Day 1: La Paz – Pelechuco (3600m) | We leave La Paz in the morning and drive across the Altiplano (4000m), with spectacular views of the Cordillera Real on our right. This area is very dry but we will be able to see the campesinos (farmers) herding their llamas and cultivating potatoes and quinoa. Later we pass through the Area Protegida Apolobamba and pass the Reserva Nacional de Funa Ulla Ulla, a large Vicuña reserve. We cross a mountain pass just after Lake Cololo (4700m) before arriving in the colonial village of Pelechuco, where the main economic activity is gold mining. We will spend the night in Pelechuco.
9 – 10 hours driving (LD) Hostel |
Day 2: Pelechuco – Queara (3440m) | Today we leave Pelechuco and drive up to the Paso de Sanches (4840m).
Once at the pass we head down a little way to where we meet the mules. Here we start our walk, say good by to our drivers and begin making our way down the valley following the old Inca trail. The landscape is open alpine until we reach the forest. We camp near a small river.
1 – 2 hours driving, 3 – 4 hours walking (BLD) camping |
Day 3: Queara (3440m) – Chachimaya | Today we start our trekking in the forest. We still have a few long climbs and we stay above the river. The trail here has good stone paving, an excellent example of the solid roads for which the Incas were renowned.
6 – 7 hours (BLD) camping |
Day 4: Chachimayu - Casiquebrado | We keep following the winding Inca trail, still stay around the 3000m mark. Looking back to the Apolobamba mountain range we have beautiful views of Chuapi Orco (6044m) the highest in the Apolobamba Mountain range. We camp near an old Inca Tambo (road house), structures which were used to host Inca dignitaries and officials on business who would have been travelling on the ancient road network
6 – 7 hours (BLD) camping |
Day 5: Casiquebrado – Chunkani | Today we drop into cloud forest, a dense mass tres and thick vegetation. The trail in places becomes a tunnel carved out of the solid rock. In this area we may be luck enough to spot the rare Andean spectacled bear. The trail continues along the top of a ridge and is quite steep in places. We set up camp in a forest clearing
6 – 7 hours (BLD) camping |
Day 6: Chunkani – Mojos (1600m) | We continue along the forested ridge, passing through ocassional clearings in the trees. Here the trail gets muddy in places and the mules find it hard going. We cross a small bridge and pass by pineapple plantations on the approach to the village of Mojos. We make camp in the village.
6 – 7 hours (BLD) camping |
Day 7: Mojos – Chaquisapa | In Mojos we change mules and say good buy to the muleteers from Pelechuco. The trail is used more regularly and the walking is a little easier. After a long day we come to a clearing were we set up camp.
7 – 8 hours trekking (BLD) camping |
Day 8: Chaquisapa – Virgen Del Rosario (930m) (Rio Tuichi) – Apolo (1450m) | We have a short day. We climb up to a great view point where we can see the Rio Tuichi and an hour later we reach the community of Virgin Del Rosario. On the other side of the Rio Tuichi is our transport to take us to Apolo. This road is very rough and will take us a good 3 hrs to do 50km.
4 – 5 hours walking, 3 – 4 hours driving (BLD) Hostel |
Day 9: Apolo – La Paz (3810m) | We leave early in the morning and drive through mountains forest. The road is very windy. We have a lot of climbing to reach the Altiplano. We will pass many small villages as we drive through the Cordillera Muñceas. We then meet the same road we came from La Paz to Pelechuco. Drop off at hotel.
10 - 12 hours, driving (BL)
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