When to Visit Bolivia

Bolivia's wettest month brings around 124mm of rain, falling mostly in afternoon and evening bursts across the highlands. Daytime highs reach 18°C (65°F) and lows settle at 7°C (45°F). The payoff is the Salar de Uyuni in its flooded mirror state, one of Bolivia's most photogenic natural shows. Mornings are often clear and beautiful before the clouds build.

Rainfall eases to around 81mm. Yet Bolivia stays firmly in wet season. Highs hold at 18°C (65°F) with lows at 7°C (45°F). February's star event is Oruro Carnival, which packs the city no matter the rain. The spectacle is worth the damp if you are anywhere near Bolivia at the right time.

The wet season begins its retreat across Bolivia. Rainfall drops to 69mm and mornings turn increasingly clear. Highs stay at 18°C (66°F) with lows at 7°C (44°F). Highland roads remain variable in spots. Yet the green landscape is at its most vivid and the light can be extraordinary for photography.

Rainfall tumbles to 28mm, the last meaningful trace of wet season, and Bolivia starts to dry out visibly. Highs reach 19°C (66°F) with lows at 6°C (43°F). An underrated month. Skies are mostly clear, the landscape still shows green from the wet season, and tourist numbers sit well below peak.

Bolivia enters proper dry season with only 10mm of rain across the whole month. Highs sit at 19°C (66°F) and lows fall to 4°C (40°F). The altiplano begins to feel austere in the best way: vast, clear skies and landscapes that read differently once the green fades. Nights are now cold enough that a quality insulating layer becomes essential.

The dry season tightens its grip, with just 8mm of rainfall and Bolivia's trademark cobalt skies dominating. Highs of 17°C (64°F) feel milder than they are, thanks to altitude and dry air, while lows of 3°C (37°F) make evenings cold in a way that catches visitors off guard. The Salar de Uyuni is in its classic dry-salt form.

Bolivia's driest month and the height of tourist season, with only 5mm of rain. Highs reach 17°C (63°F) and lows drop to 2°C (37°F), the coldest nights of the year. The payoff is near-perfect conditions: reliable weather, excellent visibility, and the full Bolivia circuit running at capacity. Book ahead for popular routes.

Still solidly dry at 13mm of rainfall, August keeps the appeal of peak season while lows climb back from July's floor to 3°C (38°F). Highs sit at 18°C (65°F). Bolivia's tour infrastructure runs smoothly this month and wildlife-watching in the Eduardo Avaroa reserve is at its most predictable.

September starts to shift. Rainfall rises to 25mm yet skies stay largely dry and clear. Highs return to 19°C (66°F) and lows settle at 4°C (40°F). Bolivia in September makes a strong shoulder-season pitch. Conditions rival peak months, tourist pressure eases, and the odd afternoon cloud stacking over the mountains adds drama, not disruption. Pack layers. Book early. Enjoy the space.

October is Bolivia's most underrated month. Rainfall at 38mm stays modest, temperatures peak at their sweetest with highs of 19°C (67°F) and lows of 6°C (43°F). The landscape flushes with the first green of the approaching wet season. The Salar remains open and dry, light is razor sharp, and the crowds have not yet arrived. Go now.

November ushers in the wet season proper. Rainfall increases to 43mm and afternoon showers become clockwork. Highs hit 20°C (68°F), the joint warmest mark of the year, while lows linger at 7°C (44°F). Humidity rises in the valleys. The Altiplano begins its slow slide toward the saturated green of full wet season. Bring a shell. Expect colour.

December locks Bolivia into full wet season. Rainfall climbs to 81mm and storms arrive on schedule. Temperatures hold steady at highs of 20°C (68°F) and lows of 7°C (45°F), so days feel mild when the rain pauses. The salt flat starts its annual conversion into the thin reflective lake that produces Bolivia's most famous wet-season mirror shots. Carry dry bags.