Bolivia: nothing is certain, everything is possible

During her 7 months in Latin America, Laura Kankaanpaa_, assistant product manager at Grand Angle, takes us along in a series of articles recounting her adventures and journeys in this part of the South American continent. After her extensive exploration of Colombia and her trip to Ecuador, the kingdom of volcanoes, she takes us to Bolivia to discover its mountains, culture and people…_

Bolivia’s geography

Bolivia is generally known for having the world’s highest capital, at nearly 4000m. It actually lies between 3600m and 4000m, the altitude at which the suburb of El Alto is growing. The capital, La Paz, is dizzying, and its most incredible feature is the urban cable car network connecting the city’s different neighbourhoods.

The most visited part of the country is the west, with its vast high-altitude plateaux and extraordinary landscapes at more than 4000m above sea level: this is known as the Altiplano.

High-altitude geography, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

Here you will find the world’s largest salt flat at Uyuni. Further south, Sud Lipez is a truly spectacular desert. To the north are the unmissable Lake Titicaca, the cradle of Inca civilisation, shared with Peru, and the magnificent Cordillera Real.

Sud Lipez, a desert region in the Andean part of Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

Paradoxically, much of Bolivia is covered by Amazon rainforest, but this region receives fewer visitors, and we did not have time to explore it.

Bolivian food

Bolivia is not a country renowned for its culinary specialities. Meals often consist of soup and a main course, while desserts are rare. Bolivia is a major producer of quinoa, and soups and dishes are often based on this seed.

Bolivian food, varieties of grain for sale, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

As in Ecuador and Colombia, there are several hundred varieties of potato in Bolivia. Bolivia’s speciality is dehydrated potatoes, which you can find on every street corner. The dehydration process requires very cold temperatures, and Bolivia’s high plateaux are well suited to this. When travelling to Bolivia, do not expect to arrive in a country with a hot climate. While exploring this country with its spectacular landscapes, you will often find yourself at high altitude, where it is cold, especially after sunset. Temperatures therefore vary considerably throughout the day.

The people of Bolivia

What strikes you on arriving in the country is the strong presence of Indigenous peoples: they account for 60% of the country’s population, the highest proportion in Latin America. The main groups are the Quechua, Aymara and Guaraní peoples (the latter live in the Amazon region).

Meeting the people of Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

The Quechua and Aymara share common beliefs. Alongside the Catholicism brought by the Spanish, they honour “Pachamama”, Mother Earth (or Mother Nature).

They may therefore sometimes make offerings, such as burying a llama in the foundations of a house to bring good luck!

The cholitas of Bolivia

Aymara women are known as cholitas and stand out for their colourful clothing.

These women generally lead lives of hard work, bearing children, cooking and farming. But they are also known for their strong character, and a group formed a team of 11 cholitas in traditional dress to climb Huayna Potosí, a much sought-after 6000m.

Huayna Potosí, climbed by the cholitas, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

We had the opportunity to meet Ann Liita, who told us that she had since climbed the Sajama volcano (6500m), Bolivia’s highest peak, and Aconcagua (6900m), which is in Argentina and is the highest peak in South America.

She now works as a trekking guide and fights for greater recognition and opportunities for women in the mountains.

Managing altitude in Bolivia

Bolivia was the first country where we went above an altitude of 6000m. Acclimatising properly therefore becomes crucial.

At altitudes of 5000m and above, the amount of oxygen is halved, and the body can no longer function in the same way.

At the summit of Cabeza Del Condor, Cordillera Real, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

We realised that guides and travel agencies in South America often ignore the effects of altitude when selling summit climbs. They do not ask whether clients are properly acclimatised, so it is up to each person to learn about the subject. Guides know they can turn back if their clients feel unwell; their main priority is earning a living. We met several tourists who had attempted to climb a high-altitude peak after returning from the Amazon, which is almost at sea level. They often failed to reach the summit and continued to suffer from altitude sickness for several days after the climb.

Following guides who hike only on trails they know, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

Whenever we climbed a peak, we ascended gradually and slept at altitude. Ideally, you should increase your altitude in stages of 400m per day. We also tried to do as much of the approach to each summit as possible on foot (instead of by car) to avoid ascending too quickly. But this is not always straightforward. In Sajama National Park, for example, we had no choice because the starting point for the climb was a 1-hour-30-minute drive from the village. Each time, we felt the effects of gaining altitude too quickly (by car): headaches or stomach aches.

We also experienced the effects of altitude during our trek across the Cordillera Real. We noticed that we could not cover as much elevation gain or distance on foot as we could in the Alps because of the altitude. A stage of 15km with 800m of elevation gain, carrying large backpacks (for 7 days of self-supported trekking), took us the whole day, and we were very tired by the evening.

It is also important to remember the strength of the sun at altitude: high-quality sunglasses, a cap and good sunscreen are essential, as UV rays are much stronger.

GPS, rarely used by Bolivians

Although Bolivians are very connected (WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, etc.), we were surprised to find that GPS use is not at all common in the country. Neither guides nor taxi drivers use navigation devices. They either know their area perfectly or ask people around them for directions. This surprised us because Bolivian mountain guides hold international certification (UIAM guides). Mountain guides from the ENSA mountaineering school in Chamonix have come to train Bolivian guides so that they can have their own trainer. The same process is underway for trekking guides so that they can gain international certification through UIMLA.

Using GPS while trekking off marked trails, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

We finished our trip to Bolivia with a 7-day self-supported trek in the Cordillera Real.

Crossing the Cordillera Real, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

Meeting the guide Daniel in Peñas, Cordillera Real, Bolivia © Guillaume Lorimier

Adrien Ozanon · Interview with Daniel, a Bolivian guide (in English)

This trek gave us a chance to discover both the challenge and the beauty of walking with a heavily loaded backpack, off-trail and at high altitude. We were unable to find much information about the trek. We realised how much easier it is to organise a trek in France: there are plenty of marked trails, with regular opportunities to restock supplies and find accommodation. Thanks to guides and various clubs and associations, we can also regularly obtain up-to-date information on conditions on the ground. This is not the case in Bolivia.

Encountering many llamas in the Cordillera Real © Guillaume Lorimier

On the other hand, it is difficult to find a wild place where you can be alone beside a turquoise lake, as we experienced several times in the Cordillera Real.

To continue this Andean travel journal, Laura also shares what her experience on the ground taught her about trekking in Peru.

© Text and photo credits: Laura Kankaanpaa and Guillaume Lorimier