Overview: Bolivia is known as the 'Tibet of the Americas', the highest and
most remote of the countries in South America. It is a landlocked
region with two Andean mountain ranges binding the Altiplano, or
High Plain, between them. This plain has an altitude ranging from
9,000 to 13,000 feet (3,000 to 4,000m), and is where the majority
of the population lives. The history of the region dates back to the pre-Columbian times,
from the ancient Aymará civilisation in 1500 BC who lived on Lake
Titicaca, to the Tiahuanaco and the Inca Empire of the Altiplano,
until the conquest of the Spanish in 1538. Traces of these
civilisations are evident in the architecture of the colonial
cities, displayed in informative museums that can be visited at the
sites of ancient ruins. Bolivia is one of South America's most intriguing countries, as
the nation with the most concentrated indigenous population on the
continent, the majority of whom still maintain their traditional
culture and beliefs. This living historical culture is one of the
reasons that Bolivia is such an exciting and increasingly-popular
tourist destination. The landscape is imbued with traditional
houses and age-old methods of agriculture, and visitors will find
remarkable traditions kept alive in the ancient techniques of
weaving, handcraft and food production. The sounds of this cultural
legacy echo in the haunting melodies of the panpipes from the high
Altiplano or in the lively tunes emanating from the warmer
lowlands. The dramatic geography affords many adventure opportunities:
explorers can track wildlife in the Amazonian basin, drive across
the surreal landscape of the Salar de Uyuni, take a boat trip on
the world's highest navigable lake, Titicaca, scramble through
muddy shafts in the silver mines of Potosi, or hike in the
magnificent Andes mountains. There is enough diversity to meet many
tastes. A holiday in Bolivia is a juxtaposition of extraordinary
altitudes and spectacular landscapes, fascinating remains of
ancient civilisations, a ri
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