Along the way

This circuit takes you to the high places of the Cordillera of the Andes.
Our adventure begins on a mountain-bike. From Sucre, we climb through the intermediary valleys until we reach the majestic Altiplano. As a reward to our efforts (very good physical condition required), a dream comes true: biking on the world’s largest salt flat, the Great Salar de Uyuni!
We return to La Paz, for a well-deserved rest; but only to start over with renewed energy this time in towards the Cordillera Real, a range where summits over 6000 meters of elevation are not uncommon. A superb 6-day trek takes us to the summit of Huayna Potosi (el. 6088 m.a.s.l.), highlight of our trip.
This program caters to enthusiasts, trained and in good physical condition.

Daily program

Day 1: LA PAZ ARRIVAL

Reception at the airport (flight number and arrival time to be confirmed) and transfer to hotel (check in time 12 p.m.; if you wish to have a room upon arrival, it is possible to pay for one extra night, check with us).
Rest of the day open.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel.

Day 2: LA PAZ / PANORAMIC TOUR – VALLEY OF THE MOON

Meeting in the hotel hall at 9 a.m. for a discovery, in private transportation, of the most spectacular viewpoint over the city, unbelievably located at the bottom of the Choqueyapu river canyon, with the Royal Mountain Range “Giants” as the background: Huayna Potosi, Mururata and Illimani.
This tour, particularly designed for photo lovers, first takes us to the K´Illi K´Illi Mirador and to the Laykakota Park (closed on Mondays), on the Northwestern side of the city. Afterwards, we cross the Americas Bridge to go to the “Plaza de España” Mirador, in the colonial neighborhood of Sopocachi. From there, an abrupt descent takes us to the “South Zone”, passing through Llojeta and the “Garden Cemetery”, and finally to the Valley of the Moon, a place where we will be able to walk between psychedelic looking sandstone formations.
Return to the center at lunchtime. Afternoon open.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel.

Day 3: LA PAZ – SUCRE / TOUR (el. 2800 m.a.s.l.)

Departure from the hotel for a private transfer to the airport 2 hours before flight time. Flight La Paz-Sucre (50 minutes, time variable depending on the departure day). Reception and transfer to the hotel.
At 2 p.m., we meet in the hall of the hotel for a guided tour of the colonial city, World Heritage Site (Registered by UNESCO at the Patrimony of Humanity): Ethnographic textile museum, Casa de la Libertad (closed on Mondays), Recoleta convent and cathedral…
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel.

Day 4: SUCRE / QUATALLA VALLEY AND 7 WATERFALLS / 10 miles

Bikes are transferred from La Paz. We collect them in Sucre

Meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the hotel lobby. We start our ascent above town before descending into the Quatalla Valley where we find the 7 waterfalls. We leave our horses or our bikes for a hike along the River. We can climb to the highest waterfall or swim in the pool of the first one (always full even during the low season).
After we fully enjoy this wonderful area, we return to Sucre on horseback or on bikes.
Cold lunch (included). Dinner open Hotel.

Day 5: SUCRE – CHATAQUILLA – POTOLO / 53 km mountain bike ride

After meeting with our guide / driver in Sucre, we leave with our 4WD towards the end of town. We start on our bikes, right after the airport, at an altitude of 2977 m.a.s.l.
We climb to the church of Chataquilla (3658 m.a.s.l. / 16 miles).
Descent to 2910 m.a.s.l., before reaching the village of Chaunaca (6 miles) then Puente Ravelo (el. 2890 m.a.s.l.) before climbing to the village of Potolo (el. 3075 m.a.s.l./ 10 miles).
Cold lunch. Dinner included. Night with local host in Potolo.
Note: on this itinerary, we have the option to abandon our bike at any point to travel in the support vehicle.

Day 6: POTOLO – MARAGUA – TINGUIPAYA – TARAPAYA / 47.5 miles mountain bike ride

From Potolo, we head for Maragua, 50kms away, following a succession of long uphill and short descents along the Potolo River (3643 m.a.s.l. / 31 miles).
To reach the village of Tinguipaya from Maragua, we climb up to the Furso Pass at 4147 m.a.s.l. We bike along the crest to another pass, at 4300 m of altitude.
We stay at an altitude of about 4000 m until we ascend to the last pass of the day, at 4320 m.a.s.l. (16.5 miles).
We leave our bikes to continue by 4WD through deep valleys until reaching the village of Tinguipaya (3200 m.a.s.l.) and then of Tarapaya, where we spend the night (hot water and private bathrooms).
Cold lunch. Dinner included. We spend the night at the cabañas (sort of lodges for 4 persons).

Day 7: TARAPAYA – POTOSI / VISIT

We take our 4WD to Potosi (paved road; 1/2 hour).
We dedicate this day to the discovery of Potosi, nominated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
At 9 a.m., we meet in the hotel lobby to visit the mines of Cerro Rico where we can meet miners in their environment. In the afternoon, we visit the Casa de la Moneda (closed Sunday afternoons and Mondays), where the Spanish minted the coins for the crown until the 19th century.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel.

Day 8: POTOSI – PELCA – YURA / 65 miles

From the outskirts of the city (in a spot called Cantumarca, at 3659 m.a.s.l.), we ascend to the village of Porco (el. 4231 m.a.s.l.). For 6 miles, we bike at an altitude of 4000 meters, until we reach the San Juan Canyon (3830 m.a.s.l. / 11 miles).
We clear a pass at 3971 m.a.s.l., 2 miles further, before going down again to a plateau and arriving at the village of Chataquilla (3760 m.a.s.l. / 8 miles).
We enter the canyon of the River Yura before reaching the village of the same name by the end of the day (3352 m.a.s.l. / 21 miles).
Cold lunch. Dinner included. Night in a shelter (shower).

Day 9: YURA – TIKA TIKA – PULACAYO – UYUNI / 71 miles mountain bike ride

Departure with our 4WD from Yura. 6 miles to the crossing of the dirt track to Uyuni.
We ascend to the first pass (el. 4062 m.a.s.l. / 10 miles) before descending towards the village of Tika Tika (el. 3630 m.a.s.l. / 6 miles).
For the next 35 miles, we stay on the plateau of Ollerias at an altitude of about 3600 / 3700 meters before climbing to the village of Pulacayo (el. 4230 m.a.s.l. / 10 miles).
We then descend for 12 miles km to Uyuni (el. 3700 m.a.s.l.).
Cold lunch. Dinner open (restaurant "La Loco" recommended). Hotel.

Day 10: UYUNI – SALAR – TAHUA – AROUND VOLCANO TUNUPA – JIRIRA / 53 miles mountain bike ride

From Uyuni, we drive with our 4WD towards Colchani (1/2 hour), on the border of the Salar, where we can visit a familial salt exploitation.
On our bikes, we pedal through the Salar until we reach the Salt Hotel (el. 3670 m.a.s.l. / 7 miles, it is not possible to sleep there anymore). In our 4WD, we then cross the white stretch of salt leading us to the North and the village of Tahua, at the foot of volcano Tunupa.
Back on our bikes, we circumnavigate the volcano. A succession of short uphill and downhill at a constant altitude of about el. 3700 / 3800 m.a.s.l. (max el. 3830 m.a.s.l. / 28 miles).
We hike through the villages of Chilguilla, Alianza, Saitoco, Irpani, etc…
Cold lunch. Dinner included. Lodging at Doña Lupe and Don Carlos’s in the village of Jirira (showers).

Day 11: JIRIRA – LA PAZ

Early departure for our long crossing of the Altiplano (8 to 10-hour journey). On the way we stop at the enormous meteorite crater of Tambo Tambillo. At around noon, we arrive in the village of Challapata, where the dirt road ends and the pavement starts. We follow this road to Oruro. On the way, we skirt the shores of lakes Poopo and Uru-Uru.
At around noon, we arrive in the village of Challapata, where the dirt road ends and the pavement starts.
Lunch on the way (included). Dinner open. Hotel.

Day 12: LA PAZ

Day open. Lunch and dinner open. Hotel.

Day 13: LA PAZ – LAGUNA KHOTIA – LAGUNA AJWANI (el. 4720 m.a.s.l.)

Difficulty: altitude trek with one or more passes of elevations superior to 5000 meters, each day. 4 to 6-hour walk a day. Good physical condition required.

Departure from the hotel at 8:30 a.m. in our private vehicle in the direction of the Cordillera Real (a 3-hour trip) and of laguna Kothia, the start of our trek (el. 4470 m.a.s.l.).
We meet our team of muleteers and start hiking on the right side of the lake, on the Southwest slopes of the Cordillera. We clear the first pass (Paso Contador, el. 4760 m.a.s.l.) before crossing a swampy area, near laguna Surakhota. Alter about a 4-hour walk, we arrive at the laguna Ajwani (“lagoon of the birds”, el. 4720 m.a.s.l.).
Cold lunch. All included. Bivouac.
Hiking time: 4/5h; Elevation gain/loss: +500m/-300m

Day 14: LAGUNA AJWANI - LAGUNA JURIKHOTA (el. 4700 m.a.s.l.)

We start by following the hillside, clear a first pass at an altitude of 4920 meters (Paso Milluni / 1h45), then we take our time to reach laguna Sistaña (el. 4660 m.a.s.l. / 45mn).
In the afternoon we ascend to a second pass (Paso Janchallani, el. 4900 m.a.s.l. / 1½-hour), before our last descent of the day towards Laguna Jurikhota (el. 4700 m.a.s.l. / 1-hour).
Cold lunch. All included. Bivouac.
Hiking time: 5/6h; Elevation gain/loss: +665m/-560m

Day 15: LAGUNA JURIKHOTA – LAGUNA CONGELADA – PASO AUSTRIA - LAGUNA CHIARKHOTA (el. 4670 m.a.s.l.)

From Laguna Jurikhota we begin by ascending up a steep slope to reach, an hour and a half later, the Laguna Congelada, (two glaciers literally fall into its icy waters), a jewel nested at an altitude of 4900 meters at the foot of El Condoriri (el. 5650 m.a.s.l.).
From there we keep climbing to a second pass (Paso Austria, 5120 m.a.s.l. / one hour ascent) before descending on the other side towards El Condoriri and El Pequeño Alpamayo base camp, at the edge of Laguna Chiarkhota (el. 4670 m.a.s.l. / 1½-hour descent).
Just before reaching the pass, we have the option to climb Pico Austria (el. 5300 m.a.s.l.) to admire the incredible views it offers over the Cordillera Real (45-minute climb, 20-minute descent).
Cold lunch. All included. Bivouac.
Hiking time: 6h; Elevation gain/loss: +645m/-670m

Day 16: LAGUNA CHIARKHOTA – LAGUNA WICHU KHOTA (el.4680 m.a.s.l.)

We leave the Condoriri behind us, pass at the base of the Black Needle and eventually reach the Jallayko Pass (el. 5025 m.a.s.l.). We then drop into the very beautiful and steep Jistaña Valley, before ascending the Tillipata Pass (el. 5000 m.a.s.l.).
The spectacular scenery over the myriad of lagunas down below is ample reward for our efforts. Then another downhill to Laguna Wichu Khota, where we set up our camp, at the foot of María Lloco (el. 5522 m.a.s.l.).
Cold lunch. All included. Bivouac.
Hiking time: 7h; Elevation gain/loss: +845m/-935m

Day 17: LAGUNA WICHU KHOTA – CAMPO CANAL (el. 4800 m.a.s.l.)

We progress amongst the lagunas, until the ancient camp for mine Santa Fe. A short detour to a small nearby summit dominating the camp allows us to get a nice view over all the lagunas.
We then climb up to our camp, surrounded by the summits of Imilla Apachita, Maria Lloco and Huayna Potosi (el. 6088 m.a.s.l.). The view is superb (4/5-walk).
The most courageous will be able to hike over to Laguna Glacial del Huayna Potosi. The trail, an ancient dried out stone canal on the hillside, offers wonderful scenery (2-hour round trip).
Cold lunch. All included. Bivouac.
Hiking time: 6h; Elevation gain/loss: +320m/-200m

Day 18: CAMPO CANAL – HUAYNA POTOSI ASCENT / Day 1 (el. 5100 m.a.s.l.)

After loading the gear on our llamas, we head for the Milluni pass that we reach in the middle of the morning (el. 5000 m.a.s.l). From there, we overlook the Milluni Valley. We keep on going towards our shelter by passing Huayna Potosi on our left. At this point the Andes abruptly drop into the Yungas, a green and tropical area.
Ascent to the “Rocks camp” (el. 5100 m.a.s.l.). Approximately a 2-hour walk.
Cold lunch. All included. Night in mountain shelter.
Note: team of porters for the 2-day ascent.
Hiking time: 6h; elevation gain/loss: +600m/-300m

Day 19: ASCENT OF HUAYNA POTOSÍ / DAY 2 (el. 6088 m.a.s.l.) – LA PAZ

Departure at 2 a.m. for a tentative ascent of the summit. Later on, we descend to the shelter (approximately 10-hour total). Return to La Paz with private vehicle.
Lunch included. Dinner open. Hotel.
Ascent time: 10h; Elevation gain/loss: +1000m/-1400m

day 20: LA PAZ

Day open. Lunch and dinner open. Hotel.

Day 21: DEPARTURE

Reception at our hotel in a private vehicle, 3 hours prior to flight departure time, for transfer to airport / international flight number and time to be confirmed. Meals open.

Included

- Mountain bike guide (Spanish speaking)
- English speaking specialized guide (Sucre, Potosí)
- Local Spanish speaking guide in La Paz
- Local guide in La Paz, Sucre, Potosi, Lake Titicaca, Tiwanaku
- Entrance to parks and cultural places mentioned in program
- Private transport (1 4WD vehicle for 4 passenger). Spanish - speaking driver
- Domestic flights
- 2/3-star hotels in twin room including breakfast
- Night with local hosts
- Meals mentioned
- Trekking guide
- Mountain guide (one for 3 people max)
- Cook for groups of more than 4 people (for groups smaller than 4, the guide will be the cook)
- Collective equipment for trekking and mountaineering (tents, cooking gear, ropes, etc…)
- Portage of luggage (high altitude porters/ mules / llamas)

Not included

- International flight round trip
Airport taxes (about $ 2 US per person for national flights and $ 25 US per person for international flights)
- Individual equipment (for camping we provide the sleeping pads)
- Mountain bike and accessories (helmet, gloves, shoes, repair kit)
- Mandatory travel insurance
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips
- Meals mentioned "open" ( plan on 3 to 8 € per meal / person

General sales conditions

Your trip will be confirmed once we receive a deposit of 30% of the total amount on our Bolivian account or on our web site (Visa card icon on the top right; enter your name as the reference). The balance must be paid upon arrival in Bolivia in American dollars or Euros.

Prepare for your trip

Travel advice Bolivia
General Sales Conditions
Equipment

Emergencies

In case of major problem during your stay (delay, strike, traffic accident…), an emergency contact will be at your disposal to reach a member of our team:
(010) 712 57 378

Important

- As a security measure, each traveler needs to provide photocopies of passport and individual insurance documentation.
- If you are planning to travel to Brazil, please note that the Brazilian authorities request the yellow fever vaccine certificate to all travelers coming from Bolivia. If you do not leave the transit zone at the airport, it is not required.

Contact us to get the fares