16d15n Climbing in the Cordillera Real

16 Days 15 nights CLIMBING IN THE CORDILLERA REAL

The summits of Pequeño Alpamayo, of the Huayna Potosi and of the Illimani belong to the great classics of the Cordillera Real. The Cordillera Real is densely glaciated due to its proximity to the Amazon lowlands with its associated humidity.

In this program you will have the possibility to acquire some acclimatization in the Titicaca Lake doing light physical activity prior the climbing program.

This program is addressed to people who want to have their first experience in high mountains and achieve their first 6000 m.a.s.l. in a gradual way.

Difficulty

AD+

Duration

16 days / 15 nights

Season/ best months for the climbing program: 

May to September

 Highlights:

• Stunning views of lakes with clean water and snowcapped mountains
• Visit the sacred lake of the Incas and the Sun Island
• Top of Pequeño Alpamayo and Huayna Potosi, the most popular peaks in Cordillera Real
• Top of Illimani, Bolivia´s most sacred landmark
• Magnificent views of the surrounding snowy mountains and Lake Titicaca

 

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Acclimatization

Day 1: Arrival at La Paz/ Free Day (3600 m.a.s.l.)

Day 2: La Paz – Tiwanaku – Copacabana (3840 m.a.s.l.)

Day 3: Copacabana – Trek on the Island of the Sun– Yumani (3925 m.a.s.l.)

 

Austria, Pequeño Alpamayo and Huayna Potosi

 

Day 4: Yumani – Copacabana – Rinconada – Chiarkhota Lagoon (4670 m.a.s.l.)

Day 5: Chiarkota Lagoon – Austria Peak (5350 m.a.s.l.)– Chiarkhota Lagoon (4670 m.a.s.l.)

Day 6: Chiarkota Lagoon – Tarija Peak (5300 m.a.s.l.) – Pequeño Alpamayo (5430 m.a.s.l.) –  Chiarkhota Lagoon (4670 m.a.s.l.)

Day 7: Chiarkhota Lagoon – Maria Lloco (5522 m.a.s.l.)

Day 8: Maria Lloco - Base Camp– High Camp (5270 m.a.s.l.)

Day 9: High Camp – Huayna Potosí Summit (6094 m.a.s.l.) – La Paz (3600 m.a.s.l.)

Day 10: La Paz / Free Day

 

Illimani Mt. Climbing

Day 11: La Paz - Pinaya - Puente Roto (4470 m.a.s.l.)

Day 12: Puente Roto – “Nido de Condores” (5470 m.a.s.l.)

Day 13: “Nido de Condores”– Illimani Summit (6439 m.a.s.l.) – Puente roto (4470 m.a.s.l.)

Day 14: Puente Roto – Pinaya (3880 m.a.s.l.) – La Paz (3600 m.a.s.l.)

Day 15: La Paz / Free Day (3600 m.a.s.l.)

Day 16: Airport transfer /International flight

 

DAY-BY-DAY PROGRAM

 

DAY 1: ARRIVAL AT LA PAZ / FREE DAY (3600 m.a.s.l.)

Welcoming at La Paz airport and transfer to the hotel. Free time for the rest of the day. Briefing with the mountain guide at 19:00pm Night at hotel in La Paz

Meals included: none

DAY 2: LA PAZ – TIWANAKU – COPACABANA (3840 m.a.s.l.) 

Located 72 km (44 miles) west of La Paz, near the south-eastern shore of Lake Titicaca, its megalithic ruins belong to one of the most important civilizations prior to the Inca Empire. Tiahuanaco or Tiwanaku is believed to be the ceremonial center for a pre-Inca civilization (1.580 BC to 1.200 AD), and represents one of the greatest architectural achievements of pre-Inca South America. 1.5 hours for the visit of the site and the museums. After lunch, we’ll travel along the edge of the Titicaca Lake towards Copacabana, a village located on the shores of the lake. Visit of the main sites of the village and ascent to the calvary where you will enjoy a sunset on the lake.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Night at hotel.

DAY 3: COPACABANA – TREK ON THE ISLAND OF THE SUN – YUMANI (3925 m.a.s.l.)

Leaving the hotel for the Copacabana harbor where our boat will be waiting for us. We’ll sail to the village of Ch´allapampa located in the northern part of the Sun Island. From then on, we’ll start our hike by following an old Inca trail towards the ruins of Chinkana. We’ll continue towards the summit which offers a spectacular outlook on the Illampu and Ancohuma Mountain range.  In the afternoon, we’ll arrive at the village of Yumani located in the southern part of the island. Overnight

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Night at hotel.

DAY 4: YUMANI – COPACABANA – RINCONADA – CHIARKHOTA LAGOON (4670 m.a.s.l.)

Leaving the hotel after breakfast you will have the time to explore and walk around the archeological ruins of Pilkokaina. Return by boat to Copacabana. In the afternoon continue towards the Condoriri massif in the heart of the Cordillera Real.

Once we arrive to “La Rinconada”, the muleteers and their mules will be waiting to transport most of our gear, an hour-long hike will take us to the Chiarkhota lagoon where we’ll set our base camp.

Meals included: breakfast lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 5: CHIARKOTA LAGOON – AUSTRIA PEAK (5350 m.a.s.l.) – CHIARKHOTA LAGOON (4670 m.a.s.l.)

Hike to the Austria Peak, viewpoint from where we’ll enjoy nice view on the summits of Cordillera Real. Today we start trekking early in order to reach the highest pass along the Cordillera Real at 5150m. Once we arrive there, we will be able to observe the magnificent views all around us and really feel like we’re on top of the world. From the Austria Peak at 5350m, we begin our descent to our base camp.

Meals included: breakfast lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 6: CHIARKOTA LAGOON – TARIJA PEAK (5300 m.a.s.l.) – PEQUEÑO ALPAMAYO (5430 m.a.s.l.) – CHIARKHOTA LAGOON (4670 m.a.s.l.)

Leaving at 03:00 am.

Hike to the end of the valley to reach the foot of the glacier located at 4805m

Ascent to the Pico Tarija located at 5320 m alt.

The central part of the glacier is a bit difficult, going through the peak of Tarija, 2 hours after the start of our ascent. After a short descent we approach the Pequeño Alpamayo, 80m of technical climbing with a slope of 55 °, to reach its peak and after another 2 hours we will attempt to reach its top, after this effort, we will get back to base camp, along the same route. Return to base camp following the same trail.

Meals included: breakfast lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 7: CHIARKHOTA LAGOON – MARIA LLOCO (5522 m.a.s.l.)

A hiking day taking us to different lagoons in the highlands. We walk up to the west wall of Huayna Potosí where we set up our camp.

Meals included: breakfast lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 8: MARIA LLOCO - BASE CAMP – HIGH CAMP (5270 m.a.s.l.)

On this day, we’ll hike from Maria Lloco until the pass where the private car will be waiting for us to continue towards the Huayna Potosí base camp.

From the base camp, we start our ascent to “Campo Alto”, The route is well marked and leads to an evident moraine edge where we will find our lodge at 5270m. After a short break we begin to check and verify our mountain gear. We will eat early and try to get some rest in order to be refreshed when we commence our climb to the top, on the following day.

Meals included: breakfast lunch and dinner

Night at high camp refuge

DAY 9: HIGH CAMP – HUAYNA POTOSÍ SUMMIT (6088 m.a.s.l.) – LA PAZ (3600 m.a.s.l.)

After a very early breakfast (around midnight) we will begin heading up the glacier, aiming towards the east face and arriving at the Pala. We then continue all the way to the top, arriving at the top of Mt. Huayna Potosi (6088 meters) after about six hours of ascent. Once at the top we’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the Andes Mountains and the sun rising in the east. After a while we start descending, arriving once again at “Campo Alto”, and then on to base camp where our vehicles will be waiting to drive us back to La Paz.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Night at hotel.

DAY 10: LA PAZ / FREE DAY

Resting day in La Paz.

Meals included: Breakfast

Night at hotel.

DAY 11: LA PAZ - PINAYA - PUENTE ROTO (4470 m.a.s.l.)

Leaving the hotel at 08:00 am in a private transportation to Pinaya (3880m.alt), a village located on the hillside of snowy Illimani, with the transportation we will arrive to the base camp known as Puente Roto.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 12: PUENTE ROTO – “NIDO DE CONDORES” (5470 m.a.s.l.)  

Today our ascent will reach 5,500m in Nido de Cóndores, the place of our camp. If the weather is good, an extraordinary setting is reserved for us to appreciate views of the snow-capped Huayna Potosí 6088m, and even in the distance the snow-capped Sajama as well as Lake Titicaca and the altiplano.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 13: “NIDO DE CONDORES” – ILLIMANI SUMMIT (6439 m.a.s.l.) – PUENTE ROTO (4470 m.a.s.l.)

To reach the summit, we’ll start our ascent at 1:00 am.

An early departure is recommended to make the effort to reach the top, the southern crest of Illimani, avoiding long cracks on our ascent, always climbing to the left. We will reach an apparently inaccessible crack, but on the left it has a bridge that, with the assistance of our guide, makes the climb less difficult. From there a snow shovel is taken to lead us to the north of the main top. At 6,300 m a.s.l. you reach a plain from where you can see the entire massif and its 4 peaks. From this point continue south to reach the summit in 1 to 2 hours. After a well-deserved rest, we begin our descent towards the Puente Roto camp.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Camping night.

DAY 14: PUENTE ROTO - PINAYA (3880 m.a.s.l.) - LA PAZ (3600 m.a.s.l.)

In the morning, we’ll hike to the village of Pinaya where we’ll have lunch and return to La Paz by private transportation.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Night in Hotel

DAY 15: LA PAZ / FREE DAY (3600 m.a.s.l.)

Resting day in La Paz.

Meals included: breakfast

Night in hotel

DAY 16: AIRPORT TRANSFER / INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

Transfer from hotel to the airport (3 hours prior the departure time for international flight).

INCLUDED:

• 5 nights hotel in La Paz 3* 
• 1 night hotel in Copacabana 3* Mirador
• 1 night hotel in Sun Island 2* Yumani Kalluchi
• 7 nights in camping tents 3 season “Aconcagua Pro”
• 1 night in high camp lodge in Huayna Potosi program
• Private transportation for the approach to the start poin of the Trekking, for the visits of Copacabana a Tiwanaku archeological site
• Private boat for the visit the Sun Island
• All the entrance fees and permits
• Certified high mountain guide – English speaking (1 guide for every 2 clients)
• Cultural guide for the acclimatization portion – English speaking
• Fresh and tasty meals during the expedition according to the day-by-day description.
• Porters to assist us carrying the equipment from base camp to high camp and return (customers are suggested to limit their weight to 10 kilos per person).
• Climbing equipment that our company provides at no additional cost: (ropes, climbing carabineers, crampons, gaiters, harness, ice ax, mountain helmet)
• Duffle bag

EXCLUDED:

• Medical or evacuation expenses.
• Health/Accident insurance.
• Mountain plastic boots, possibility to rent: 7 $us the per day
• International and local flight

 

• Meals and beverages not mentioned in the itinerary
• Climbing equipment of personal nature, including sleeping bag and warm clothing.
• Travel insurance and emergency evacuation charges
• Late check-out and early check in in hotels
• Tips / gratuities
• Extras not mentioned in the program

• Charges not liable to PUKINA TRAVEL, we recommend having insurance for unforeseen expenses

 

Prices depend on the number of clients

Please contact us at this email to discuss the budget:  info@pukinatravel.com or WAPP +591 73088333