Bolivia: Additional Information

You are quickly reminded that you are at a high altitude when you step off the plane at 13,000 feet. A prime factor in a successful trip to the mountains of Bolivia is the ability to acclimate. Go Trek designs the 16-day program to give you the time to acclimate as well as get additional mountaineering instruction. Illimani deserves this "expedition style" approach. We also place an additional camp at 16,100 feet. Every effort is made to give you time to achieve the trip to the summit.

When in La Paz, you become very aware of Illimani. At 21,200 feet, it dominates the skyline. After three days in La Paz we feel adjusted to the altitude, so we pack up and head to the mountains of the Cordillera Real through colorful Bolivian towns where we enjoy meeting the locals who are very curious about us!

First we climb to the summit of Huayna Potosi (19,974 feet) for acclimatization and training. This is a very rewarding climb and one of the loveliest mountains on the continent. The climb normally requires the use of fixed lines and running belays and solid basic snow and ice climb skills. This climb is a good warm up for Illimani! After our ascent we return to La Paz for the night.

Route description

Our trip begins with a drive east over a 16,500-foot-pass to Illimani. After loading our gear onto pack animals, we start the hike to base camp (15,000 feet). The next day, we hike from base camp to our high camp, Nido de Condores (the Condor's Nest) at 18,000 feet. The route from base camp takes us onto a rock ridge and involves some very minor rock scrambling.

Following our hike up to Nido de Condores we can either climb to the summit or wait until the day after, depending on weather, route conditions and team strength. From Nido de Condores we have a stunning view of the entire Cordillera Real to the north. Sajama, Bolivia's highest mountain, can be seen to the west near the border of Chile. When the sun begins to set we see the lights of La Paz glittering below and Lake Titicaca glistening in the distance. As darkness descends, the spectacular Southern Cross is revealed.

We go out of our high camp heading on a narrow snow ridge where we do some exposed climbing, using running belays and fixed lines to safeguard the team. We practice this technique before departing for the summit. We climb over a series of ramps involving standard glacier travel with the exception of a few short, steep stretches. After several hours of climbing, the summit comes into sight. We climb one final ramp up along the narrow ridge that leads to the summit of Illimani.

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