7 days

¨there´s no better scenery in the Andes¨.
Stan K.
Our trek in the Apolobamba will start in the village of Curva
at 3,900m and finish in the very remote village of Pelechuco at
3,600m. On the way we cross several high passes and the scenery
all along the way is superb. The Apolobamba trail is the most
spectacular trek in the Bolivian Andes. You will walk through
abandoned Inca and Spaniard mines and near beautiful mountains,
many of which have not been climbed yet. The trek is still used
by Kallawayas, these were nomad healers who had traveled traditionally
with their small bag of mysterious herbs over their shoulders,
it is also known that back in the 19th century some of them had
even reached Paris and Rome. Nowadays the Kallawayas are the most
prestigious native healers and we can still, see them traveling
from town to town. The Cordillera APOLOBAMBA is difficult to reach
and that is its principle attraction. The trekking takes place
between 4,000 and 5,000 meters altitude along the East Side of
the Cordillera; we constantly find to our left a series of eternal
glaciers, and on the other side deep valleys, which plunge towards
the amazon. Our camps are situated in these depressions beside
idyllic little streams, and while it is true that certain climbs
towards the high passes (between 4,800 and 5100 meters) demand
the most of you, the quality of this scenery and its peculiar
widely nature compensates all efforts.
| LENGHT: |
6 days |
| STANDARD: |
Easy - Easy treks follow generally
well-marked trails, require little navigational skill and
only an average standard of physical fitness. |
| COST: |
$us 399 |
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Fantastic trek through unexplored, unmapped and largely uninhabited
countryside.
- Less known and less accessible than the Cordillera Real.
- One pass at 5,100 m (16,728 ft).
- The beauty of the mountain scenery equals or even exceeds
that of the Cordillera Real.
- Interesting glimpses of Indian life and wildlife.
- The place for truly adventurous hikers.
NOTE:from Pelechuco you can join us for ¨The Apolo Trail¨,
a newly opened Inca trail in the Madidi National Park.
PROGRAM
Day 1. Drive to Curva and short walk to camp. In the way
you will see breathtaking views of the Cordillera Real and the
south part of the Apolobamba Range. We will set camp near a lagoon
full of ducks and wallatas (Andean goose).
Day 2. After 3 hours you will arrive to Jatumpampa at
4200m/13800ft, later go through a 4700m/15400ft mountain pass
and 2 hours later camp at Incachani next to a waterfall. Incachani
is a sacred place where offerings are made to the Akamani Mountain.
Day 3. Today you go up a scree gully that is called locally
"mil curvas", (thousand curves) after a hard ascent to the 4800m/15744ft
pass you will be prized with the views of the Cordillera Real.
Later and after a 4900m/16072ft pass you will see the Sunchulli
valley and set camp next to an abandoned Inca gold mine that was
later taken by the Spaniard.
Day 4. After breakfast you will head to the highest pass
of the journey, the Sunchuli pass at 5100m/16728ft, where you
will be rewarded with spectacular views of the Sunchulli, Cuchillo
and Cololo mountains. Later in the day along sections of Inca
road to the village of Illo Illo at 3840m/12600.
Day 5. Climb up to the last pass of the trail at 4900m/16072ft
next to the Cololo mountain (5915m/19401ft). In the afternoon
arrive to Pelechuco at 3600m/11808ft, the hometown of Karl Franck,
the lord of rubber and gold of the region north of La Paz in the
early 1900´s. Overnight at a basic Hotel.
Day 6. Return travel to La Paz. Along the way you will
see wild vicuņas, alpacas and wallatas in the Ulla Ulla National
Park.
LAND COSTS INCLUDE:
- Transportation. Bolivian Journeys has a private driver to
provide in country transport, thus ensuring our safety and facilitating
an independent schedule that does not depend on public transportation.
- Food. We eat high quality meals using fresh local ingredients.
- Top quality mountaineering tents are provided (North Face,
Mountain Hardware).
- Mules
- Cook
- Guide
LAND COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE:
- Meals except while trekking
- Personal gear
- Gratuities to guides and staff
- Insurance
- Rescue or medical expenses that may occur during the trip.