| 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
Sorata. Hotel |
Elevations
Lake Titicaca 3,810m (12,497f)
Road Pass 4,212m (13,815f)
Sorata 2,678m (8,796f)
Timing
Motor boat: 1-2 Hrs
Driving: 2-3 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
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. Later afternoon we will navigate
offshore towards Puerto Perez located at the southeastern shores of the
lake. The mountains will “grow” in front of us dominating the
landscape and the glaciers will get “tanned” by the late afternoon
light as we approach to Puerto Perez. Our vehicle will take us over the
“Altiplano” bordering the eastern shores of Lake Titicaca towards
the town of Achacachi (the woman who cries). There the road turns east towards
to the mountains. The view of the Andes at the pass is breathtaking. Then
through the mountain valleys we reach Sorata. A town set at the foot of
the mythical mountain called Illampu, the god of lightning. There we will
spend the night in a charming hotel. |
| Day
5. Trek to Lakatia. Camp. |
Elevations
Lakatia 4,400m (14,432f)
Timing
Walking: 4-5 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Even before breakfast,
the mule drivers will be waiting outside the hotel to receive our luggage.
So, as soon as we are ready, our caravan will start the journey over the
Andes. We have a lot to climb today, walking “slow but steady”
towards Lakatia we will fell the air getting thinner the higher we go. Lakatia
is an Indian community from where some of our mule drivers come from. Camp. |
| Day
6. Trek to Ujtaña Pampa. Camp. |
Elevations
1st Mnt Pass 4,741m (15,550f)
Ujtaña Pampa 3,877m (12,716f)
Timing
Walking: 6-7 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
We have to cope with
the first mountain pass over Illampu’s slopes, following a secondary
trail that climbs up switch backing a moraine slope. The descent is not
too steep and will get us to the eastern side of the Bolivian Andes. We
will arrive to a small swampy valley named “Aguas Calientes”
(hot waters) because its waters almost never freeze but by no means hot.
This site is often used by climbers as Camp I when ascending Illampu mountain.
Towards northeast, you will see the sea of clouds over the Amazonian rain
forest. The campsite is close to another Indian Community: Ancoma. |
| Day
7. Trek to Sarani Pampa. Camp. |
Elevations
Korahuasi Pass 4,480m (14,694f)
Cocooyo 3,512m (11,519f)
Sarani Pampa 4,317m (14,159f)
Timing
Walking: 6-7 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Today is a bit-demanding.
First we have to climb to a narrow pass at the northern end of the Illampu
massif, to then descend a really steep galley towards Coocoyo, another Aymara
Indian village. The number of kids there is absolutely amazing, certainly
we will be followed by hordes of children while we pass the village. After
crossing the settlement we will gradually ascend along a narrow valley,
and get to a wide plateau surrounded by steep rocky walls. There we will
setup tents. |
| Day
8. Trek to Negruni. Camp. |
Elevations
Sarani Pass 4,512m (14,799f)
Chajolpaya 4,200m (13,776f)
Tara Khala 4,666m (15,304f)
Timing
Walking: 7-8 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
We start the day climbing
to the Sarani pass. All the passes in the Andes have Cairns and all the
travelers have to take a rock and put it on top. Descending to Chajolpaya
valley will get us at the very heart of the Cordillera Real. Lunch will
take place in a small plateau divided by a snaking river. In the afternoon
we have to climb a log way up inside a narrow valley called Negruni (Black
Place) where we will set up our camp again in a grassy flat place between
rocks. The spot name is called Tara Khala. |
| Day
9. Trek to Palca. Camp. |
Elevations
Negruni Pass 4,918m (16,131f)
Palca 4,003m (13,130f)
Timing
Walking: 5-6 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
The trail is very faint
at the start but rapidly we are high over last night’s camp where
our team will still be packing the equipment. After reaching the Negruni
pass, the way down to the next valley is beautiful: we will encounter several
glacier-covered peaks, steep rocky walls and small Indian communities dedicated
to potato crops. Another giant of the Andes will guard us most of the day,
mount Chearoco of 6104 m (20021 ft). We will camp at Palca; literally the
junction of two rivers. |
| Day
10. Trek to Leche Kota. Camp. |
Elevations
Leche Kota 4,540m (14,891f)
Timing
Walking: 5-6 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
At this point we are
so used to the daily hermeneutics that is seems that we have been doing
it for ages. After breakfast we take a steep climbing trail along of the
river and towards a wide-open plateau. Then we will leave the main trail
and get into the very high mountain land. Our campsite will be located close
to the shores of Leche Kota (Milky Lake). |
| Day
11. Free day. Camp |
Elevations
Leche Kota 4,540m (14,891f)
Timing
Walking: 3-4 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
This campsite is located
in a extraordinary place all surrounded by rocky peaks and snow-caped mountains;
the main mountain to the southwest of our campsite is Chachacomani. Probably
some will spend the day resting and enjoying the landscape, but for those
who would like to enhance the experience we will take for a walk towards
the higher slopes of Chacahaco. |
| Day
12. Trek to Vinohuara. Camp. |
Elevations
Janko Laya Pass 5,140m (16,859f)
Valley 4,800m (15,744f)
Mullu Pass 5,100m (16,728f)
Janko Kota 4,800m (15,744f)
Timing
Walking: 5-6 Hrs
Meals
B,L,D |
Today’s hike is
a very technical one. We will walk to the trek’s highest pass. Fortunately
we are very well acclimatized by now. Nevertheless we feel the thin air
and walk very slowly to the pass. The descent is not easy either. The terrain
is very steep and the trail is almost nonexistent, but the views of the
western hanging glaciers of Janko Laya peak are so rewarding that we do
not mind the effort. Our llamas or mules will take a different route and
we will meet them at the end of the day.
|
| Day
13. Trek to Janko Kota. Transport to La Paz. Hotel |
Elevations
Mullu Pass 5,100m (16,728f)
Janko Kota 4,800m (15,744f)
La Paz 3,650m (11,972f)
Timing
Walking: 4-5 Hrs
Driving: 3-4 Hrs
Meals
B,L |
After breakfast we will
depart for the final section of our trek. A last high pass will get us to
the division line of waters. We will be coming from the Amazonian, eastern
side; and pass to the western faces looking over the Titicaca basin. We
will camp for the night at the shore of Janko Kota lake. We will drive back
to La Paz following first a secondary mining road and then the main paved
to Lake Titicaca. |
| Day
14. 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
15. Departure. Transfer to Airport. |
Elevations
El Alto 4,100m (13,450f)
Timing
Driving: 30 min
Meals
B |
Transfer to airport. |
.jpg)
It
is said that the road net at the Incas time had more than 30,000km (18,633mi)
of trails connecting the whole empire from Ecuador at the north through
Bolivia and Peru, to Chile and Argentina at the south.