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Hiking in the Cordillera Real: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

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Discover the stunning scenery and diverse landscapes of Bolivia’s iconic central mountain range!

Stretching from the shores of Lake Titicaca down toward the center of the country and dividing the southern extent of the Amazon rainforest from the altiplano, the Cordillera Real is home to plenty of stunning scenery and incredible hiking opportunities! Compare and book a certified guide for your trip on Explore-Share.com: 1500+ guides, 70+ countries and more than 8000 different programs to choose from. Take a pick from our selection of Hiking trips to the Cordillera Real. The mountains are calling!

Top hiking trips | Cordillera Real

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FAQs: Hiking in Cordillera Real

What should I know about Hiking Cordillera Real?

Bolivia’s Cordillera Real is the country’s central mountain range and stretches 125 kilometers (78 miles) down from the shores of Lake Titicaca and into the center of the country. The range is an average of 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide and separates the altiplano from the southern extent of the Amazon rainforest.

In general, hikers need to be in fairly good shape to hike in the Cordillera Real. While most of the hiking is non-technical, the altitude is always above 4,000 meters (13,100 feet).

Among the most popular short hikes are trekking to the top of Chacaltaya (5,500 meters/18,000 feet), from La Paz. The hike up to the top is of intermediate difficulty and the views from the summit out over the Cordillera Real and Huayna Potosi are simply stunning.

Other popular mid-range options include three-day excursions to Pico Austria and Acotango, also from La Paz, and traverses of Esperanza Lake. Both of these rated as intermediate and easy, respectively and take hikers through some incredible wilderness scenery.

For those who want to spend longer exploring the mountain range, numerous guides offer trips multi-week trips that take hikers from one end of the cordillera to the other, stopping and seeing all of the range’s most incredible sites along the way.

Why should I choose Cordillera Real for my Hiking adventure?

Stunning scenery

Bolivia’s Cordillera Real boasts plenty of incredible scenery that serves as the perfect backdrop for any hiking adventure. From alpine meadows tucked between glaciated mountain peaks to lush and humid cloud and tropical forests on their northern slopes, there is plenty to see in this picturesque part of the world.

Escape the crowds

Head to just about any of the main tourist destinations in Bolivia and you are bound to be swamped by crowds of camera-toting visitors. Escape the mundane and over-Instagrammed parts of the country and strike out into the wilderness of the Cordillera Real. Feel at one with nature and don’t worry about being crowded out from the views.

Something for everyone

Regardless of whether you have a couple of days in La Paz or an entire month to spare, there are plenty of excellent trekking options to check out. Numerous day trips lead up to stunning summits around La Paz, while month-long expeditions will take you through the heart of the Cordillera, visiting native villages and seeing plenty of incredible mountain scenery all along the way.

What can I expect from the weather during my Hiking trip in Cordillera Real?

During the hiking season, average daily temperatures in the Cordillera Real hover between 5 ºC and 10 ºC (40 ºF to 50 ºF). The hiking season is also the driest time of year, with May through August receiving almost no rainfall and April, September and October receiving rainfall more frequently.

How can I get to Cordillera Real?

Any trip to the Cordillera Real will begin with a flight into La Paz International Airport (LAP). From here, the city center can easily be reached by gondola (yes, you read that correctly) or bus. Most guides will opt to meet you in La Paz and provide transport to the start of the trip.

Which language is predominantly spoken in the Cordillera Real region?

Spanish, Aymara, Quechua and 34 other indigenous languages

What's the country code for the Cordillera Real region?

+591

What currency is accepted around Cordillera Real?

Boliviano (BOB)

When is the best time to travel to Cordillera Real for Hiking?

April to October

What people are saying about Hiking | Cordillera Real

Courtney

4

We were very happy with the beauty and challenge we found on this trek. We were also pleasantly surprised by some of the more luxurious aspects of it: we had the option to sleep indoors most nights, we had hot lunch served to us riverside one day and were served dinner and breakfast every day, and a car transported equipment we did not need during the day to our next base camp. Our guide, Abraham, was experienced in our route and very knowledgeable. We got food poisoning symptoms pretty badly after three days and had to cut our trip short. Abraham and Dennis were able to get us back to La Paz as soon as we were ready to leave. While we had a great experience in the end, a couple aspects did not match what we were told to expect and made us nervous in the beginning. The TripAdvisor post lists Jaime as the guide and he is who we talked to about details all the way up to when we were picked up. However he never made an appearance and we were never told this would happen or why it happened. We had also requested two sleeping bags each, in case it was too cold, and that information was not passed on correctly. It seemed like our guide thought we were bringing our own sleeping bags, although that was not said not on the packing list. Luckily they still had one sleeping bag for each of us and it was plenty warm. Lastly, it seems the itinerary is subject to change, so don’t count on doing the exact plan sent to you. We were originally told there would be no huts and that we would only stay in Tuni the first night and neither of these turned out to be true. Again, everything worked out in the end, but allowing someone to take you into the wild and handle preparations takes a lot of trust and these miscommunications hampered our ability to fully feel comfortable. I would recommend this company and this trek to anyone interested. I hope the company takes this review as constructive feedback to help make guests feel safe.

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