u/Yapa_Bolivia

For anyone currently travelling around Bolivia there was heavy snowfall which caused some road closures and restrictions in certain areas.

Yesterday was a bit crazy with buses stuck on the highway, flights canceled, and limited transportation from towns like Uyuni, so I wanted to share an update to help anyone that might be stuck on the road or in more remote areas.

Bolivia's highway authority (ABC) released an official update today. Here's a simple translated version of the routes that are affectes:

La Paz >>> Yungas via La Cumbre: CLOSED until further notice.

Unduavi >>> Chulumani: CLOSED due to road damage. Alternative route is via Yolosita to Coroico to Puente Villa to Chulumani.

La Paz >>> Oruro: OPEN, but travel with caution.

Oruro >>> Cochabamba: CLOSED at the Confital/La Cumbre sector. Other sections also require caution.

Potosí >>> Uyuni: OPEN, but use caution around Pulacayo/Qonapaya/Lapaya.

Patacamaya >>> Tambo Quemado / Chile border: OPEN with caution.

Chuquisaca & Tarija: Snow has been reported, but according to ABC the main national highway network has not been affected.

For those in Uyuni >>> Eduardo Avaroa Reserve is also closed...

I wanted to translate the official notice because this information isn't always easy for international travellers to find in English. We always rely on local updates to operate our tours safely and reliably, so I think its important to share this information for everyone.

I also saw one other person comment that they were stuck in Sajama, so I hope this helps! We had one of our guides stuck on a bus in the snow overnight, and we just want to make sure everyone is safe becaue there is usually a lack of preparation for big snows in Bolivia because it is uncommon.

IMPORTANT: Conditions can change quickly and everything is obviously weather-dependent, so don't treat this post as a guarantee that a road will still be open later today or tomorrow. Check current conditions before departing, especially for overnight buses or long-distance road travel.

I've attached the original ABC notice for anyone who wants to reference the Spanish-language source.

Safe travels in Bolivia! Happy to help translate/explain any of the routes if you're currently here and unsure whether your itinerary is affected... and most of all stay warm!

Me enamoré de este paisaje ❤️

Hello Everyone!

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Another update on the Bloqueos situation in Bolivia to help navigate the country during this time!

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Finally, after many weeks of bloqueos the government has declared a state of emergency to provide them with the power to remove the bloqueos.

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Travel has resumed in most of the country!

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Supplies, food, fuel, and medical access has been restored.

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There are still some issues in Cochabamba and a couple bloqueos in Oruro, but everywhere else has returned to normal travel.

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This is a big relief to many people and although some of the structural issues are not resolved, the freedom of movement has returned which brings more stability to the country and the lives of every day people.

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WARNING: It is still best to avoid the regions around Cochabamba as there are still bloqueos and conflicts between protesters and police there.

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We hope this is a return to some level of normality and that life can improve for everyone. Let's hope the roads remain open for travel!

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Hello! Another update for the community to help anyone hoping to travel in the country.

It's hard to keep making new updates daily as little has changed other then increased tension and conflict, but I still see many people asking for advice so here is another update on the current situation in Bolivia.

Overall, this marks the 42 day of blockades in the country and most major cities and inter-city routes remain blocked for bus or ground transport.

Here are the major blocked sites:

La Paz >>> Blocked!

Oruro >>> Blocked!

Cochabamba >>> Blocked!

Sucre >>>Blocked!

Potosí >>> Blocked! (Access possible between Uyuni and Potosí)

Santa Cruz >>> Partial bloqueos, but accessible

Here are some updates on common areas for tourism:

Copacabana >>> Blocked from La Paz, but accessible from Peru

Uyuni >>> Tours are operating but only accessible by flight

Beni >>> Accessible, but some roads are muddy from heavy rains

Rurrenabaque >>> Tours are operating but bus from La Paz is not possible. Easier to access via Trinidad or flight.

Some people have reported walking over bloqueos and catching local transport between each bloqueo on the route from Copacabana to La Paz, but crossing bloqueos on your own is not recommended. Most of these bloqueos are unguarded because there is a concentration of people in La Paz.

WARNING: There have also been reports of bus accidents in Uyuni, Cochabamba, Potosí, that have been a result of attempts to avoid bloqueos and take alternative routes on roads with bad conditions.

Generally, the people have had enough of the bloqueos and there have been many protests by Vecino groups in major cities like La Paz and Sucre calling for state of emergency to end the bloqueos.

Conflicts between COB and police have escalated in La Paz recently. Some Bloqueos have been opened up but other bloqueos on the same route maintain or they are set back up after the operation.

The people continue to suffer with lack of access to medical care, food prices rising and fuel shortages, and employment disruptions, making life for the average person very difficult.

Please pray for the Bolivian people as this conflict is slowly strangling the country. Regardless of your political beliefs, it is the people who suffer while the political elite use the pueblo as pawns in their struggles for power. Let's look forward to a better Bolivia for all!

Safe travels! Suerte a todos!

Hello everyone,

Another update on the bloqueos situation in Bolivia to help guide travel within the country, any foreigners stuck in Bolivia or anyone with upcoming plans to visit.

Currently, the only secure way to travel remains by flight, although there have been some airport access issues in La Paz and Sucre.

Bloqueos remain in place all over the country with over 90 bloqueos reported as of today:

>>> La Paz (Blocked)

>>> Oruro (Blocked)

>>> Cochabamba (Blocked)

>>> Potosí (Blocked)

>>> Sucre (Blocked)

>>> Santa Cruz (Partially Blocked)

>>> Pando (Partially Blocked)

Tarija, Beni, and Uyuni remain relatively normal. Tours in Uyuni are operating but due to lack of visitors any group tours are limited.

One traveler reported how they flew to Cobija and entered Peru from there as a cheap flight route alternative to leave La Paz. Airport access is best at night and early morning.

La Paz remains with limited movement and a march to Plaza San Francisco is planned today in protest of the bloqueos.

Unfortunately, negotiations between COB and government were unsuccessful over the weekend.

Several political positions and ideas are circulating, but this is not a space for political discussions. It is a space to keep people informed about the situation here.

Although it's unclear how this becomes resolved, it is evident that many people are suffering due to the bloqueos from food and fuel scarcity, difficult medical access, and employment disruption.

Please hope the best for the people of Bolivia. Stay safe!

EDIT: sharing a tracker made by another user that appears useful (unconfirmed accuracy): https://v-vakaet.github.io/Bolivia-blockades/

Hello everyone,

Another update from Bolivia regarding bloqueos and general unrest to help any travelers stuck in the country or planning to come here to help navigate the difficult situation.

The amount of bloqueos has risen to over 80 points throughout the country. Nearly every major city is blocked in some way.

Here are some updates on travel routes:

>>> La Paz (Blocked)

>>> Cochabamba (Blocked)

>>> Oruro (Blocked)

>>> Sucre (Blocked)

>>> Potosí (Blocked)

>>> Santa Cruz (Partial Blocked)

People are nervous and struggling from food and fuel scarcities, especially in La Paz where the city has been cut off for nearly 1 month, where prices for limited resources has risen considerably.

In La Paz, there is a general strike for all transport, so there is limited vehicle movement, but the Teleférico remains functional. Access to the airport is usually only possible at night and early morning.

Tarija and Uyuni have avoided most of these issues, but there are reports of fuel disruption in Uyuni now, likely as a ripple effect from the other bloqueos.

There are negotiations underway this weekend between the government and protest groups, but the people have little confidence in these resulting in any kind of positive outcome at the moment. That said, the people cannot support this situation much longer as the cost of basic food has risen drastically often beyond reach of families.

At this time, intercity travel by ground is not recommended or even possible depending on the route. Flights remain operational and the only method of traveling in the country at the moment.

If you are planning to arrive in the next 1-2 weeks, looking at alternatives is recommended until the situation changes.

There was a back road detour from Sucre to Potosí to Uyuni, but apparently this is not possible at the moment. Uyuni can be accessed from San Pedro de Atacama, and Isla del Sol can be accessed from Peru.

Please keep in mind that I am based in La Paz, so we have the most information from this region, but we are collecting reports from our team throughout the country to compile these updates.

Please keep Bolivia in your heart! Let's hope for the best for the people and find unity to bring a solution. It is the people who are suffering the most.

Suerte a todos! Stay safe!

I'm sharing this update here from our other subreddit as I've seen a lot of questions on this topic and I think it might help some people...

Repost from r/boliviatravel:

Another update for the community!

This is the 4th week of protests in Bolivia. The people are tired, there are food and fuel scarcity in La Paz, and there is still no clear path to negotiations...

La Paz remains the most severely affected region, but other areas in the west of the country are blocked as well.

WARNING:

- Marches are planned in La Paz from Achumani to Centro

- Rumors of Martial Law have been heard (although unconfirmed)

These areas remain blocked for ground travel:

>>> La Paz (Blocked)

>>> Oruro (Blocked)

>>> Potosí (Blocked)

>>> Yungas (Blocked)

>>> Cochabamba (Blocked)

Transport from Sucre to Potosí / Uyuni is possible using detours in private vehicles or some trufis making the run, but the normal bus route is not operating.

There are some reports of bloqueos around Santa Cruz, but travel and activity in the city is reported as normal.

Tarija remains clear.

Tours are operating in Uyuni and exit from the country is possible into Chile.

Do not attempt to cross bloqueos or confront protesters for your own safety. Avoid conflicts between police and military and protesters.

Air travel remains the only secure option, but access to airports is intermittent in La Paz. Early morning and late night is typically clear for access. If it is blocked, there is reports of a hole in the fence being used to enter / exit the airport.

Airport access in other cities has been open with no reports of blocked access.

I hope this helps!

This is not the best time to travel in the country so please be safe and let's hope the best for Bolivia and be respectful of our people who live this experience.

Suerte a todos! Stay safe!

Another update for the community!

This is the 4th week of protests in Bolivia. The people are tired, there are food and fuel scarcity in La Paz, and there is still no clear path to negotiations...

La Paz remains the most severely affected region, but other areas in the west of the country are blocked as well.

WARNING:

- Marches are planned in La Paz from Achumani to Centro

- Rumors of Martial Law have been heard (although unconfirmed)

These areas remain blocked for ground travel:

>>> La Paz (Blocked)

>>> Oruro (Blocked)

>>> Potosí (Blocked)

>>> Yungas (Blocked)

>>> Cochabamba (Blocked)

Transport from Sucre to Potosí / Uyuni is possible using detours in private vehicles or some trufis making the run, but the normal bus route is not operating.

There are some reports of bloqueos around Santa Cruz, but travel and activity in the city is reported as normal.

Tarija remains clear.

Tours are operating in Uyuni and exit from the country is possible into Chile.

Do not attempt to cross bloqueos or confront protesters for your own safety. Avoid conflicts between police and military and protesters.

Air travel remains the only secure option, but access to airports is intermittent in La Paz. Early morning and late night is typically clear for access. If it is blocked, there is reports of a hole in the fence being used to enter / exit the airport.

Airport access in other cities has been open with no reports of blocked access.

I hope this helps!

This is not the best time to travel in the country so please be safe and let's hope the best for Bolivia and be respectful of our people who live this experience.

Suerte a todos! Stay safe!

Hello everyone,

We are sharing another other update on Bloqueos for Travelers in Bolivia.

We currently have a few groups out that have had to change plans and received a variety of local reports from our team across the country.

WARNING: Marches today in La Paz to Centro are reported to be carrying dynamite. Avoid any large protest groups and stay out of centre if possible. Zona sur will be much safer.

La Paz continues to the most affected area, however travel in other regions continues to be blocked this week:

>>> La Paz (Blocked)

>>> Oruro (Blocked)

>>> Cochabamba (Blocked)

>>> Potosí (Blocked)

>>> Sucre (Blocked)

>>> Santa Cruz (Some Bloqueos)

Travel today and tomorrow is likely to be difficult. However, there is access to the airport in La Paz is possible as of earlier this morning / last night.

Pando and Tarija are currently not severely affected by Bloqueos.

The one glimmer of hope is that negotiations are rumored to be scheduled for this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, so it is possible that an agreement is reached (although not certain) or at least a temporary halt to bloqueos.

For anyone looking forward to Gran Poder in La Paz, this is also rumored to be suspended by the municipality :(

Current advice is to avoid land travel in the country between most major cities and to seek alternatives such as air travel or waiting for routes to open up for safe travel again.

As always, please share any local updates for safety or travel disruptions to help everyone else.

Let's hope the best for Bolivia! Stay safe!

Hello everyone,

Sharing another update on the bloqueo situation in Bolivia to help travelers navigate this safely.

Yesterday, was a very intense day in La Paz with many marches, bloqueos, and some protests turning into violent and looting situations.

La Paz continues to be the most effected area, but bloqueos are also being reported along main routes in:

>>> La Paz / El Alto

>>> Oruro

>>> Potosí

>>> Cochabamba

>>> Santa Cruz

Some travel in the south and east of the country is possible using alternate routes and transport, but primary bus lines are being disrupted.

One local reports that Tarija is calm and quiet, so this could be a good time to have some wine and wait this out!

AVOID any travel through La Paz and Oruro. There is no movement and food and fuel shortages are becoming more severe.

If you are in La Paz, stay away from Centro and any large demonstration crowds because there have been many reports of attacks and conflicts between protesters, police, and even bystanders.

If you are in another city, and seeking to travel, look into flights or ask directly in the bus terminals if there are any routes open. The bloqueos in other parts of the country and demonstrations are not as intense as La Paz right now but the number of bloqueos is increasing by the hour.

Travel might be possible using some creative routes, but it is not recommended to attempt to cross a bloqueo for your safety.

Its difficult to say when some kind of resolution will happen, but at the moment, it looks like the week ahead will see more travel issues... beyond the bloqueos there are some fundamental issues that need to be resolved, but let's hope for the best for everyone...

Suerte a todos! Stay safe :)

Last night, military and police made moves to break up bloqueos, and the majority of blockades are now being broken up around La Paz, El Alto, and surrounding region.

There are still some confrontations between police and protesters, especially in El Alto and Rio Seco where there are conflicts over maintaining the bloqueo.

It has also been reported that the government has reached some agreements with the miners cooperative, which could help alleviate the situation.

However other organized groups are still maintaining their protests and attempting to continue bloqueos.

It is still unclear if the military will be able to maintain control of the roads or if bloqueos will be established again, but some travel in and out of La Paz had resumed.

Recently, trucks carrying fuel were able to enter the city making gasoline more accessible at the moment.

IMPORTANT: Avoid areas with active conflict between police / military and protesters as these can be volatile situations. Only attempt to cross areas with previous bloqueos with caution and if there is a steady flow of traffic.

Good luck everyone! Let's hope the best for Bolivia and for the people!

As always, please share any local updates from your area to help others stay informed.

Good Afternoon Everyone!

We are sharing another update on bloqueos in Bolivia based on the latest local reports we have received.

La Paz remains the most severely affected region and any travel by land in or out of the city is difficult, if not impossible.

Oruro and Rurrenabaque also have bloqueos preventing travel from these areas.

The routes between Uyuni - Potosí - Sucre and beyond to Santa Cruz or South to Tarija appears to moving, but of course this can change at any time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There have been some reports that LPB airport is running out of jet fuel, which could cause other travel delays for anyone hoping to take a flight if the bloqueos do not lift soon.

There is still no indication of negotiation agreements between protest groups and the government, so it is unclear when the bloqueos will be lifted.

WARNING: If you are in La Paz and here any loud bangs don't approach as it could be miners throwing dynamites during their marches. Avoid conflicts between protesters and police.

It is not recommended to try to cross any protest lines, but movement does appear to be easier in the late evenings or early mornings...

As always, please share any local updates from wherever you are in Bolivia (even positive ones!) as we rely on local reports to provide the most accurate information.

Hello everyone!

I know many travelers have trouble accessing up to date information on bloqueos in Bolivia, so I am sharing another update to help!

Currently, some of the bloqueos have been broken up and some travel along main tourist routes has resumed.

However, La Paz remains strongly affected by bloqueos so travel by ground in and out of the city remains difficult.

The map above shows some of the active bloqueos as of this morning.

Keep in mind that the situation changes daily and local reports are more reliable then the government maps, which are not always up to date.

Common Routes That Are Blocked!

>>> La Paz - Copacabana (Blocked)

>>> La Paz - Uyuni (Blocked)

>>> La Paz - Rurrenabaque (Blocked)

Common Routes That Are Open :)

>>> Sucre - Potosí - Uyuni (Open)

>>> Santa Cruz - Sucre (Open)

>>> Tarija - Uyuni or Potosí/ Sucre (Open)

Essentially, La Paz is still locked down so any travel through this region will be very difficult. Travel in other regions os resuming, but there is high demand and limited capacity.

We will share any new local reports as we receive them!

Bloqueos are generally not a threat to safety unless you try to cross them or get caught in the middle of a conflict.

Do your best to avoid protest lines and plan travel by air to La Paz until the conflict is resolved.

More updates to come soon! Please feel free to comment any local reports or ask for updates.