Tupiza
Potosí Department, Bolivia · 21°26′33″S 65°43′11″W
A small town in a valley of red rock spires and canyons in southern Bolivia, where Butch Cassidy's last robbery took place and horses are still the way to see the country.
Tupiza lies at 2,950 m in a valley cut through red sandstone, surrounded by formations with names like the Valle de los Machos and the Puerta del Diablo. Most visitors treat it as the start of a four-day jeep tour to the Salar de Uyuni, which means they leave the morning after arriving. The canyons within a day's ride or walk of town are the real reason to stay.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid held up an Aramayo mining payroll near here in 1908 and were killed a few days later in San Vicente.
Why it stays quiet
Uyuni is the destination; Tupiza is the waypoint. Anyone who stays two nights and rides into the Quebrada de Palala will find it empty.
Where it is
Before you go
Horse tours are arranged through any agency. Altitude is moderate for Bolivia but still noticeable. Trains to Villazón and Oruro run a few times a week.
Updated 2026-09-06 · Suggest a correction
