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Why to go: If you want to elevate your travel experience, how does nearly 12,000 feet above sea level sound? “Everything about your first time landing in La Paz is a sensory experience,” explains Marchant. “Being the highest international airport on the planet, the altitude here means you’ll touch down at a much higher velocity, making for an entrance you’ll never forget. Quite fitting in a city as vibrant and memorable as Las Paz.” Set high in the Andes’ Altiplano plateau (it has the greatest elevation of any capital on the planet), La Paz is a glittering jewel of a city set against dramatic sweeping vistas and snowcapped peaks. “There’s something infatuating about a city where each street corner introduces a new experience,” says Marchant. “The labyrinthine streets of La Paz are some of the most emotive in South America; sounds, smells and sights are all unescapable, forcing you to form an instant connection that you’ll never shake.”

What to do: A short bus ride outside of the city will take you to hauntingly beautiful naturescapes, like the Valle de la Luna or Valle de las Animas–strange and spectacular rock formations where clay and sandstone has worn away into a truly alien landscape (it’s not called “the valley of the moon” for nothing.) For something more low-key, spend your days exploring La Paz’s museum scene, browsing art and artifacts from the region’s colonial history–Calle Jaen, one of the city’s main streets, is home to several, making for an easy walking tour. Take your time to wander the local markets for gastronomic delights just waiting to be discovered.

Pro tip: To help your body deal with the altitude, make sure to stay well hydrated and avoid strenuous physical activity for the first 24 hours after you arrive.