Transkordillera

Total 81,2 km

The Bolivian Andes spread along two chains with a north-south orientation. The western cordillera runs along the international limit with Chile. It contains many volcanoes, like the Ollagüe (6102 m), the Parinacota (6350 m) or the Sajama (6559 m), the highest peak in the country. The eastern cordillera, better known as the Cordillera Real, spreads from the north, with the Illampu (6427 m), to the south, with the Illimani (6460 m), for about 200 km.
A hike from Sorata or from the Kacha lagoon, a little more to the south, leads through the Cordillera Real straight to La Paz. These routes run, in some points, at an altitude of over 5000 m. Pack transportation is cheap and is done in a traditional way, with llamas. This allows the inhabitants of the cordillera to generate income, make the roads safer and the possibility to integrate the Aymara culture. Those climbers who would consider that a trekking excursion of 9 days is not enough, could take 2 more days to go up the Livino valley to Botijlaca, connecting through the previously mentioned route to the lakes zone.

Take a look at the route map camp 1 and 2 (61 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 2 and 3 (25 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 3 and 4 (26 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 4 and 5 (30 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 5 to 7 (42 KB)

Day 1 arrival

Travel from La Paz to Kacha lagoon via Achacachi. In Achacachi there are several restaurants and many options to buy food. The road is in relatively bad shape and the minibus gets there with great difficulty. We set up our tent in the neighborhood of the road, behind a stone wall. A short walk from here leads us uphill through a grassy slope. From here there is a nice view of Lake Titicaca.

Day 2 Kacha lagoon - Chajolpayo
(WZ 8 h, 515 m 1140 m)

From the camp, we continue on the road that ends after approximately 1 hour. We then follow a narrow path leading down through grassy plains and lupines to the Chojina Quta lagoon, which we reach after another hour of hike. Here we find beautiful resting places close to brooks. We cross the valley northward and go slowly up the path. On arriving at the eastern end of the lake, we go on uphill on a winding trail to the Calzada high pass, at 5062 m, which we reach after 2 hours of a striven hike. From the pass, we continue downhill keeping ourselves on the southern side of the Chajolpayo River. After another 3 to 4 hours we reach our camp situated a little higher up the village of Chajolpayo, at 4172 m.

Day 3 Chajolpayo - Negruni Pampa
(WZ 5 h 30 min, 865 m 360 m)

The path continues 15 minutes to the south from the camp, walking through rocks and grass until the next lateral valley, at 4215 m. We go up this valley, which starts with hillocks at its base. At the beginning of the steep slope section, the path runs through rocky terrain on the east side. The trail tends to get lost among the rocks, but it appears again a little higher up. If we should continue through this valley, we would arrive at a lagoon at the foothills of mount Chajowara, but, after 2 hours of ascent, we cross the valley to the southeast that leads us to the Negruni pass. For this, we cross a brook and continue going up the narrow path on the west slope. After another 2 hours of a striven hike, we arrive to the high pass, at 4920 m. The 5000 m summit of the Warawarini is at arms reach. On the other side of the pass, we recognize the Chiguini valley together with its lagoon. The path goes down the west slope. Around the lagoon, the terrain turns muddy. After 1 ½ hour we reach Pampa Negruni, at 4665 m, today’s camp. The camp is located in the middle of snow-covered mounts in the environs of a space formed by stone houses.

Day 4 Pampa Negruni - Piedras Blancas
(WZ 8 h, 875 m 1150 m)

We continue descending by the slope on the west side of the valley. After 1 hour, we find a farm next to Laguna Verde lagoon, at 4 420 m. Here we descend some 15 minutes to a point where two basins bifurcate. Behind us rises mount Chearoko (6104 m), which we had seen in the first camp. The melted water of its glaciers descends through the gulch with a beautiful turquoise color. We continue our hike on the east side of the brook, following on a plain in the valley that after a short distance falls abruptly. In front of us there is a kind of a medieval grange located on a promontory, and at the left, the path goes down. Down below, we continue going alongside the turquoise brook through a strange hillocks and with a great view of the hamlet of Palca, at 4007 m, which we reach after 2 hours. Palca has few houses and a church where the inhabitants get together to pray on Sundays. For the first time we see a group of shrubberies with blue berries called Challi, and also cactuses. The path joins another valley located on the southern side and it will be our new route. The road passes in front of the houses, runs on a plain where some llamas graze and where there are some farms. At the end of the valley, a steep slope begins ascending on the left side of the brook. Behind it, we see the Chachakumani (6000 m). The path is more and more steep, arriving at a small lagoon, and from here, after another 3 ½ hours, we reach the Potrero pass, at 4774 m. From here we see the road that is our aim for today. On the descent, we pass by a small hamlet, and after 1 hour and 15 minutes we reach our camp for today, at 4385 m, in Hanki Lakaya or Piedras Blancas (White Stones).

Day 5 Piedras Blancas - Quta Thiya
(WZ 6,5 h, 730 m 615 m)

We continue uphill for 3 ½ hours to reach the Mullo pass, at 4996 m. Even though this is a vehicles road, from here we have the most beautiful views of the route. The glaciers reach almost to the road itself, and to the south it spreads a chain of peaks. We keep going down through a winding path and shortcuts. After an hour we get to Lake Janq’u Quta, which has a milky color due to the melting waters. The road goes on along the lake shore. At the end, it crosses to another valley flanking the hillside, going up at times. Soon we have into view Lake Quta Thiya, extending its elongated form surrounded by snow-covered mountains with a classical altitude landscape. The road now starts to descend flanking the lake. At the draining point of the lake we set up camp, at 4460 m.

Day 6 Quta Thiya - Ajwani Quta
(WZ 5 h, 585 m 395 m)

From the camp we cross the brook, going uphill through a grassy slope on the left side. After about 2 hours, we reach the upper part of a long incline. Here the vegetation consists mainly of moss and grass. The highest point, at 4751 m, is the smooth Minassa pass, through which we go down. Further down, we see a small lake in the Rio Linco valley. On the ridge we just passed, we see another lagoon, our goal for today, and behind it we see the Huayna Potosí. We continue downhill for about 1 hour 20 minutes to the valley, at 4403 m. The path is deteriorated in some places, but the views are magnificent. The route continues at the base of the Rio Linco valley between the Alka Quta and Sura Quta lagoons, and then it immediately ascends through the other hillside. Going up slowly, the road leads us over the lake. Over the top of the slope there is a plain where the Ajwani Quta lagoon is situated, our camp for today, at 4619 m.

Day 7 Ajwani Quta - Juri Quta
(WZ 3,5 h, 475 m 395 m)

From the lake we climb the hillside and on its top we go down again, and then up again. After 1 hour we reach an extended sand pass, at 4840 m. The view reaches from the Ancohuma, Lake Titicaca up to Huayna Potosi. The landscape reminds of the high plains of Tibet. We go down for 45 minutes to Sistana Quta, at 4696 m. From here we start going up again towards the high pass, at 4898 m, which we reach after another 45 minutes. The view is not so great; we can only recognize the Huayna Potosi. During the descent, however, we can see fantastic sceneries. The sight of the Condoriri, Pico Austria and the Juri Quta lagoon leave us literally breathless. We descend a little more, for about 45 minutes, to the lagoon and we camp on its shore, at 4708 m.

Day 8 Juri Quta - Chiar Quta
(WZ 5 h, 680 m 715 m)

There is a way either through the southern shore or through the northern of the lake. We walk about 30 minutes on the southern hillside until reaching the east side of the lake. Here we climb an abrupt sector made of sliding material where the glacier has already melted. We continue through a short and easy space that has to be climbed. The road gets lost in the upper part of the ascent route. Milestones of rocks mark the way. Shortly after, we find the trail to the high pass. The pack animals cannot take this route, the go through the Laguna Negra route. The pass is at 5158 m, and the ascent lasts almost 2 hours. From here, there is the possibility of climbing Pico Austria relatively easily. Without snow, the ascent through a stony path lasts about 1 hour. The view is simply awesome and for this reason this route is recommended. The summit is at 5358 m. Next, we go down to the pass and from there downhill to Lake Chiar Quta. It is recommended to set camp at the southern side of the lagoon and not at base camp, because the latter is too in demand and there is a great amount of mountaineers camping there.

Day 9 Return trip to La Paz
(WZ 2 h, 70 m 285 m)

We continue downhill and after 2 hours we reach the Lake Tuni reservoir. The trip back should be organized beforehand.

Take a look at the route map camp 1 and 2 (61 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 2 and 3 (25 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 3 and 4 (26 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 4 and 5 (30 KB)
Take a look at the route map camp 5 to 7 (42 KB)