| Day
1. Arrival in La Paz. Transfer to Hotel. |
Elevations
El Alto: 4,100m (13,450f)
La Paz: 3,650m (11,972ft)
Timing
Driving: 30 min
Meals
None |
Arriving in La Paz, what
impresses the most is the crisp clear sky of the highlands. In a normal
winter day it is possible to see over a distance of 200Km (120mi). The cold
and dry air feels good after so many hours of treated pressurized cabin
air.
The airport is located
in the city of “El Alto” the highest international airport
in the world from here you will be transferred to your hotel descending
approximately 30 Min. into La Paz city canyon. Do not stress much about
the altitude; our program has been designed to get you gradually acclimatized.
At the beginning we strongly suggest you to take it very easy, drink plenty
of water and eat lightly (get into out Acclimatization page for more information).
You will have the
rest of the day free. At early evening we will have a briefing meeting.
|
| Day
2. Visit of Tiwanaco. Transport to Patapatani. Camp. |
Elevations
El Alto 4,100m (13,450f)
Lake Titicaca 3,810m (12,497f)
Timing
Driving: 4-5 Hrs
Walking: 1-2 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Traveling through this
land you will understand how important the shores of Lake Titicaca have
been in the origin of the Andean cultures. Surrounded by desert like hills
and snow caped mountains, lake Titicaca offered, and still offers, rich
lands and a mild climate. Tiwanaco used to be a port, an important ceremonial
center and a huge urban establishment. After an illustrative tour through
the ruins and museums, we will drive back to La Paz (El Alto) and from there
to the southern shores of the lake. On the way to our campsite, we will
be culturally transferred to the past as we go by Aymara villages where
Indians have been keeping their lifestyle for centuries. Our campsite will
be located on a beautiful beach on the shores of Patapatani peninsula, with
a great view of the peaks of “Cordillera Real”. |
| Day
3. Trek to Kala-Uta ruins. Motor boat to Pariti & Intja Island. Camp |
Elevations
Lake Titicaca 3,810m (12,497f)
Timing
Walking: 1-2 Hrs
Motor boat: 1-2 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Today we will start
trekking in the Bolivian Highlands. We will visit the archeological sites
of Khala Uta (house of stones). Later we will take a motor boat to navigate
through a natural labyrinth of reeds that host many Andean bird species
towards the island of Pariti. There we will visit its extraordinary museum.
After lunch we will head to Intja Island where we will set up camp and enjoy
the sunset overlooking the Cordillera Real massif. |
| Day
4. Motor boat to Suriqui island & Puerto Pérez. Transport to
La Paz. Hotel |
Elevations
Lake Titicaca 3,810m (12,497f)
La Paz: 3,650m (11,972ft)
Timing
Walking: 2-3 Hrs
Motor boat: 1-2 Hrs
Driving: 2-3 Hrs
Meals
B,L |
In the morning we will
navigate towards Suriqui Island whose inhabitants are the famous reed boat
makers of Lake Titicaca. Some of them have helped adventurers like Thor
Hyerdahl, Kintín Muñoz and others to build the ships they
used to attempt Trans oceanic expeditions. We hope to catch the afternoon
side-winds to navigate offshore towards Puerto Perez located at the southeastern
shores of the lake. The mountains will “grow” in front of us
and will dominate the landscape. As the glaciers of the mountains get “tanned”
by the late afternoon light. There our vehicle will be waiting to take us
back to La Paz. |
| Day
5. Transport to Choquetanga. Camp. |
Elevations
Mnt. Pass 4,900m (16,072f)
Choquetanga 3,200m (10,496f)
Timing
Driving: 7-8 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
It will take all day
long in a 4WD to cross the flat highlands and get in the ‘Cordillera
Quimsa Cruz’ (Three Crosses mountain range) towards the road head
at Choquetanga village. En route we will see several mines at amazing altitudes.
The road snakes along steep mountainsides and crosses the Andes in between
glaciers. We get to the eastern side of the mountains: all the valleys lead
to the Amazon Basin and all the waters end at the Atlantic. Choquetanga
is a valley with a complex of hydroelectric stations. At the campsite we
will meet the porters. |
| Day
6. Trek to Aguas Calientes. Camp. |
Elevations
San Juan 3,450m (11,316f)
Aguas Calientes 3,300m (10,824f)
Timing
Walking: 5-6 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Today we begin with
a gentle hike traversing the slopes of a large ridge with many ups and downs.
After some hours, we will reach a hamlet perching on top of a mountain crest:
San Juan Jahuira. There we will have lunch to later drop down to a meadow
in between granite boulders and small trees. Close by there is a natural
hot spring, an ideal spot for the night’s camp. |
| Day
7. Trek to Alisuni. Camp. |
Elevations
River 3,300m (10,824f)
Alisuni 3,600m (11,808f)
Timing
Walking: 5-6 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Again we have to contour
another large ridge with another hamlet perching on top: Choquetanga Chico.
The gentle walk goes along a beautiful pre-Columbian trail that will takes
us straight above mountain abysses, and down into a fascinating high altitude
microclimatic woodland. At the bottom of the valley, close to the river
full of trout, we will have lunch. Later we climb a steep abandoned path
through a thick forest. What really amazes us, is the sudden change from
the forest to the high cold pastures. We will set up camp at the yard of
an old hacienda. |
| Day
8. Trek to Vaqueria. Camp |
Elevations
Naranjani 4,750m (15,580f)
Timing
Walking: 5-6 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
We enter the region
of the Granite Mountains. The walls are so steep that it is difficult to
imagine that there is a path across. But there it is, a wonder of the pre
Inca engineering a magnificent trail traversing steep slopes towards a granite
cirque enclosed by huge weatherworn granite walls. There is not a more paradisiacal
place to have lunch; at the only beach of a lake surrounded by rocky spires.
Tonight we will camp between huge boulders in a place called Naranjani near
the granite spires of “Penis pass”. Depending on the season
we may be able to catch a few delicious trout for supper. |
| Day
9. Trek to Cuchu Mocoya. Camp |
Elevations
Penis pass 5,000m (16,400f)
Cuchu Mocoya 4,260m (13,972f)
Timing
Walking: 6-7 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Today is the most challenging
of the whole trek since we have to cross the highest mountain pass of the
trek; the path quite gentle at the beginning, gets very steep at the last
section leading to the pass. There are actually two passes that will get
us back to the western side of the range. The trail goes across the Zone
of Granite Mountains, an area that climbers have nicknamed ‘The Yosemite
of South America’. On the other side of the second pass, the descent
towards Cuchu Mocoya mine where we will set our campsite. It is a very steep
descend, so our knees will feel it. |
| Day
10. Trek to Bengala lagoon. Camp. |
Elevations
1stt Mnt. Pass 5,200m (17,056f)
Bengala lagoon 4,600m (15,088f)
Timing
Walking:7-8 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
We will walk on an old
mining towards Viloco mine; this mine was one of the most productive mines
in Bolivia when tin prices were good. After a short visit to the mine, we
continue along a snaking path that leads us up to a very high pass, the
highest of the trekking. After crossing it, we have a steep descend towards
a swampy area and contouring the valley towards of Bengala lagoon. There
at the shores of this idyllic lagoon we will set our campsite. |
| Day
11. Trek to Laguna Chatamarca. Camp. |
Elevations
2ndt Mnt. Pass 4,900m (16,072f)
Chatamarca 4,800m (15,744f)
Timing
Walking: 6-7 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
This mine was once a
large operation, judging by the disused buildings and machinery and will
contrast with the other mining activity we will encounter on our journey
– where just a handful of men live rough in the mountains and work
fissures on high rock faces. It is difficult to visualize how people could
work at this heights and in such a harsh environment. Following breakfast
we climb to the mountain pass and start descending through a valley surrounded
by huge granite peaks and irrigated by clear streams, home to a variety
of Andean birds: hummingbirds, ducks, wild geese, seagulls, avocets, amongst
others. Our campsite will be located on the shores of a beautiful lake nesting
between soaring mountains. |
| Day
12. Trek to Mina Argentina. Transport to La Paz. Hotel |
Elevations
3rdt Mnt. Pass 4,800m (15,744f)
Mina Argentina 4,900m (16,072f)
Timing
Walking: 3-4 Hrs
Driving: 6-7 Hrs
Meals
B,L |
A small pass along of
the trail will allow us to reach a high point from where Chatamarca lagoon
and surrounding mountains will be seeing in their entire splendor. Later
we continue along of and Andean valley that leads towards another large
mine: “Argentina”. The same as Viloco, Argentina used to be
one of the largest mining operations in Quimsa Cruz mountain range. There
our vehicle will be waiting to transfer us back to La Paz, on the way we
will pass by Caracoles mine. |
| Day
13. Free day. Hotel. |
Elevations
La Paz 3,650m (11,972f)
Timing
None
Meals
B,D |
Free day in La Paz to
rest or enjoy shopping in La Paz markets. At early evening we will have
a farewell dinner and celebrate all together. |
| Day
14. Departure. Transfer to Airport. |
Elevations
El Alto 4,100m (13,450f)
Timing
Driving: 30 min
Meals
B |
Transfer to airport. |
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This
mountain range - located to the south of La Paz city - is only 50 km.
long but certainly one of the most beautiful areas in the Bolivian Andes.
The Southern peaks are covered by snow and large glaciers run down from
them while the north is mainly compose by giant granite spires, a real
paradise for rock climbers. In the West are the dry valleys looking to
the flat highlands and the east slopes face to the Amazonian jungle.