Major city · Bolivia
Quime
Go only if you want unmarked cloud-forest hikes and a mining town with no other tourists: 2 nights, and hire a local guide or you will not find the trails.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- BOB
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (dry season; clearer trails and less rain)
- avoid Dec–Mar (wet season, muddy and slippery trails)
- Airport
- LPB
- Nights
- 2
Rules in force · 6Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Bolivia ↗Visa rules depend on your passport (some nationalities need a visa in advance): check with Bolivia's migration authority or a Bolivian consulate.
- Bolivia ↗Most of the tourist route is above 3,500 m: ascend gradually, rest on arrival, and see a doctor before travel if you have heart or lung conditions.
- Bolivia ↗Protests and road blockades (bloqueos) are frequent and can close routes and cities for days; watch local news and keep plans flexible.
Quime sits at about 3,000 m in a deep forested valley in the Yungas of Inquisivi, roughly midway between La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba. It is a mining and campesino town of about 10,000 people, not a resort: there is no ATM, no marked trail network and almost no English. Come for self-guided adventure, cloud forest, a working tungsten mine and the Santiago Fiesta, or skip it and go to Sorata instead.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Quime, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the boliviano (BOB, Bs).Bolivia-wide
- SIM or eSIMEntel, Tigo and Viva sell SIMs with passport registration in their own shops.Bolivia-wide
- Tap waterNot safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.Bolivia-wide
- TippingRestaurants: Round up; about 10% in tourist restaurants.Bolivia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/C. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Bolivia-wide
- SafetyQuime is quiet and locals are used to the occasional traveller, but this is a remote mining town: no ATMs, limited English…
- RestroomsPay a boliviano or two; bring paper.Bolivia-wide
- Emergency numbers110 police · 118 ambulance · 119 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysBlockades and strikes close shops and roads; Sunday is quiet.Bolivia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportLPB El Alto International, La Paz (The practical gateway: bus or minibus from La Paz or El Alto to Konani, then onward to Quime, roughly 5–6 h total).
- Getting aroundOn foot.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- BeerBeer or a fruit-juice coktélcheckBs 10–25
- Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per roomBOB 180
- Mid-range bedPrivate double room, a night, per roomBOB 180
- High-end bedPrivate double room, a night, per roomBOB 300
A day, not counting the bed: Budget BOB 100 · Mid BOB 200 · High BOB 400
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- LPB El Alto International, La Paz (The practical gateway: bus or minibus from La Paz or El Alto to Konani, then onward to Quime, roughly 5–6 h total)
Weather and climate
Quime: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
22°C72°F
11°C52°F
18 rd
Feb
22°C72°F
11°C52°F
16 rd
Mar
22°C72°F
10°C50°F
14 rd
Apr
23°C73°F
9°C48°F
8 rd
May
23°C73°F
7°C45°F
4 rd
Jun
22°C72°F
6°C43°F
3 rd
Jul
22°C72°F
6°C43°F
3 rd
Aug
23°C73°F
7°C45°F
5 rd
Sep
24°C75°F
9°C48°F
8 rd
Oct
24°C75°F
10°C50°F
11 rd
Nov
24°C75°F
11°C52°F
13 rd
Dec
23°C73°F
11°C52°F
16 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
On foot. The town is small and everything is within a short walk, but the hills are steep at 3,000 m. Radio taxis wait on the Alameda near the Flota Inquisivi stop. Local trucks and buses leave from the Alameda for villages across the province; mules are used for longer treks.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Chambillaya mine and ghost town
goDoor to door: Half day; about 1 h up by truck, 1 h back on foot
Mining truck from the bridge east of the centre at about 05:30 (Bs 5), or hike up on the western trackMining truck from the bridge east of the centre at about 5:30 AM (Bs 5), or hike up on the western track
Bring coca leaf to share; miners often show visitors around for free. The waterfall about 1 km below where the two tracks meet is the fallback if Naranjani is dry.Bring coca leaf to share; miners often show visitors around for free. The waterfall about 0.6 mi below where the two tracks meet is the fallback if Naranjani is dry.
Naranjani waterfalls and glacial lake
cautionDoor to door: About 3 h up, 1 h down
Walk from town; no marked trail, guide recommended
Seven falls drop roughly 600 m from a cirque lake. The central fall dries up in the dry season; smaller falls are good for bathing.
Devil's Slide
cautionDoor to door: 2–3 h walk
Walk from town; visible from Quime
A roughly 1,000 m landslide that throws up dust plumes; keep well clear of the moving face.
Huichincani hot springs
overnightDoor to door: Overnight
Two-day hike over the Miguillas River valley; mules and a guide can be arranged in town
Undeveloped pools ringed with rocks by campesinos; camp and carry food.
Cumbre de Tres Cruces downhill ride
cautionDoor to door: Half day
Bus or van up with rented bikes, then coast back to Quime
About 35 km and 2,500 m of descent on graded or paved road. The old mule trail (Coca Trail) is a 30 km single-track used in competition and is genuinely dangerous.About 22 mi and 2,500 m of descent on graded or paved road. The old mule trail (Coca Trail) is a 19 mi single-track used in competition and is genuinely dangerous.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre around the plaza and Alameda
Almost everything is walkable from here; radio taxis wait on the Alameda by the Flota Inquisivi stop.
Hillside above the centre
Guesthouses and hostels sit up the slope; the walk up is steep at 3,000 m, so take a taxi with bags.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- Bs 100–180 excl. bed
- Mid
- Bs 180–350 excl. bed
- High
- Bs 350+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Private double room1 × 2 nights × BOB 180 | BOB 360 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × BOB 200 | BOB 800 |
| Local guide, full day1 × BOB 200 · check | BOB 200 |
| Mule and handler, per day1 × BOB 150 · check | BOB 150 |
| Mining truck to Chambillaya, one way2 × BOB 5 | BOB 10 |
| Sunday fair plate (picante de pollo, fricase or sajta)2 × BOB 10 | BOB 20 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | BOB 154 |
| Trip total≈ BOB 424 per person per day, bed included | BOB 1,694 |
2026 estimate in bolivianos; long-distance buses from La Paz excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Plate at the Sunday fair | about Bs 10 |
| Beer or a fruit-juice coktélcheck | Bs 10–25 |
| Minibus Konani → QuimePrivate cars may ask Bs 150–250; agree the price first. | Bs 20–25 |
| Direct bus La Paz or El Alto → QuimeAbout 3.5 h; reserve by phone the day before. | about Bs 35 |
| Servis Quime → La PazDepartures include about 17:00, 22:30 and 02:00.Departures include about 5:00 PM, 10:30 PM and 2:00 AM. | Bs 25–35 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No ATMs in Quime: bring enough bolivianos in cash for your whole stay.
- Trails to Naranjani, the Devil's Slide and the mine are not marked and are poorly covered on OpenStreetMap and Google Maps; a local guide is the reliable option.
- The Chambillaya mine is a working operation: ask in town before visiting and follow the miners' instructions.
- Cane-alcohol coktéls are strong; pace yourself and eat first.
- Road blockades are common elsewhere in Bolivia but Quime transportistas usually know bypass routes; still confirm your onward bus the day before.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Ambulance
- 118
- Fire
- 119
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
QuimeQuime
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Ambulance118
- Fire119
Embassy
No embassies in Quime; most are in La Paz. The US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all maintain embassies in La Paz — check addresses and hours before you travel.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Konani → Quime, minibus or truck: Bs 20–25, about 1.5–2 h
- La Paz or El Alto → Quime, direct bus: about Bs 35, about 3.5 h
- Quime → La Paz, servis: Bs 25–35
Say or show
- Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-syahs)
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-toh KWES-tah)
- ¿Dónde está el camino? — Where is the trail? (DON-deh es-TAH el kah-MEE-noh)
- Necesito un guía — I need a guide (neh-seh-SEE-toh oon GEE-ah)
- ¿Hay cajero automático? — Is there an ATM? (eye kah-HEH-roh ow-toh-MAH-tee-koh)
- Solo efectivo, por favor — Cash only, please (SOH-loh eh-fek-TEE-voh por fah-VOR)
Cash is king: no ATMs in town, so change money in La Paz or El Alto before you leave.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Quime. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Oct (dry season; clearer trails and less rain) · avoid Dec–Mar (wet season, muddy and slippery trails) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 5 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares