Bolivia Guide
Lago Titicaca, the Cordillera Real and the Yungas
The region immediately around La Paz is sometimes known as "Little Bolivia", because the variety of landscapes it encompasses can seem like a microcosm of the entire country. Some 75km northwest of La Paz lies Lago Titicaca, the vast, high-altitude lake that straddles the border with Peru and dominates the northern Altiplano, its deep waters a vivid blue against the parched grasslands that surround it. The best base from which to explore the Bolivian side of Lago Titicaca is Copacabana, a small town close to the Peruvian border which is the home of the country's most revered religious image and an important Catholic pilgrimage centre. It's also the jumping-off point for boat trips to Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna, two idyllic islands inhabited by deeply traditional peasant communities and dotted with the ruins of Inca temples and shrines.
Just east of Lago Titicaca is the Cordillera Real, the highest and most spectacular section of the Cordillera Oriental within Bolivia. Stretching some 160km along the edge of the Altiplano, the Cordillera Real can easily be explored from La Paz itself. Some of the best treks start close to the city. Alternatively, hikers can base themselves in the delightful colonial town of Sorata, at the northwestern end of the range. Further north, on the border with Peru, the isolated Cordillera Apolobamba (also part of the Cordillera Oriental) offers similar trekking and climbing opportunities in a far more remote setting.
Some of the most popular treks in the Cordillera Real actually go right across the range, following pre-Hispanic paved trails that connect the Altiplano with the Yungas, a series of deep valleys where the northeastern slopes of the Andes plunge down into the Amazon lowlands. The Yungas' rugged, forest-covered mountains, rushing rivers and warm, fertile valleys offer the starkest possible contrast to the austere cordillera and arid Altiplano, both of which are just a few hours away by road. The most popular Yungas destination is Coroico, a pleasant resort town set amid beautiful scenery just off the Yungas road.
Highlights
1 Copacabana Beautifully located on the shores of Lago Titicaca, this pretty town is also a major pilgrimage centre, and home to the Virgen de Copacabana, Bolivia's most revered religious image.
2 Isla del Sol The spiritual centre of the Andean world, set amidst the deep blue waters of Lago Titicaca and dotted with ancient ruins and traditional Aymara communities.
3 Takesi Trail. Running from the high Andes down into the humid subtropical valleys of the Yungas, Bolivia's "Inca" trails – the most accessibile of which is the Takesi – are amongst the best trekking routes in the country.
4 Sorata Nestling in a deep valley at the heart of the Cordillera Real, the charming town of Sorata is the perfect base for trekking in the surrounding mountains.
5 Cordillera Apolobamba This remote and beautiful mountain range offers some of the best trekking in Bolivia, and is also home to the mysterious Kallawaya medicine men.
6 Mountain-biking to Coroico Descending over 3500m in a day, the mountain-bike trip from La Paz down to Coroico is one of the world's most breathtaking rides.
7 Coroico Scenically set amidst the lush subtropical valleys of the Yungas, this charming resort town offers the perfect antidote to the cold of the nearby Altiplano.