Bolivia Essential Trekking

We depart in the morning by private vehicle to the village of Chuquiñapi, nestled in a lovely bay on the shore of Lake Titicaca, away from tourist trails. We settle in at the José Ferrari monastery, a lovely building that overlooks the lake.

After lunch at the monastery, we start a lovely hike to explore the small island of Sunata. Then we head north along the shores of the lake back to the monastery. Dinner on site.

Walking time: approximately 2 to 3 hours (6 km)

The morning is dedicated to navigation on the lake in a traditional catamaran. A magnificent ride offering striking views of the imposing glacial massifs of the Royal Cordillera.

Return to the monastery at the end of the morning.

After lunch, drive to the city of La Paz.

Private vehicle transfer to El Alto airport. La Paz - Uyuni flight (schedules vary).

4x4 vehicle expedition. To start, we visit the Train Cemetery located on the outskirts of the city. Most of the trains in this cemetery date back to the early twentieth century and were imported from England to transport ore to Chile. Crossing through San Cristobal, a village that was relocated following the arrival of a mining company. Discovery of the Valley of the Rocks where erosion has created strange shapes several meters high. Some more notable than others, we can play at finding resemblances! One of the rocks perhaps has the shape of a World Cup football trophy or a camel.

Dinner and night at the Mallku Cueva ecolodge.

Our 4x4 expedition today will take us to discover the most beautiful Lagunas in the region. Journey to the Polques hot springs (4,000 m) where we have the opportunity to bathe with beautiful views of the Laguna Chalviri. Along the way, discovery of the famous "Dali Desert" with its supernatural landscapes in light ochre tones. Finally, we reach the Laguna Blanca and especially the Laguna Verde (4,300 m) with its emerald color and the Licancabur volcano as a backdrop. We return by the same route before stopping at the "Sol de Mañana" site (4,850 m alt.), an area characterized by numerous geysers, fumaroles and mud pools. Arrival at the Laguna Colorada which hosts numerous colonies of pink flamingos parading before our eyes.

The track then takes the Siloli desert route. The latter is composed of numerous geomorphological formations including "the stone tree"…the local celebrity. The surrounding landscape is equally impressive with multicolored mountains. A few additional kilometers are necessary before reaching the Desert hotel.

Arrival at the Desert hotel in late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.

Head north via La Route des joyaux, a series of several magnificent lagoons (Honda, Ch'arkota, Hedionda and Cañapa) some of which are home to colonies of pink flamingos. This is the ideal time for a selfie with a flamingo! A short break is a must to admire the Ollaguë and Tomasamil volcanoes. We reach the Salar de Chiguana which closes out this beautiful day.

Arrival at Tayka de Piedra hotel in late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.

We leave today towards the mythical Salar d'Uyuni. On the way, visit of the small Galaxies Cave, a rather unique place… The Salar d'Uyuni is for many the most beautiful salt desert in the world. Crossing this immense spotless surface, one of the most striking experiences of this trip that we will remember for a long time. This paradise on earth with its infinitely white landscape is simply magical. An island in a sea of salt, the Incahuasi Island or Casa del Inca, is stunning with its many cacti so tall they seem to touch the sky.

Dinner and overnight at lodge. Sunset over the Salar.

Morning departure to reach the neighboring village of Coquesa, located at the foot of the Tunupa volcano. Discovery of the pre-Columbian mummy site dating back approximately 700 years A.D. Progressive and peaceful hiking to the viewpoint (approximately 02h00 of climbing). Splendid view of the Volcano crater as well as the Salar d'Uyuni. Descent by the same path in approximately 1 hour.

After lunch, departure by private vehicle towards the city of Uyuni.

Flight Uyuni - La Paz (variable schedules). Welcome by our driver at El Alto airport, transfer and hotel check-in.

Morning departure for Laguna Khotia. Meeting with our team of muleteers. From Laguna Khotia, the route to Laguna Chiarkhota is the most well-known in La Cordillère Royale.

From Laguna Khotia, the route to Laguna Chiarkhota is the most famous in the Royal Cordillera. We start the day heading due south along the mountainside. We arrive at the Paso Contador pass (4760 m) which offers a beautiful view over a wide valley. Here we can observe a large lake named Alka Khota at the level of the former Palcoco mine. We then descend into the valley, cross a semi-marshy area, near the laguna Surakhota (4410 m) and continue in a south-east direction. We then need to climb back up the mountainside before reaching the laguna Ajwani ("lake of the birds").

Departure: 10:00
Walking time: 5 hours
Elevation gain/loss: +550m/-385m

Laguna Ajwani is a beautiful lake where many ducks live. The place is very beautiful and peaceful. We start the day by walking southeast along the mountainside. We have more beautiful views of Ajawani Lake before passing into the next valley. We then reach the Milluni Pass located at 4910m altitude before descending to Laguna Sistaña (4670m altitude). From the pass, we can observe Huayna Potosi and its famous west face. We continue towards the southeast. We climb a second pass, the Paso Janchallani located at 4885m altitude. We finally discover the Condoriri massif, one of the most beautiful glaciers in the Cordillera. We end this day by descending to Laguna Jurikhota (4700m altitude) nestled in a deep valley.

Departure: 9am
Walking time: 4 hours
Elevation gain: +530m/-445m

The Head and Left Wing of the Condor overlook the lake. We can make out the path that runs along the lagoon on the left and climbs up through the moraine to the foot of the glacier. The views are magnificent! Tomorrow's day promises to be splendid!

We start this day by skirting the lake, heading northeast, along its right bank to reach the moraine. Then we climb via the moraine up to the Laguna Congelada (4880 m). The place is simply splendid. The Condoriri glacier ends its course in its turquoise waters. The vertical walls of the Left Wing and the Condor's Head appear frightening to us from our path.

After a break, we head southeast to climb the rocks on our right towards the pass. The ascent is fairly steep and sometimes requires the help of our hands and a great deal of care. We arrive at the Austria Pass (5140 m). If we still have a few reserves of strength, it is recommended to make a detour via the Austria Peak (5300 m) before descending into the next valley. This is the peak that dominates the pass on our right and faces the Condoriri. You must tackle a steep climb through scree, but the effort is truly worthwhile. This peak is a true viewpoint over the Condoriri. The views are breathtaking over the glacial massif.

All that's left is to descend southeast from the pass to reach the Laguna Chiarkhota (4680 m), base camp for Condoriri and Pequeño Alpamayo. Hike to the village of Tuni. Meeting with the Tuni community and overnight stay in a community shelter.

Departure: 7:30 AM
Hiking time: 7/8 hours
Elevation gain/loss: +550m/-800m

Traditional breakfast made of buñelos (a type of fritters) and api (a drink made from purple corn). Activities related to community life (harvesting in the fields, llamas, etc.). Preparation of huatia (a meal cooked in an "oven" built underground using hot stones).

After lunch, drive to the city of La Paz.