El Alto: Cholet Architecture Tour & Cable Car Ride

Summary

Colorful cholets, cable cars above La Paz, Andean design stories

You’ll ride La Paz’s teleférico into El Alto with a local guide who knows every corner of cholet culture. Step inside these bold Andean mansions, taste local snacks, and hear stories behind their wild designs. Expect color, laughter, street sounds — plus moments that linger long after you’re back down in La Paz.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll admit it — I had no idea what a “cholet” was before this tour in El Alto. The first one we saw looked like something from a dream or maybe a comic book: neon pinks, wild greens, glass that caught the morning sun in weird angles. Our guide, Jaime, just grinned and said, “This is only the beginning.” He led us straight onto the teleférico — those cable cars that float over La Paz and up to El Alto — and I swear my stomach did a little flip as we rose above the city. Down below, markets spilled out onto the streets, women in bowler hats waved at each other. It smelled like fried dough and diesel and rain on concrete.

Walking through El Alto with Jaime felt like tagging along with an old friend who knew every shortcut. He pointed out cholets still under construction (“That one will have a ballroom for 500 people,” he said, almost proud), and let us peek inside one that was finished — velvet walls, mirrored ceilings, gold-painted stair rails. I tried to say “cholet” in Spanish but probably butchered it; Jaime laughed and told me it comes from “chalet,” but Bolivians made it their own thing entirely. There was this moment when we stood in the echoing empty hall of a new cholet and all you could hear was distant music from outside — cumbia beats drifting up through open windows. Kind of surreal.

I didn’t expect to feel so much energy in these buildings or in El Alto itself. Kids darted between street vendors, someone shouted for more salteñas (I still think about those snacks), and even the cold wind up there couldn’t dull the colors painted everywhere. By the end I realized these cholets aren’t just architecture; they’re like loud declarations of identity — part tradition, part rebellion maybe? Anyway, if you want to see Bolivia’s wild side with someone who actually lives here (and get snacks), this half-day tour is honestly worth your morning.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — El Alto Cholets and Cable Cars Tour

• Ride cable cars to El Alto
• Explore colorful streets with guide
• Visit cholet architecture sites
• Enter cholet to see interiors
• Learn about culture and tradition

Top questions

What is included in the Cholet Architecture Tour?

The tour includes rides on several cable cars (teleférico), guided visits to different cholets in El Alto (including interiors), plus snacks.

How do we get to El Alto from La Paz?

You’ll take public transportation using La Paz’s cable car system together with your guide.

Can I enter inside a cholet during the tour?

Yes, you’ll be able to go inside at least one cholet to see its interior designs up close.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it’s suitable for all physical fitness levels since most travel is by cable car and walking is moderate.

Are snacks provided on this day trip?

Yes, snacks are included as part of your experience during the tour.

Does this day trip start from La Paz?

The tour starts in La Paz where you meet your local guide before heading up to El Alto together.

How long does this Cholet Tour last?

This is a half-day tour exploring Andean architecture around El Alto.

Will my guide be local?

Yes, your guide is Bolivian and shares insights into both architecture and culture throughout the tour.

What’s included

Your day includes rides on several cable cars between La Paz and El Alto with a Bolivian guide leading you through colorful streets; you’ll visit multiple cholets (some even under construction), step inside at least one for an up-close look at Andean design details, and enjoy local snacks along the way before heading back down by public transport.