The Bolivian High Level Route
A spectacular traverse of Bolivia's Cordillera Real mountains from Sorata to Zongo, including a visit to Lake Titicaca.

The Cordillera Real range stretches unbroken from Ancohuma (6427m) and Illampu (6368m) in the north to Huayna Potosi (6088m) in the south. Between them lie countless soaring alpine peaks which make up this spectacular range.

Our journey starts in La Paz with its blend of Spanish colonial architecture and indigenous Campesino influences. It is a fascinating city, but at an altitude of over 3600 metres we need to catch our breath for a day or two. We can explore the colourful ‘witches’ market where you can buy coca leaves to chew, guaranteed by the locals to help ward off the symptoms of altitude sickness. We then drive north across the high altiplano to the shores of Lake Titicaca. Here we catch a boat to the famed Island of the Sun, the legendary birthplace of the Incas, where local people still practice their traditional way of life on floating reed platforms. Continuing north we drive to the colonial town of Sorata at the northern-most tip of the range. We trek for twelve days from Sorata in the north to Zongo in the south. Throughout the journey we travel on little-used trails following as closely as possible the crest of the chain. Trekking initially on the eastern side of the range we pass through remote Indian villages where the way of life has changed little over the centuries. Moving back west we camp at the turquoise lakes of Jurikhota and Ajwani and cross the Apacheta Pass to Laguna Chiar Khota - the ‘Black Lake’. Here we can survey some of the finest mountain scenery in Bolivia including Condoriri - the ‘Condors Wing’. Trekking in the high Andes is always an exhilarating experience and this trip offers superb mountain scenery along with a glimpse into the fascinating culture of colourful Andean villages. Combined with Bolivia’s legendary fine weather, this is a trek which has it all. And with a combination of outstanding grassy campsites beside turquoise glacial lakes, and the lively company of our local team of muleteers, this trek offers an incredibly varied South American experience.

Grade
Strenuous

Duration
22 days

DAY 1 Depart UK
Depart from the UK for the overnight flight to La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia.

DAY 2 Arrive La Paz
We arrive into El Alto airport in La Paz and as the plane makes its final approach we will be greeted with a stunning view over the sprawling city below. At over 4000 metres El Alto is the highest international airport in the world and because the air is so thin most aircraft are only able to carry two thirds of their passenger capacity on landing and take off. This is also reflected in the relatively high speed approach to the runway on landing, guaranteed to get the pulse racing! The city of La Paz is located in a huge bowl nearly 400 metres below the level of the airport, and on arrival we have to descend into the centre of town. We stay at the comfortable Rey Palace Hotel in the Sopocachi district of the city. Everyone will feel the effects of the altitude on arrival and we will need to take things easy for the first couple of days. We can relax for the remainder of the day, or simply stroll around the local avenues. In the evening we can chose from a variety of excellent restaurants in the nearby Embassy district.

DAY 3 Sightseeing in La Paz
La Paz is a fascinating city with a colourful blend of western colonial architecture and indigenous campesino culture. It is situated at an elevation of 3600 metres making it the highest capital city in the world. The central thoroughfare is called the Prado and this runs along the lowest part of the bowl, with the effect that many of the capitals narrow streets and alleyways radiate upwards from this. Wherever you go in La Paz you invariably find yourself walking steeply up hill or down hill. Famously, the country’s main crop is coca and on virtually every street corner in the old part of the city you can buy freshly cut leaves to chew. There are also coca tea bags in most shops, and the plant is said by the locals to be therapeutic in relieving the more common symptoms of altitude sickness, or “soroche” as it is known locally. The colourful “Witches Market” is located in the old part of the city, where various bizarre remedies can be found including preserved llama foetuses which are supposed to bring good luck. Slightly further away from the city centre is the desert-like Valley of the Moon with its maze of narrow, wind-blown canyons.

DAY 4 Lake Titicaca
After breakfast we board our private bus and drive north for 4 hours to the town of Copacabana situated on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. This is a popular resort town and a place of religious pilgrimage with a splendid colonial church and hill-top shrine. In clear weather we will have great views of the entire Cordillera Real chain rising above the blue waters of the lake. There are a smattering of restaurants dotted along the lake shore and in the evening we can enjoy the local speciality of freshly-landed grilled trout.

DAY 5 Island of the Sun
After breakfast we drive around the lake to the village of Yampupata, where local Aymara Indians still fish from the traditional reed boats. From here we take a hydrofoil to Pilkokaina on the Island of the Sun where there is a fascinating stone-built temple pre-dating the Inca period. The Sun Island is one of the most important sacred and spiritual sights in the Andes and the views across the lakes towards the Island of the Moon and the Cordillera Real range are outstanding. We trek across the island for about three hours to the Posada del Inca, a delightful rambling hotel with a beautiful walled garden. The hotel has a gorgeous terraced area which overlooks the lake and is a splendid place to enjoy an evening sun downer.

DAY 6 Sorata
From Posada de Inca we travel by boat across to the Island of the Moon where there are the fascinating ruins of an Inca monastery. The intricately carved stone work is an excellent example of the precise architecture the Inca’s were famed for. We then continue by boat back to the mainland at Kallaque. We have lunch before continuing by road to Sorata at the northern end of the Cordillera Real. Situated in a stunning position beneath the glaciers of Illampu (6368m) and Ancohuma (6427m), Sorata is a splendid example of a Spanish colonial town with many fine buildings and imposing churches. We stay at the Residencial Sorata. This rambling mansion of a former rubber baron is an enchanting place to stay while arranging transport into the mountains. At some stage in its history it has been converted into a lovely colonial hotel, with colourful parrots and hummingbirds in its delightful gardens. At an altitude of ‘only’ 2678m, the area around Sorata is significantly different to that of the dry altiplano, and there are lush cultivated fields in the surrounding areas. The town’s main square even has a few palm trees. It is a wonderful spot to relax and explore. In the evening we can enjoy dinner in probably the best Italian restaurant in Bolivia.

DAY 7 Start the trek to Ancoma
After breakfast there will be some free time in the morning to amble around the pleasant avenues of Sorata. We then travel in our 4-wheel drive jeeps along a rough mountain road to the top of a dramatic 4000 metre pass. On the drive there are great views of the spectacular glaciers of Illampu and Ancohuma rising above us. After crossing the pass we have lunch by a small stream before commencing our trek with an easy descent to the village of Ancoma (3840m) on the eastern side of the Cordillera Real. This is a relatively short day but it eases us into the trekking gradually and allows us to adjust to the altitude with a leisurely downhill walk. We set up our camp in a grassy meadow a little distance outside of the village. The local Aymara children will be quick to surround us and ask for pens and pencils, so make sure you bring plenty of spares!

DAY 8 Trek to Sarani Pass
In the morning we meet our friendly team of llama drivers and their animals and can watch with amusement as these curious animals are loaded with our trek bags and provisions. Llama’s are by and large extremely gentle creatures, but occasionally fights do break out between rival males and these noisy stand-offs can be highly entertaining! We begin our trek along a trail which leads to the Korhuasini Pass which we cross and then pass through the village of Cocuyu (3500m). We continue beyond this up a narrow valley for about three hours to our campsite (3650m) at the foot of the Sarani Pass.

DAY 9 Across the Sarani Pass
After a leisurely breakfast we begin the long ascent to the Sarani Pass (4510m), the first of many high passes we will be crossing during our trek. This is the first full trekking day and the climb to the crest of the pass will be hard work. But we are rewarded with superb views across to both Illampu and Ancohuma, whilst to the south there are impressive views of Cerro Calzada (5650m). Descending steeply on the east side of the pass, we drop down to the hamlet of Chacolpaya (4120m) and camp just beyond this by a beautiful clear mountain stream. There are great views of the Chajawara group, and the peaks of the isolated Negruni group rise up to the southeast. We can just make out our route for the following day through the broad gap between these two massifs.

DAY 10 Trek to Negruni
We climb steeply out of our camp making for the Negruni Pass (4960m). This is one of the most spectacular days on the whole trek with the breathtaking scenery of the remote Chachacomani group of mountains spread out before us. The pass is a favourite haunt of Condors and we may be lucky enough to see one of these magnificent birds soaring on thermals of warm air. The descent from the pass travels through beautiful cultivated terrain with several small Aymara communities situated here. Our trek crew will be able to re-supply with fresh produce before we continue to our campsite by a small lake at Negruni (4690m) close to one of the oldest Inca trails – the Camino Calzada.

DAY 11 Trek to Palca
We have an easy half day walk, descending slowly to our campsite near the village of Palca. We pass through arable fields and past two incredibly deep-blue lakes where, for the brave souls among us, a morning swim is possible. The mountains of Chiaroco (6104m) and Nevado Chachacomani (6074m) provide a stunning backdrop to our trek and we will reach camp in time for lunch with the remainder of the day free for rest and relaxation.

DAY 12 Trek to Jankolacaya
Fully refreshed after our previous short day we continue to follow the Huari Huarini valley along its meandering river and past several small Aymara communities where local people live lives untouched by the modern world. We climb slowly on a rising traverse which eventually takes us up to the Portero Pass (4795m) amid the splendid glacial scenery of the Chachacomani range and the Tres Marias group. We descend some distance from the pass to our camp at Jankolacaya (4400m).

DAY 13 Trek to Mina Fabulosa
Our route now enters much remoter mountain terrain away from any habitation, climbing steeply to reach an un-named pass at 4820 metres. The path continues along a fairly level route and we cross another un-named pass at 4905m. As we progress towards the south of the Cordillera Real we begin to get our first views of the peaks at that end of the range, stretching as far as Huayna Potosi (6088m) at the south-eastern end. Our destination today is the Mina Fabulosa, a once flourishing gold mine – long since abandoned. Local people now mine tin in the vicinity and a small community thrives on the proceeds. Our route takes us high above the valleys and we can gaze down the Rio Uma Palka towards the vast expanse of the Yungas – the dense jungle region of lowland Bolivia.

DAY 14 Across Paso Fabuloso
Today we cross one of the highest passes on the trek – the Passo Fabuloso (5100m). As its name implies, this is indeed one of the most spectacular viewpoints on the trek and there are tremendous views of the surrounding peaks including Ventanani, Cerro Nigruni and Janq’ulla. Crossing the pass actually takes us from the east side of the range over to the west. We descend on the far side of the pass to a small lake where we have lunch, after which we continue easily down to the valley floor. We pass another abandoned mine – Mina Paluco – and eventually reach Laguna Allka Qhota where we camp. A jeep track comes up to the lake and we may see the occasional day tripper here.

DAY 15 Trek to Jurikhota Lake
From the lake we climb up to the jeep track and cross it before beginning the long, steady ascent to the Sistana Pass (5110m), the second highest on the trek. There are wonderful views from the pass across the dry altiplano to the blue waters of Lake Titicaca and beyond. We drop down to a small turquoise lake above Laguna Sistana where we have lunch. We then climb up to the Jurikhota Pass (4943m) where there are superb views of Cerro Wawanaki (5258m) and Cerro Ventanani (5408m). If we climb a little higher we also get views of both Huayna Potosi and Cerro Condoriri, two important peaks which we will be seeing more of in the next couple of days. Finally a long and exhilarating scree run takes us down to our campsite beside Jurikhota Lake (4720m)

DAY 16 Across the Apacheta Pass
The Apacheta Pass (5150m) which we cross today is the highest on our trek. To reach it we have to skirt around Jurikhota Lake and climb to a small frozen lake beneath Condoriri. The pass is located at the top of the valley above us, and provides great mountain views in all directions. Most people will want to climb a little higher to the summit of Apacheta Peak (5324m) where the reward is a fabulous 360 degree panorama of countless peaks. We can look back along the course of our trekking route as far as Ancohuma and Illampu, whilst above us Condoriri rise tall, providing a tantalising glimpse of its true majesty. And the waters of Lake Titicaca glint in the afternoon sun. Our destination for today is Lake Chiarkhota, the “black lake” and we camp at the far end of this at 4720m. The lake is generally referred to as Condoriri base camp. The Condors Wing is now fully revealed, and around us there is a huge amphitheatre of peaks including Little Alpamayo and many others.

DAY 17 Rest day at Chiarkhota Lake
Rest day at Chiarkhota Lake. There are many places to explore and some may wish to climb the small trekking peak of Little Illusion.

DAY 18 Trek to Laguna Livinosa
The final passes of the trek are both around 5000 metres and take us over to the verdant Livinosa valley. First up is Paso Aguja Negra (5035m) from where those with sharp eyesight may be able to pick out climbers on Condoriri or Little Alpamayo. We then descend to and cross the moonscape of Piedre Grande before making the short climb to Paso Zongo Sistena (4930m). Huayna Potosi (6088m) now comes fully into view and at last we are able to appreciate its true scale. Finally we descend to the alpine pastures which surround Laguna Livinosa and camp by the shores at an altitude of 4300m.

DAY 19 Return to La Paz
The last day of trekking is almost all downhill. Villages and cultivated fields, absent for the past few days, now begin to re-appear and when we reach the village of Ancoma (3725m) we see the first trees since leaving Sorata twelve days ago. We continue trekking down hill as far as the large village of Botijlaca which lies on the main road through the Zongo valley. Our jeeps will be waiting for us here and we say farewell to our team of llama drivers. We travel through the desolate Zongo valley, driving right past the basecamp area for Huayna Potosi. Numerous ancient mine workings dot the landscape, and the lakes are coloured various shades of blue of green, indicating varying mineral contents. Eventually we return to La Paz and the welcome comforts of our hotel which we should reach by lunchtime. A chance to relax and catch up on diaries, postcards.

DAY 20 Free day in La Paz
A free day in La Paz which acts as a buffer day in case we are disrupted elsewhere in our itinerary.

DAY 21 Depart La Paz
We have an early morning transfer to La Paz El Alto airport for the return flight back to the UK.

DAY 22 Arrive London
We arrive back at London Heathrow airport.