MOUNTAINEERING IN CORDILLERA REAL

DAY 1. SPAIN FLIGHT– LA PAZ
Flight to La Paz. Arrival and transfer from El Alto airport to the center of La Paz. Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 2. LA PAZ
Breakfast.

Free day in La Paz to visit the historical center of the city and start the acclimatization process.
Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 3. LA PAZ – COPACABANA – ISLA DEL SOL
Breakfast food.

Arrival at Copacabana, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, we will take a boat that will take us to the Isla del Sol, the largest in the lake.
Accommodation in guesthouse, Isla del Sol.

DAY 4. ISLA DEL SOL – LA PAZ
Breakfast food.

We will walk along the local trails, visiting the Inca temple and the ceremonial sources whilst acclimatizing on this beautiful island at almost 4000 meters in altitude. On clear days the Illampu/Ancohuma massif can be seen from the island as a backdrop to the impressive blue of the lake. We spend the night on the island. We will return to Copacabana, crossing the Tiquina Strait and transfer by road to La Paz. Night in downtown hostel, La Paz

DAY 5. LA PAZ – RINCONADA – CHIAR KHOTA
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

By road we will go to the town of Palcoco. To get there you have to take the road to Titicaca and travel about 52 km. From here we take the track that goes to Rinconada (4,490 m) in about 2 hours from La Paz (70 km). At this point a new refuge is located that is managed by the community of the municipality of Pucarani. From La Rinconada to the base camp of the Chiar Khota Lagoon takes about 45 min – 1 hour on foot. Location of our base camp tents.

Tent accommodation

DAY 6. ASCENT CERRO ÁUSTRIA (5,300 M)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

We exit the base camp in a SW direction to take the path that goes up to the Campo Alto of the normal route of the Cabeza del Cóndor. Within half an hour from base camp the paths separate, we then l eave the path that goes up to the Head to the right and turn left going up grassy ridges and fields until we are in the midst of the marked hill located to the right of Austria. From here the path climbs up the left side of the bottom of the ravine, flanking and zig-zagging through loose rock quarries until reaching the pass located at 5,150 m. In the months of July-September it is normal not to find any snow in this section. From the pass, go to the other side and go straight up the slopes to a gap on the right and from there to the main summit.Descent along the same itinerary.

Tent accommodation.

DAY 7. ASCENT TO PEQUEÑO ALPAMAYO (5,410 M)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Leaving the base camp in an easterly direction we navigate to small lagoon and then ascend moraine until we reached the start of the glacier (1h / 1h30 ‘from the CB). We then ascend the glacier avoiding the largest crevasses in the direction of the pass between the Huallomen and the Tarija. When we reach the pass we turn to the right to climb the somewhat steep (40º) slopes until we reach a small rimaya a few meters before the top of the Tarija (5,240 m). From the Tarija summit, we descend 50m down a gully until you reach the gap from where the ascent to the SW of the Little Alpamayo begins. There we walk about 200 m from a beautiful edge, with a constant slope between 45 and 50º until reaching the summit. The descent is made by the same route of ascent (3 h).

Tent accommodation.

DAY 8. BACK TO LA PAZ
Breakfast.
In the morning return to La Rinconada and drive to La Paz.
Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 9. REST DAY IN LA PAZ
Breakfast.
Rest day and to prepare the material for the following ascents.
Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 10. LA PAZ – CAMPO ALTO DE LAS ROCAS
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

From La Paz we will arrive at the Zongo dam in 1h30 or 2 hours. Whether we leave from San Calixto (4,700 m) or from the Huayna Potosí refuge, we follow the marked trails that go up towards the front of the Huayna glacier. Continuing along the path that follows the edge of the moraine and then along hard inclined ramps with unstable stones until we reach the Camp de las Rocas (5,130 m) where we will camp or sleep in the refuge ( 2h).

Tent or shelter accommodation.

DAY 11. ASCENT TO HUAYNA POTOSÍ (6.088 M)
Breakfast food.

From the Alto field, we climb the glacier bordering the east face until we reach a wall of snow that closes the circus. Then we climb a small steep slope until it ends in less vertical terrain that leads along the northeast face to a snow shoot (or mixed in dry seasons) of about 200 m (40-50º) that leads to the summit (5-6 hours of ascent from Campo de las Rocas). Here there is a beautiful 360º panorama that covers all the massifs of the Cordillera Real; from Illampu and Ancohuma to the north, to Illimani to the south. The pre-Andean mountain ranges (Yungas) and the immense Bolivian plateau are also appreciated here. Descent along the same itinerary. Return to La Paz in the afternoon. Night in hostel.

Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 12. REST DAY IN LA PAZ
Breakfast.
Day of rest.
Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 13. LA PAZ – BASE CAMP PUENTE ROTO
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Heading from the city of La Paz to Pinaya (3,800m). The trip will take about 4 hours. Ascent with animal transport to Puente Roto, Illimani base camp (4,500m).

Tent accommodation.

DAY 14. BASE CAMP – CAMP 1 CONDORS NEST
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

We will climb in about 6 hours to the altitude field, called Nido de Cóndores where we will enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the Illimani glacier circus.

Tent accommodation.

DAY 15. ASCENT TO ILLIMANI (6,462 M)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

We will leave at dawn for the summit. We follow the ridge to penetrate the glaciel slopes (up to 45º) and gain the easy ridge that will take us to the southern summit, the highest in the Illimani massif. Extensive panoramic view of the entire Cordillera Real. Return to Campo Alto.

Tent accommodation.

DAY 16. BASE CAMP- PINAYA – LA PAZ
Breakfast food.
Descent to base camp and then to Pinaya. Return by road to La Paz.
Night in a downtown hostel, La Paz.

DAY 17. LA PAZ. FLIGHT BACK HOME
Breakfast.

At the agreed time, transfer to the El Alto International Airport to board the flight back home.

DAY 18. ARRIVING HOME