away.
visit the marketplace
The benefit of Tupiza is that it encapsulates typical aspects of Bolivian culture, but in a small and manageable format. For example, the market in the centre of town is photogenic, atmospheric and thriving, but is not so large or chaotic that you feel unsafe or out of place.
We loved visiting there in the morning - as the stalls and vendors were getting ready and little old ladies were coming to get the essentials for all the family - and it's the sort of place we could just wander around for hours.
Some sights will turn the stomach - entrails, pig heads or freshly killed carcasses being hauled out the back of a non-refrigerated van - but it's the perfect opportunity for you to converse with locals and immerse yourself.
There is also a street market (electronics, knock-off DVDs, clothes etc) twice a week.
When we got to Sucre, we discovered that we had been ripped off pretty much across the board in Tupiza market (except from the lady who sold us avocados), so don't be at all surprised if this happens to you too!
Explore la Cordillera de Chicas
The impressive red-rock landscapes around Tupiza are collectively known as the Cordillera de Chicas, and there are various ways to discover them. Some will opt for horseback, others for a guided jeep tour, whilst a combination of public transport and walking will serve others very well.
As there are over a dozen named formations scattered quite disparately, travellers visiting for only a few days won't be able to see them all. Out of those which could be reached easily on foot, we plumped to head for Valle de los Machos, Puerta del Diablo and Cañon del Inca (all in the same area) and we'd highly recommend that day-trip to other visitors.
You will find yourself wandering through the arid desert expanse amongst several unique rock formations, some which are of a notoriously, er, phallic nature. It's the proper Wild West in South America.
How to get to the la Cordillera de Chicas | To set off, put ‘Puerta Del Diablo’ into Google Maps, then follow the old rail tracks leading out of town for 10-15 minutes until you see a big building on the right hand side which operates as a fitness community centre. Just after this, you need to take a right down a slight incline. It's not sign-posted and isn't immediately clear if you've taken the correct turn-off, so if you see someone, do ask them. Otherwise, if there's horse-poop or hoof marks on the track, then you're probably in the right place!
Follow this dirt road, which has a few homes on either side, until it leads into a more barren expanse, and walk towards the large rock formations. Once you enter the valley, there are signposts for some of the best-known formations and it's a pretty easy route to navigate, with a well-trodden path leading the way amongst the cacti.
After entering the valley, we explored for around 90 minutes before starting the walk back but as this is a there-and-back hike, and you could theoretically keep going for hours. Be warned however that the further you go, the more you will need to climb so don’t continue on further than you’re capable of.
Note that it also possible to take one of the little collectivo buses to/from the turn-off (2Bs per person) but we'd recommend at least walking there as that was a big part of the experience.
Important Information | The walk to, from and amongst the quebradas is simple enough and won't take too much of a physical toll. /With that said however do not underestimate the heat - if you don’t come prepared with enough water, an easy hike could become challenging quite quickly. Try and start the hike early in the morning to increased the chances of making it back into town before the temperatures soar.
Another important thing to be aware of it that there are dogs along the route which you will definitely have to keep an eye out for. None of them attacked us, but we gave them a very wide berth and tried not to disturb them (a local had warned us about them in advance), as well as carrying a stick and rocks just in case. You don't want to get a dog bite here, so please do be careful.
Tours | During your walk amongst the formations, you're likely to come across small tours groups on horseback - if you'd prefer to take that option, then enquire at your hostel or at one of the tour agencies.
A three hour horseback tour including the above route (Valle de los Machos, Puerta del Diablo and Cañon del Inca) should cost around $22 but it’s also possible to extend to include Canon Del Duende ($37, and around 5 hours) or as far as Quebrada Seca ($51 for a full 7 hours).
Thankfully, all the horses we saw were healthy and looked well looked-after but please do check their condition before agreeing to use them and make sure they are not mistreated.
Follow in the footsteps of Butch Cassidy
According to legend, and every tour company in town, Tupiza was the place where Butch and the Sundance kid had their last stand (yep, we had no idea either!) There are a few hints to this in the graffiti and names of restaurants around town and, if you're a fan of the American Wild West bank robbing anti-heroes, then you can follow in their supposed footsteps.
There are a variety of tours on offer, some that simply include a horse-riding expedition like the ones mentioned above, but others are a much longer, multi-day affairs that include San Vicente (the place they apparently were killed), Ciudad Encanto and El Sillar, whilst following trails through abandoned mining towns.
Check out this Time article for more information on the experience.
Begin You salt flats tour
Anyone travelling to Bolivia is, for good reason, going to make a bee-line for the iconic Salt Flats. After reading that tours could be started in Tupiza, we decided to investigate our options the day after we arrived.
There are no shortage of tour agencies around town, all of which will have up whiteboards stating 'tour leaving tomorrow' or something along those lines. They offer four-day trips, taking the 1000kms South West circuit - it's much quieter than the Uyuni route, adds in an extra day of scenery and, the biggest plus point, is that it leaves the highlight of the trip until your last day (if you start in Uyuni, then it's on the first day).
We were still unsure at that moment if we wanted to do a multi-day tour of the Flats and the tour companies all priced themselves out of the reckoning by charging quite a bit more for a 3 or 4 day tour than we knew was possible in Uyuni.*
When we factored in that taking the bus ride to Uyuni only cost 50Bs (£5/$8), and, that we'd have more tour options available there, then it became a no-brainer for us.
However, not everyone's budget will be as tight as ours was and, if your heart is set on a multi-day tour, then Tupiza may be perfect for you (just bear in mind that tours shorter than four days aren't possible).
Whilst arranging your tours upon arrival is very straight forward, if you know you’d like to start your Salt Flats tour from Tupiza, it’s possible to book them online. This one has good reviews and includes entry to the Salt Flats, but be aware you pay quite a bit more for the privilege of booking in advance!
*A four-day tour from Tupiza ranges from 1,250 Bs to 1,400 Bs ($180-200 USD), as opposed to a three-day tour from Uyuni which costs between 700 Bs and 1,000 Bs ($100-150 USD).
Where to Stay in Tupiza
Hostal Butch Cassidy | This is Tupiza’s most popular place to stay. Located a 15 minute walk from the centre, in a quieter part of town, they don’t have dorms but do offer a number of clean, comfortable privates. Also has a guest kitchen, a good buffet breakfast, friendly staff and can arrange Uyuni tours. Book on Hostelworld or Booking.com.
Hotel Mitru | Set amongst lovely gardens and with a great pool, this is probably the most luxurious place to stay in Tupiza - but still very reasonably priced. Large, comfortable private rooms (again, no dorms), with an excellent buffet breakfast. Find out more here.
Refugio del Turista | Another great - highly rated and popular option that comes with a small pool. Rooms are a little on the small side but comfortable and it has a guest kitchen. Find out more here.
Hostal Coronel Pedro Arraya | This is the very basic family-run place that we stayed at - facilities were definitely lacking, but it was very cheap! Should we visit again, we’d probably give it a miss. (and other reviewers seem to agree. It appears to be off booking sites right now, so we don’t if it’s still open - if you pass, and it isn’t, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
La Torre is another great option.
How to Get to Tupiza
From / To Uyuni
There are two departures from Uyuni to Tupiza each day (one in the morning and one in the evening), and the journey time following recent improvements to the road is around five hours. You can find most of the bus companies on the corner of Cabrera St. and Arce Av.
If Uyuni is your next stop, then we'd advise purchasing your ticket the day before or early in the morning of travel as it's a popular route and seats do sell out. The bus terminal is a ten minute walk from the central plaza, here on Google Maps.
From / To Villazon
If you just crossed over from Argentina, you’ll have arrived in the town of Villazon from which there are regular colectivos to Tupiza. These cost 20 Bs per person, and the journey time is 1.5 - 2 hours.
Heading on the opposite direction, towards Villazon, collectives leave regularly throughout the day, starting at around 6am. Alternatively, larger bus companies have departures which may suit those opting for an afternoon departure.
If you’re making crossing this border, be sure to check out our guide for full details.
Travel By Tain
If you'd prefer the experience of Bolivian train, then you can reach Villazon (but seriously, just take the bus!) or Uyuni that way. There are only a few departures each week, so check the schedules carefully - this site gives an overview of the services and timetable but we can't confirm their accuracy.
Useful for Visiting Tupiza, Bolivia
- Don’t let the blue skies and warm temperatures deceive you, Tupiza sits an an almighty 2,950m above sea-level, so altitude sickness may be an issue if you haven't already acclimatised. Check out our guide on how to prepare for and deal with it.
It’ll also make those relatively easy hikes all the more challenging!
- Tupiza has a desert-like climate, and as such is a good place to visit year round. You can expect some rain between the months of December to February, but it will rarely rain for long. This also coincides with the hottest months of the year, so bear this in mind if you plan on lots of hiking.
The significant altitude means that nights can be chilly all year round.
- For a small town which isn't that touristy, there are actually quite a few gringo-centric restaurants scattered around the centre - lots of pizza and pasta options in particular.
For hostel cooking, your best bet is the market and the small shops outside it.
- There are a number of ATMs in town.
