Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
trip - where anyone looking for their
adrenaline fix can clamber and climb
their way along a series of river gorges
and waterfalls - with community
ecotourism agency, El Vagante ( T 02
2413065, W elvagante.com; ask at the
office on the corner of the main square).
Ì TREAT YOURSELF
La Senda Verde T 74722825, E vossiop
@gmail.com, W sendaverde.com. Situated
twenty minutes outside of Coroico (a taxi
will usually charge about B$40) and set in
a beautiful valley next to a river that you
can swim in, this animal sanctuary is the
kind of gorgeous hideaway you won't ever
want to leave. There are sprawling, lush
grounds to wander around, pretty views
and a restaurant that serves up home-
made pasta and salads. Accommodation is
in two- to five-person cabins, which are
dotted around the groun ds. Prices include
breakfast. Doubles
2
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus Buses and micros to and from La Paz use the bus
station on the southwest side of town, opposite the
football pitch. If you're coming to Coroico from anywhere
else, you'll have to catch a pick-up truck for the 15min ride
up from the main road at Yolosita - these drop passengers
off outside the Mercado Municipal, on Sagárnaga. Micro
services to La Paz (2hr-2hr 30min) depart every 20min
until 6pm.
B$360
Ì Hostal Sol y Luna Just under 1km outside town,
uphill on Julio Zuazo Cuenca, beyond the Hotel Esmeralda
T 71561626, W solyluna-bolivia.com. Tranquil hideaway
in beautiful hillside grounds that overlook the valley,
with hammocks, fire pits, a yoga room and plunge pools.
Cooking facilities are available to guests, but the restaurant
does e xcellen t, simple dishes too (d aily 8a m-10pm).
Dorms B$50 , dou bles B$100 , cabins B$300 , camping
(per person) B$20
INFORMAT ION
Money and exchange Various shops change US dollars;
Banco FIE and Pronam offer cash advances on Visa and
MasterCard and are open Sat & Sun mornings.
Tourist information The o ce at the bus station has
maps and information on activities and walks around the
town. For trekking information, the o ce on the main
square (daily 8am-8pm; T 06 7108865) next to the police
station offers a wealth of local information, with guides
available for trips to nearby Afro-Boliviano communities,
the Camino del Inca and waterfall hikes.
EATING AND DRINKING
There's a decent variety of places to eat, from pizza and
Mexican food to quality French cuisine, German pastries
and even Swiss fondue, plus plenty of places for standard
Bolivian fare.
Back-Stube Linares, off the main plaza. A café-restaurant
specializing in German dishes such as Sauerbraten (B$47)
and Käsespätzle (from B$37) as well as the all-Bolivian
pique a lo macho (B$48) and excellent cakes (around
B$12). Wonderful views of the valley, too. Wed-Fri
9.30am-2.30pm & 6.30-10pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am-10pm.
Café Internet El Nido del Uchi Main square. There's no
internet here, but they do offer uncharacteristically (for
Bolivia) hearty breakfasts - try the desayuno yungueño
which combines steak, egg, rice, fried plantain and tomato,
plus juice and coffee for B$30.
El Cafetal See above. The French cliché of snippy service
can apply here, but so does the one about good cooking -
come for a delicious menu of crêpes, sou és, fish and
meat dishes, plus panoramic views. Closed Tues.
Carla's Garden Pub 50m down the steps beyond Hostal
Kory . Down a flight of steps that you won't relish climbing
back up, Carla is is a cute, tucked-away little bar that does
good simple food (sandwiches from B$12, pasta from
B$32) and a fine range of beers (B$17-20), including the
punch-packing “Judas”. Wi-fi use is B$5. Tues-Sat 3pm-
midnight (sometimes later).
ACCOMMODAT ION
For a small town Coroico has a good range of places to stay,
aimed primarily at visitors from La Paz. At weekends and
on public holidays everywhere gets very full and prices go
up, so it's worth booking in advance.
El Cafetal Beside the hospital, about a 10min walk
southeast of the town centre T 07 1954991, E danycafetal
@hotmail.com. A gorgeous retreat far from the bustle of
town, El Cafetal has clean, pleasant rooms, a pool, terraces
and sweeping grounds. Rooms with private bath open
onto balconies with exhilarating view s, and there's also
a good restaurant (see below). Doubles B$140
Hotel Esmeralda Half a kilometre above the town up
Julio Zuazo Cuenca T 02 2136017. The valley views are
really the best thing about this place. It's cheap considering
its loft y site, and the r ooms a nd service rather reflect that.
Dorms B$75 , doubles B$200
Hostal Kory Linares 3501 T 71564050. The genuinely
spectacular views of the valley are the real draw here -
you can see Death Road winding its hair-raising way -
though the rooms aren't bad at all and the swimming
pool is sparklingly clean. Prices include breakfast. Don't be
afraid to barter on the room rate - there ha ve been reports
of plucked-out-of-the-air quotes. Doubles B$160
 
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