Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TREKKING AND CLIMBING IN THE CORDILLERA REAL
The Cordillera Real abounds in trekking and climbing possibilities, with a wide range of
options of varying lengths and difficulty levels.
TREKKING
Many of the best and most popular treks start close to La Paz, including the three so-called
“Inca trails” which cross the cordillera, connecting the Altiplano with the warm, forested
valleys of the
Yungas
. Two of these ancient paved routes - the
Choro Trail
and the
Takesi
Trail
- are relatively easy to follow without a guide; the third, the
Yunga Cruz Trail
, is
more difficult. You can do all three of these treks, as well as many other more challenging
routes, with any of the adventure
tour agencies
in La Paz.
The other major base for trekking is the town of
Sorata
, nestled in a valley at the north
end of the range at the foot of the mighty Illampu massif. From here, numerous trekking
routes take you high up among the glacial peaks, while others plunge down into the remote
forested valleys of the Yungas. Hiring guides and equipment in Sorata is cheaper than go-
ing with a La Paz tour operator.
Further afield, the remote and beautiful
Cordillera Apolobamba
, a separate range of the
Cordillera Oriental north of Lago Titicaca with almost no tourist infrastructure, also offers
excellent trekking possibilities for the more adventurous traveller.
Maps and equipment:
Unless you're going on a fully organized trek you'll need all your
own camping equipment. If you're an experienced hiker, able to communicate effectively
with local campesinos in Spanish (though many locals speak only Aymara) and have maps,
detailed directions and a compass or GPS, you can try doing some of these treks without a
guide.
The topics
Trekking in Bolivia: a Traveller's Guide
, by Yossi Brain, and
Peru and
Bolivia: Backpacking and Trekking
, by Hilary Bradt, both have detailed descriptions of
many of the trekking routes. Most of the routes are also covered in the excellent
Cordillera
Real Recreation Map
, published in the US by O'Brien Cartographics, while the
Instituto
Geográfico Militar
in La Paz sells larger-scale maps covering some of the routes.
Guides and mules:
Whatever you do, don't go trekking in these mountains alone, as the
consequences of a minor fall or a twisted ankle can quickly prove disastrous; it's much
better to go with a local guide. Getting lost is easy and can be very dangerous - rescue
services are pretty much nonexistent. Hiring a guide is a good way to ensure local people
benefit economically from tourism and in addition they can help avoid any possible misun-
derstandings with the communities you pass through. You may also want to hire a mule to
carry your pack, either for your entire trip or for that first gruelling ascent to a high pass.
