SucreSucre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with awhitewashed colonial centre, is the city that allBolivians say you must visit, many refer to it astheir official capital. Ornate churches are sprinkledthrough the narrow streets, tiles with poems handpainted onto them are laid into white walls,wooden balconies bear bright flowers, and thesun usually shines. For an insight into the localindigenous groups and their distinctive weavings,visit the fascinating Ethnographic Textile Museumand follow this with a trip to some of the nearbyvillages such as Tarabuco and Potolo where theweaving still takes place. Sucre's originalinhabitants have also left a mark of their own -the world's largest collection of dinosaur tracks,embedded in a huge limestone rock that can be seen nearby.PARADORSANTAMARIALAREAL, SUCREConveniently located one block from the centralPlaza de Armas, the Parador Santa Maria la Real is a small hotel with only 23 rooms. It is a Spanishcolonial house from the 18th century which hasbeen lovingly restored and adapted into acomfortable hotel, retaining all the traditionalcharm of its original structure.PotosíThree hours by road from Sucre, melancholyPotosí was once South America's richest city.Today it is a shadow of its former self and grandcolonial houses stand crumbling, but the skyline isstill dominated by the Cerro Rico (Rich Hill)whose silver brought great wealth for the Spanishat the cost of countless slave miners' lives. Novisit here would be complete without a trip deepinto one of the remaining mines, which are nowworked as co-operatives. This edifying experiencebegins at the market with the purchase of gifts ofcoca leaves, alcohol, cigarettes and dynamite forthe miners. Torch in hand, you then enter intothe labyrinth of tunnels to witness the work ofthese men, as they use primitive tools to chipaway at the inside of the mountain to dislodgethe silver to which Potosí owes its very existence.www.audleytravel.com/bolivia ?01993 838 645 ?Bolivia29Rooftops of PotosíColonial architecture, SucreSun Island, Lake TiticacaTarabuco market, near Sucre

30The Southern AltiplanoFar off the beaten track, this stark and surreallandscape makes for a bumpy, windy yetcompletely captivating few days. The adventurebegins on the track to the sequestered town ofUyuni with its outlying 'train cemetery', where theskeletons of steam locomotives rust in the sun. A blinding sheet of salt awaits you at the Salar deUyuni, the world's largest salt lake, where you arein a simple world of blue and white, or evenmore bizarrely where seasonal waters can reflectthe sky and dissolve the horizon. Sip coca teasitting on an island in the sea of salt that iscovered in giant cacti, take a dip in a naturalthermal pool overlooked by volcanoes, enjoy athree course meal on a picnic table watched byllamas and alpacas. Continuing south, strange rockformations rise up from the desert, mud geysersbubble and wisps of smoke curl out of sleepingvolcanoes. Flamingos strut around lakes of unusualbut beautiful hues of red, blue, green and white.Ecological AreasBolivia has many other virtually undiscoveredareas for the visitor interested in the naturalworld. Visits to these places are not simple orcheap, but the wealth of bio-diversity makes foran astounding experience. The town of Rurrenabaque, in the northwest of Bolivia, is the starting point for trips into theAmazonian area of Pilón Lajas Ecological Reserve or the vast Madidi National Park thatencompasses cloud and rainforest. Both haveexcellent lodges (Mapajo in Pilón Lajas andChalalán Ecolodge in Madidi) with indigenousguides to explore and search for some of thelocal animal populations including monkeys,caiman, turtles and macaws. The dry season ofJune to October is the best time to go. Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, in the fareast of Bolivia, is another unique habitat thatencompasses rainforest and savannah and over620 bird species have been recorded hereincluding 20 species of parrot. Its remotenessmeans it receives few visitors and, as with any ofthe places mentioned in this section, the trip is an exercise in dedication - but it is worth it forthe sights that await.Santa Cruz and the Jesuit MissionsFar from the Andean peaks lies the busy andhumid city of Santa Cruz, where you can seesloths hanging in the palm-filled main plaza andcrowds worshipping in a huge church made ofbamboo. Heading northeast by road, flatfarmlands merge into rolling hills and ranches asyou reach the colonnaded streets of the sleepyJesuit towns, such as Concepción. The finereligious craftsmanship of the beautiful churcheshere is a key part of Bolivia's heritage. If you havea keen interest in wildlife, your road journey inthese lowlands of Bolivia could also take you toAmboró National Park for a couple of days.Thanks to its three distinct eco-systems thatencompass the Amazon River basin, the Andeanfoothills and the Chaco plain, this is an area ofgreat bio-diversity and is thought to be home tomore species of life per hectare than anywhereelse on earth. Green Lagoon, southwest BoliviaSalar de UyuniChurch, Concepción