THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bolivia - page 177

Pelechuco
Beyond Ulla Ulla the road climbs up from the plateau and over a 4860m pass between glitter-
ing glacial peaks before dropping down to the town of PELECHUCO , set in a deep valley
that is often shrouded in cloud. This is the end of the road for vehicles but the starting (or
ending) point of the Trans-Apolobamba Trek . Pelechuco was founded by the Spanish in
1560 as a gold-mining outpost, and limited mining activity continues, though the town now
serves mainly as a market centre.
Some colonial-era buildings survive, notably the simple adobe church with its stone bell
tower, but the rough stone houses with thatched roofs are being replaced by ugly modern
structures. The steep valley slopes around the town are still covered in dense cloudforest, in-
cluding large numbers of the rare high-altitude queñua tree. On some of the hillsides above
the town you can see stone look-out posts, known as pucaras , which were probably built in
Inca or pre-Inca times to guard the approach to the pass against raiding tribes coming up the
valley from the Amazon lowlands.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: PELECHUCO
By bus Buses to Pelechuco from La Paz (10-13hrs) depart most days from the Tranca Rio
Seco on the outskirts of El Alto; they return from the centre of town.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Hotel Llajtaymanta On the central plaza; 7195 3252. The basic but friendly Hotel Lla-
jtaymanta has a handful of clean rooms with shared bathrooms; those at the back are more
comfortable. There are sim ple meals available, and owner Reynaldo Vasquez can help you
find mules and guides. Bs40
The Trans-Apolobamba Trek
The tough four- or five-day Trans-Apolobamba Trek between Pelechuco and Curva takes
you through the heart of the Cordillera Apolobamba and some of the most magnificent high-
Andean scenery in Bolivia. It also passes through the homeland of the Kallawayas , and
around the peak of their sacred mountain, Akhamani. Crossing several high passes, includ-
ing one over 5100m, this is a hard trek, and shouldn't really be attempted without a guide.
There are no reliable maps of the region (the last survey was conducted by the British Royal
Geographical Society in 1911-13), and even if you have good directions it's easy to get lost,
particularly if you're over 4000m up and the clouds close in.
Ilo-Ilo to the Sunchuli Pass
From Pelechuco , the route heads steeply out of town to the southeast, climbing to a high pass
at 4800m (4-5hr). Beyond the pass, the path zigzags down a steep scree slope to the head
of a glacial valley about 300m below (30min). You can camp here, or continue down the
valley to the village of Ilo-Ilo (30min), where you can buy basic supplies. From Ilo-Ilo the