http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33442 Hardly discovered by tourists - off the beaten track but well worth the effort.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33442 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33001 Visitors are welcome at the ranch house where they stay alongside the vaqueros. For the next few days, you can accompany the vaqueros as they milk the cows, prepare traditional (and very filling!) meals and ride horseback through the exquisite tropical forests and lagoons filled with exotic birds, monkeys and caimans!
It's a fascinating insight into a really unique way of life, and an unexpected way to spend your time in the Amazon. I'm no expert at horse riding, but I really felt at home with my new cowgirl lifestyle by the end of the trip!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33001 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32519 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32519 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31847 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31847 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29620 The Oruro Carnival is the second largest carnival in Latin America. UNESCO was so impressed with it that they declared the Oruro Carnival an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001. It made us locals very proud.
As a native of Oruro I may be biased but to me the Oruro carnival is the place where fantasy, reality, religion and mysticism blend together and come alive for a week long celebration.
Oruro is a small, sleepy (and dusty) old town high in the Andean plateau at over 3700 metres above sea level.
Thousands of dancers and musicians in amazing and sometimes outlandish costumes descend (or rather ascend) to the town of Oruro the first week of February or March (depending on when Lent is) and party for nearly a week. But the preparations for the carnival start in late October or November the year before with dance rehearsals and plenty of partying every Saturday.
The actual carnival comprises of many different types of dances and music from different regions of Bolivia. There are dancers representing the Andean regions, the valleys and the rainforests of Bolivia. The centre piece of the carnival however is La Diablada or the Devils’ dance.
The dancers have to be very fit as they have to dance for about four or five kilometres in full costume. Some of the costumes (like the ones from the Diablada or Morenada) weigh upwards of 25 kilos depending on the complexity of the design and embroidery of the costumes and design of the masks.

When I was growing up in Oruro one of my favourite things about the carnival, apart from the dancing, were the water balloon fights. So take plenty of changes of clothes, buy yourself a water gun, water balloons and join in the water fights.
Also due to the altitude going to Oruro is not for the fainthearted. Make sure when you go there you first acclimatise to the altitude for a few days prior to the carnival; otherwise it will be very difficult for you to walk fast let alone dance along with the parades of dancers.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29620 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29512 I went on their organized weekend break to Oruro, and had a blast!
Theyrre arranging the same thing again this year if anyone´s wanting to go to Carnival in Oruro.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29512 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22561 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22561 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19979
We spent four blissful days at the lodge, got to within a stone's throw of various monkeys, snakes etc. and some of the most amazing flora I've ever seen. However, the kicker is every penny of your money goes into the project and helps re-establish the community and wildlife from a shadow of its former self.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19979 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16550
Sadly llamas are not the only animals considered to have healing properties or be considered lucky - dried turtles, monkeys and even beaks of certain tropical birds are displayed to entice.

It's an eye-opening experience and I'd argue that to miss it is to miss an important part of Bolivian culture. I wouldn't recommend it to the faint hearted or for youngsters who might be expecting their own Latin America Diagon Alley... this place is definitely more Lord Voldemort than it is Professor Dumbledore.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16550 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16325
Generally speaking I had a wonderful experience and if anyone is looking to travel, volunteer or take language classes in South America, I recommend you contact Sustainable Bolivia.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16325 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15878
There are quite a few different options for people who have never been on a horse, and some for the experienced rider. You can also do a walk-bike-horseride-jeep combination which is quite challenging but very good. The only problem with Tupiza is that there are few restaurants to choose from, but it does have one or two good ones, and an internet cafe.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15878 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11967 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11967 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/6650 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/6650 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5176 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5176 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5175 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5175 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4782 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4782 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4755 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4755 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4562 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4562 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4424
Get a cab way before dawn and ask to be dropped off at a panoramic point somewhere halfway up the mountain: the views at sunrise are breathtaking, and due to La Paz's unique geographical location this experience will probably stay with you for a long time.

Obviously you should not do this alone or take valuables.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4424 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/3148 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/3148