Begin your trekking adventure in Bolivia's capital, La Paz. Spend a day acquanting yourself with this city of contrasts, which features both ancient and modern structures. Spend the rest of your tour trekking through Cordillera Real, part of the Andes Mountains. Trek past high alpine lakes, visit ancient ruins, camp in the Andes Mountains, and descend into deep valleys. End your trip with a two-hour horseback ride back to La Paz. This ultimate hiking tour reaps many rewards as you make your way through the Bolivian Andes Mountains.
Highlights
Explore La Paz, the highest capital in the world
Magnificent views of the arid brow Altiplano and the blue Titicaca Lake
Trekking in the heart of the Cordillera Real Range of Bolivia
Spectacular views and a close up to the snow capped mountains
La Paz is framed by awe-inspiring snowcapped mountains which give this city the honor of the highest capital in the world. La Paz is a city of contrasts, containing both ancient and modern structures, all protected by the "Guardian of La Paz", Mount Illimani. Visit Plaza Murillo, where the cathedral and the Government Palace are located. Then, continue to the famous colonial street Calle Jaén where the city's museums are clustered together, followed by a visit to the typical Mercado de las Brujas, or the Witches’ Market, located along narrow streets near the San Francisco Church. Founded in 1549, the church is located in a great area to find traditional handicrafts and artwork. The tour continues to Obrajes, Calacoto, and La Florida residential areas in the south and the well known Moon Valley, where erosion has created exotic and curious surface forms.
Return to your hotel after your tour to relax and explore on your own for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Located one hour from La Paz is Tihuanaco (also spelled Tiwanaku), ruins of an ancient city near the south shore of Lake Titicaca. Tihuanaco is believed to be the ceremonial center for a pre-Inca civilization settled in 600 BC and represents one of the greatest architectural achievements of pre-Inca South America. Little is known about this culture as it mysteriously disappeared around 1200 AD. Visit the archaeological site and museum with your guide. Return to your hotel in La Paz for the evening.
Day 4: Trek Lake Khota to Ajuani Lake
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Depart from La Paz early this morning, arriving to the trailhead in approximately two and half hours. The Cordillera Real is dotted with stunning high alpine lakes. The trail gains altitude as you hike east of Lake Chiara Khota. Take the pass at nearly 15,750 feet elevation and descend to Lake Ajuani at 15,580 feet where you spend the night.
Distance: 6-8 kilometers Trek Time: Approximately 5 hours
Day 5: Lake Ajuani to Jurikhota
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Continuing the ascent through a mountainous path, cross the pass of 4700m allowing us to observe the impressive “Huayna Potosí”, and to descend to a place for an ideal camping site, in an exquisite campsite at Laguna Jurikhota. Today's estimated trek time is 6 hours.
Distance: 10.2 kilometers Trek Time: Approximately 6 hours
Day 6: Trek from Lake Jurikhota to Chiarkhota
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
After breakfast this morning, it's time to say goodbye to the lovely Laguna Janchallani. Hike along the north shore of the lake to a glacial moraine where the snowy head of Condoriri peak can be seen. Continuing onwards, pass by Pico Austria and descend to Lake Chiarkhota, arriving at the Tuni Condoriri basecamp at 15,088 feet.
Distance: 7 kilometers Trek Time: Approximately 7 hours
Day 7: Lake Chiarkhota to Livinosa Lagoon
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Hike along the base of the Cerro Mirador, while Huayna Potosi looms in the southwest. Today you will conquer two passes which are about 5.000m. Starting from lake Chiarkhota at 4600m asl, the first one is at 5050m asl, then our trail descends about 1000m and then again we walk uphill to reach the second pass at 4950m asl, from this point we climb down for about 3 hours until you find your camping site at about 3400m asl in the Liviñosa area.
Distance: 10 kilometers Trek Time: Approximately 5.5 hours
Hike the remaining two and a half hours, arriving to Chacapampa, where your driver is waiting to take you about 2 hours to Laguna Zongo at 12,465 feet. This is the base camp for ascents of Huayna Potosi. If the weather cooperates, from basecamp you can see the snowy peak of Huayna Potosi soaring overhead. Afterwards, it's a two hour ride back to La Paz where you can rest up after your trek.
Distance: 4 kilometers Trek Time: Approximately 2.5 hours
Day 9: Fly Home
1 Breakfast
Say goodbye to the beauty of Bolivia and fly home today.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is $400, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.