La Paz City Tour with Cable Car and Moon Valley

Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna)

Moon Valley lies about ten kilometres south of central La Paz, in the lower Mallasa area. Here wind and rain have carved the soft clay and sandstone of the hillside into hundreds of tall spires, pinnacles and deep gullies in shades of beige, ochre and pink. The landscape looks so unearthly that it is said to have reminded early visitors of the surface of the Moon, which gave the valley its name.

A network of short footpaths and small bridges winds through the formations, with viewpoints over the spires and the mountains beyond. Your guide leads a walk of about an hour and a half through the most striking sections and explains how the formations were created. The Moon Valley entrance fee is not included and is paid in cash at the gate. Mornings are usually the best time to visit for soft light and fewer people.

The La Paz cable car network and El Alto

La Paz and El Alto are linked by the largest urban cable car network in the world, built from 2014 onwards to connect the canyon floor with the high plateau above. Each line is named after a colour, and the cabins glide silently over rooftops, markets and football pitches. Locals use it every day, and for visitors it is the best way to understand the shape of the city.

On this La Paz cable car tour you spend about 100 minutes riding the yellow, silver, red and orange lines. You climb to El Alto, at over 4,000 metres, where the view opens across the whole bowl of La Paz to the triple peak of Illimani, then ride back down to the city centre. Cable car tickets are included, so you simply enjoy the 360-degree panorama from the cabin.

Jaen Street, Plaza Murillo and San Francisco

Jaen Street is the best-preserved colonial street in La Paz: a short, steep cobbled lane lined with brightly painted houses, wooden balconies and a cluster of small museums. It is quiet and photogenic, and your guide shares stories of the families and events that shaped the old town.

A few blocks away, Plaza Murillo is the political heart of Bolivia. Around the square stand the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Legislative Palace and the presidential palace, and the plaza itself is busy with pigeons, families and street vendors. You spend about 40 minutes here with time for photos. The tour then passes the Basilica of San Francisco, founded in the 16th century, whose carved stone facade mixes European baroque with Andean symbols such as masks, birds and tropical fruits.

The Witches' Market

The tour ends in the Witches' Market, a few streets of stalls on Linares Street and the surrounding lanes above San Francisco. Local healers, known as yatiris, and their families sell dried herbs, coloured candles, small amulets for love, health and good luck, and the traditional offerings that Aymara families present to Pachamama, Mother Earth, when they build a house or start a business.

You spend about 30 minutes here with your guide, who explains the meaning of the objects on display and how Andean beliefs live alongside Catholic traditions. It is also a good place to buy souvenirs such as alpaca textiles, silver jewellery and handmade crafts, so bring some cash. The tour finishes here in the old town, close to cafes and restaurants, so you can continue exploring at your own pace.