The Quisma Cruz is not a large range – it’s only 50km from end to end – and the peaks are lower than other Bolivian ranges, Jacha Cuno Collo is the highest peak at 5800m, and other glaciated peaks range from 4500m to 5300m. Granite peaks, glaciers and countless deep blue or dark green mountain lakes make the Quisma Cruz arguably the most scenically spectacular of Bolivia’s 4 main cordilleras. It lies to the southeast of Illimani and is rarely visited by tourists.

Please check the gear list to see what you will need to bring for the trip.

For further general information on Bolivia please also look at our fact file.

Day 1: La Paz (3600m) – Pinaya (3900m)

A winding road will take us from La Paz through the Cordillera Real, passing lots of small villages and cactus filled valleys. We will stop in the Palca Canyon to explore the area, cycle towards Illimani (6439m) and spend the night near Pinaya.
6 – 7 hours (LD)  

Day 2: Pinaya – Araca Valley (2800m)

We will continue past Illimani and down into the deep canyon of the Rio La Paz, which we will follow for most of the day before spending the night at ´Casa de Don Hans´ in the heart of the Araca Valley and at the base of the Cordillera Quimsa Cruz.
6 – 7 hours (BLD) Hostel

Day 3: Araca Valley – Quima Cruz Camp (4000m)

We will have to cycle uphill for most of the day to climb out of the canyon formed by the Rio La Paz, this will be a difficult day but we will have jeep support to help us. We will set up camp high in the Alpine area.
7 – 9 hours (BLD)

Day 4: Quima Cruz Camp – Quime (3400m)

We will traverse across the Cordillera Quimsa Cruz, climbing over the Salvadora pass (5000m), before arriving in the small and beautiful village of Quime.
4 – 6 hours riding (BLD) Hostel

Day 5: Quime – Camp (2000m)

We will continue descending down into the tropical Yungas – a transition ecosystem between the dry arid Andes and the Bolivian Amazon. We will be following the Rio Ayopaya valley down into a canyon and we will make camp at the floor of the canyon by the river.
4 – 6 hours (BLD)

Day 6: Camp – Independencia (1000m)

We will continue to descend further into the Yungas, and we will follow the same river, and we will see how the vegetation changes throughout the day becoming much denser as we drop in altitude.
5 – 7 hours (BLD)

Day 7: Independencia – Camp (3000m)

It will be back to cycling uphill but we will see how the scenery is changing as we move closer to Cochabamba and as we increase in altitude. We will need to cross a high pass of the Andes before making camp.
6 – 8 hours (BLD)

Day 8: Camp – Cochabamba (2560m)

This will be a fairly easy day of cycling following a long arid canyon that will lead us to the colonial town of Cochabamba where we can have a well earned beer and a hot shower!
4 – 5 hours (BLD) Hotel

Day 9: Cochabamba – La Paz

We have an easy day driving back to La Paz. At the city of Al Alto we stop for our last photo shoot and ride into city La paz.
Fare well dinner in La paz 7 - 8 hours (BLD)