Bolivia - Trekking and climbing on the Altiplano

From the majestic white peaks and high-altitude deserts of the Andes to the lush and exuberant rainforests of the Amazon basin, Bolivia offers an astounding array of landscapes and climates. From La Paz, the world’s highest (unofficial) capital, to the otherworldly salt pans of Uyuni, from Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, to the colonial city of Potosí, Bolivia has everything that we find exotic and intriguing about South America. Marks of colonial rule exist alongside indigenous cultural traditions – the country has the largest population of indigenous peoples in South America.

About Bolivia:

Geography & Landscape of Bolivia

Bolivia is the only landlocked country in South America besides Paraguay. In the west, two Andean chains, the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental, run across the country. The highest mountain range of these Andean chains is also known as the Cordillera Real ("King‘s Cordillera"). The highest elevations in this region are the volcano Sajama at 6542 m and Illimani at 6439 m. In between the two Andean chains, you’ll find the Altiplano, a plateau between 3000 m and 4000 m high. The area extends into neighbouring Peru and is the actual heartland of Bolivia. About 60 % of all Bolivians live here although it only has about one third of the country’s surface. In the centre of the Altiplano, Salar de Uyuni is the world‘s largest salt lake and Lake Titicaca, shared with Peru, is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world.
The so-called East Bolivian mountainous region is significantly different from the high mountains of the Andes in a geological sense. With some interruptions, moist forests cover the valleys between the eastern slopes of the Andes and the East Bolivian mountain range. The fertile Yungas in the area of the Department of La Paz, on the other hand, are a transitional region between highlands and tropical lowlands.
The largest part of Bolivia in terms of area are the "Llanos" (plains). They extend from the eastern Bolivian mountainous region to the eastern and south-eastern border with Brazil and Paraguay. With the exception of the big city of Santa Cruz, this tropically hot lowland is only sparsely populated. Dry savannahs in the south and the tropical rainforests of Amazonia in the north put their mark on this landscape.
In southern Bolivia, you’ll find unique, fertile valleys bordering the eastern slopes of the Andes. Near Tarija and near Camargo, towns in the south of the country, wine is grown and rather intensively at that!

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Climate & Trekking weather in Bolivia

The best time for mountaineering and trekking in Bolivia is between May and October – the Bolivian winter. This is when a dry period brings cold nights and mostly clear skies. Temperatures on the Altiplano range from 15 to 20°C during the days and drop below zero degrees during the nights. From December to March – the rainy season – temperatures are higher but the weather is much more unreliable. April is a good time for ski touring in the north of Bolivia.

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Health & Vaccinations

For entry into Bolivia, yellow fever vaccination is compulsive by law, but it is not or only rarely checked. If you travel to regions below 2300 m – the entire Bolivian Amazon drainage area – a yellow fever vaccination is definitely a good precaution and proof is checked quite regularly. Travellers who travel from Bolivia onward to a yellow fever region may also have to prove that they have been vaccinated. However, yellow fever vaccination is not required for travel to the mountains. If you are already vaccinated against yellow fever, bring your international vaccination certificate.
No other vaccinations are required for entry into Bolivia. We recommend, however, vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid fever, polio and hepatitis A and B in any case. Please consult your doctor in any case.
Your first-aid kit should contain – among others - treatment for insect bites, fever, pain, and diarrhoea, as well as optionally treatment for altitude sickness. We also recommend bringing antibiotics. Malaria prophylaxis is not required for trips to Bolivia’s mountain regions. Your first-aid kit should also contain dressing material, plasters and wound disinfectant.

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Drinking water

Drink only boiled/filtered/disinfected water (or bottled water). Never drink water from the tap without first disinfecting (e.g. Micropur) or filtering (e.g. Katadyn) it. Brushing teeth with untreated water is usually not a problem. If you should decide to buy bottled water, make sure that the cap is intact.
On the trekking tour, we recommend treating the water with a disinfectant or filtering it. Boiled water (tea, soups) is usually fine.
In order to counteract the increasing plastic problem, we ask our customers to refrain from buying mineral water in plastic bottles and instead to disinfect or filter regular brook or well water. Thank you for your contribution!

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Language

Bolivia’s main and official language is Spanish. There are 36 indigenous languages and each territory has a second official language next to Spanish. Quechua is the most widespread of the indigenous languages. It’s the language of the Incas, whereas Aimara is the language of the Andean natives and GuaraniÍ the language of the natives to the Amazonas and Chaco. In the countryside, especially, a lot of people grow up bilingual.

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Time difference

The time difference between Bolivian time and CET is - 5 h.

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Currency & Money

The official currency in Bolivia is the "boliviano" (BOB), the current exchange rate being approx. EUR 1,- = BOB 8,- and CHF 1,- = BOB 7,-. One boliviano is divided into 100 centavos (cents).
Since credit cards or traveller’s cheques are not accepted everywhere, it is best to carry travel expenses in US dollars and change the foreign currency into bolivianos. Euros are accepted in some places, but at a less favourable rate. We recommend bringing your spending money in US dollars. Please make sure your dollar notes are as new as possible - they shouldn’t have any markings or tears. Credit cards, above all Visa, are accepted in more and more places. In bigger towns and cities, you can also withdraw local currency using your credit or debit card (Maestro).
On the trekking tour, you will mostly need small change since small shops and vendors on the markets often don’t have enough small change and therefore do not accept bigger notes.

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Tipping

During the trekking tours and the days in the mountains, full board and all warm drinks are included. In the cities, towns and villages (Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno, La Paz, etc.), most meals are not included - but breakfast is always included. Please refer to the detailed program. Peru as well as Bolivia have a variety of restaurants offering different menus at all price ranges to choose from. We recommend to plan an amount of about € 350,- to € 500,- per participant for meals and drinks.

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Visa and entry procedures in Bolivia

No Visa is required for entry into Peru or Bolivia for a stay of up to 90 day. Please note that your passport must be valid for at least 6 months upon entry.
Please keep the tourist cards, which will be filled out upon entry into Peru or Bolivia, in your passport. You will need them when leaving the countries! (Information as of February 2020)

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