Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Zoo Municipal Vesty Pakos
Av Florida • Daily 10am-5.45pm • Bs3.50 • From the Valle de la Luna, pick up micro #11, #231 or #273 at the
same place you got off; it's 1km further to the centre of Mallasa
Located at the end of the main road that runs through Mallasa and set in ample parkland
shaded by eucalyptus groves, the city zoo is a great place to escape La Paz's concrete jungle,
even if the stressed-looking big cats look like they'd rather be in a real one. The larger birds
likewise look pretty miserable, though most of the animals have fairly spacious enclosures
and overall it's a good place to familiarize yourself with Bolivian wildlife, including the rare
Andean spectacled bear, pumas, jaguars, llamas, vicuñas and all manner of birds, some of
them endangered.
La Muela del Diablo
Take micro #207 or #288 from the Plaza del Estudiante in La Paz to the village of Pedregal, a couple of kilo-
metres beyondZona Sur.From Pedregal, it'sanhour'ssteep uphill walk tothe footofthe Muela -the trail starts
behind the cemetery and is easy to follow
Set amid more badlands east of Calacoto, the volcanic outcrop known as
La Muela del Di-
ablo
- the Devil's Molar - makes another good half-day trip out of the city. The jagged rock
formation is impressive rather than spectacular, especially if you've already travelled else-
where in the high Andes, but the views back across the desert-like landscape towards La Paz
are a dramatic reminder of just what an inhospitable and unlikely place this was to build a
major city. You can climb the Muela, though this is not advisable without experience and
some basic equipment. A further trail leads around the back of the peak, down and across the
Río Choqueyapu via a hanging bridge and up to the zoo, a good half-day's hike in itself. Be
sure to take sunscreen and plenty of water.
Chacaltaya
About 40km north of La Paz,
Chacaltaya
was, until recently, Bolivia's only developed ski
slope and, at over 5000m above sea level, the highest in the world. The glacier has now
melted completely, however, and with it the ski industry. For many observers, its demise re-
mains one of the starkest examples of global warming in the Americas, and a portent of di-
minishing water supplies across the Andes. It's nevertheless still worth visiting for the mag-
nificent scenery, even if you first need to be altitude acclimatized (and even then bring plenty
of warm clothing, sunscreen and sunglasses). From up here the massive icebound peak of Il-
limani seems close enough to touch, while La Paz and El Alto, far below in the Altiplano,
look minuscule by comparison. You can also see the crystalline waters of Lago Titicaca to
the west, with the mountains of Peru rising behind, and on clear days the volcanic cone of
Sajama, Bolivia's highest mountain, is visible far across the Altiplano to the southwest. If
you make the short climb up the peak of
Mount Chacaltaya
behind the ski refuge, the views
open up further - a truly breathtaking panorama.
