Chile & Bolivia Andes Expedition
Chile & Bolivia Andes Expedition
In the extreme north of Chile, in the border triangle between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, lies the Lauca National Park. It is one of the most beautiful natural reserves in South America. A unique ecosystem home to the great Parinacota volcano. It majestically dominates the landscape with its 6,342m/20,807ft. From its slopes, those who seek to conquer it have an unforgettable view of the intense blue color of Lake Chungara and the infinite extension of the Altiplano plateau in the heart of the Andes. Without a doubt, this region is one of the greatest natural treasures of Chile.
13-Day mountaineering expedition in Chile
From: US $ 3,760.00
We have designed an absolutely new itinerary in the spirit of discovering and exploring the natural and cultural secrets hidden on the way from the Pacific coast to the roof of the Andes. This is possible thanks to the knowledge of our guide Rodrigo San Martin. He has been traveling to this remote region for almost two decades, looking for hidden and unusual wonders on various exploration tours.
The numerous hikes and camps in the purest and most remote landscapes of civilization are just part of the highlights of this trip. It is suitable both for walkers and nature lovers without ascending the Parinacota and mountaineers with the primary goal of climbing it. You will find out that Parinacota is perhaps the most beautiful volcano on earth.
• Season: March to December
• Duration: 13 days. Starts and ends in Arica, Chile.
• Participants: Small groups up to 6 guests
This tour is available for private groups and solo travellers, please feel free to contact us using the form above to receive a fully customized offer
Highlights
Allane and Suriplaza valleys.
Socoroma, Codpa and Belen villages
Lauca national Park in Chile
Chungara Lake and Cotacotani Lagoons
The hikes and climbs in the desert and in the highlands.
The spectacular landscapes of the Andean highlands.
The climb of one 5000 meters peak: GuaneGuane
The climb of two 6000 meters peaks: Acotango 6,282m and Parinacota volcano 6,342m.
Difficulty:
Adventure overland trip, with camps, hikes, and climbs.
The 6000-summits proposed for this expedition are technically and physically accessible but requires the use of crampons, trekking poles and or ice ax. Additionally, the altitude, the cold, and the wind can make these ascents strenuous.
A good physical shape is a must, as well as precedent experience in high mountains.
There are not high camps, all hikes and climbs start from a base camp or from a hut. Base camps and huts are always reached by the 4WD vehicles.
All along the expedition, for all hikes and climbs, you will be carrying only your small daypack with some warm clothes, water, and your box-lunch.
TREKKING DIFFICULTY
Technical level: For all
Physical Level: Medium
ACOTANGO AND PARINACOTA CLIMBING DIFFICULTY
Technical level: For all
Physical Level: Medium
RATES
US $3760.00 per person
Based on double and triple room accommodation in hotels, and dormitories in huts.
Double or single accommodation in camps.
For single supplement, not always available in huts please add USD 390
Included in the price.
Private transportation throughout. (One or 2 4WD vehicle according to group size).
One mountain guide Spanish & English, expedition leader.
Mountain guide assistant(s) Spanish & English, according to group size, for summit days.
One Base camp manager and assistant in Chile
Meals as mentioned in the itinerary.
Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary.
All activities as mentioned in the program.
Private airport transfers as mentioned in the program.
First aid kit including oximeter.
Oxygen bottle for emergencies.
Permits for the mountains.
All entrance fee to visits and parks in the expedition.
VHF radio communication.
Satellite phone for emergency communication (Clients could use it on pay per minute basis)
24 hours assistance from our office in Santiago de Chile
Not included in the price.
International and domestic flights.
Personal equipment (Proper clothing, backpack, sleeping bag, among other).
Compulsory travel insurances (accidents, repatriation, trip cancellation) and other insurances of any kind. Please check our suggestions regarding adventure travel insurance. https://www.chilemontana.com/travel-insurance
Personal expenses.
Gratuities.
Extra costs for early departure or evacuation.
Any service not mentioned in the Included section.
Day 1: ARRIVE TO SANTIAGO AIRPORT, CHILE – CONNECTION TO ARICA
On the flight from Santiago to Arica, you will see the wild coast of the Pacific and the Andes Mountains passing under our gaze. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Private transfer.Lodging: Hotel Novotel****
Meals:Not included
Day 2: ARICA– CODPA (1850m/6070ft)
At 9 am, our expedition team will pick you up at your hotel. Before leaving for the mountains, we will dedicate a couple of hours to explore the city of "eternal spring" in the country's extreme north. Later, we will leave the coastal area to enter the Cordillera de la Costa. Our destination today is Codpa, a town of pre-Hispanic origin. It is in the mountains, in the upper course of the Vítor ravine, with a temperate climate and pure water. Its narrow valley is of remarkable fertility, suitable for all fruit trees, highlighting guava and mango. Famous is the pintatani wine, thick and tasty. After arriving at our lodging, we enjoy a two-hour hike in this hidden valley of abundant vegetation. Length of the hike: 2 hoursLodging:Hut Sankanjama 1850m/6070ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: CODPA - SOCOROMA (3060m/10,040ft)
After breakfast, we will start a leisurely walk, 2 to 3 hours, in the Codpa Valley. It takes us to a ceremonial site of the local indigenous people. Here at the Ofragía petroglyphs, we marvel at a multitude of varied representations. These are artistic figures carved in the rock of several hundred years. The vehicles will be waiting for us at this point, and we begin an impressive journey towards Socoroma. This adventurous path takes us through ancient and fascinating towns such as Tignamar, Lupica, and Belén. The day continues through wild gorges until the international route that connects Arica with the city of La Paz in Bolivia. We are now not far from Socoroma, a charming little village that produces the best oregano in Chile. Here we spend our first night under the amazing starry skies of the Atacama. Length of the hike: 2 to 3 hoursLodging: Hut Amarka 3060m/10,040ft
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: SOCOROMA – PUTRE (3560m/21,325ft)
After a hearty breakfast, we get ready for our first long trekking day. We will need 7 to 8 hours to reach our destination: Putre town. We will walk along the paths of old caravans and follow the tracks of the ancient cultures that came to this region from the north 11,000 years ago to settle in the country. The landscape of the foothills is spectacular, and the great cacti that line our path as guardians inspire all nature lovers. There is a good 500 meters of altitude to conquer, but the fantastic nature generously rewards us for our effort. In Putre, we arrive in a comfortable lodge and rest. This town lies on the slopes of the Taapaca and Ancoma volcanoes. It is considered the gateway to the wildest plateau of the Lauca National Park. This Aymara village is a strategic and vital point in one of the world's most desolate corners. Its name in the Aymara language means "murmur of waters." Length of the hike: 7 to 8 hoursPlease note that this socoroma – putre trekking may be replaced by the Cotacotani lagoons trek in case the original trek is not in good conditions due to rain. It happens sometimes that heavy rain wash away parts of the originally planned trail.q>
Lodging: Hotel Chakana 3560m/21,325ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch
Day 5: PUTRE – QUEBRADA DE ALLANE (4095m/13,435ft)
It is essential to gradually adapt our body to the high altitude of the highlands. Little by little, we achieve a degree of acclimatization that allows us to fully enjoy our trekking and mountain trip. For this reason, it is time for us to cross the 4,000-meter mark. We leave Putre with our four-wheel-drive vehicles and quickly gain altitude. We begin our hike of several hours, very close to the imposing Taapaca volcano. The view is now more and more spectacular. It is a day of deep gorges, endless expanses, and an unreal landscape. At the end of our walk, we arrive at the Quebrada de Allane, where we set up camp again to spend the night. Length of the hike: 5 hoursLodging: Camp 4095m/13,435ft
Meals: Breakfast Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: QUEBRADA DE ALLANE – SURIPLAZA (4690m/15,387ft)
Our breakfast tastes delicious outdoors. Today we will take it easy. This is of great benefit at the considerable height at which we find ourselves. After dismantling the camp and loading the vehicles, we continue climbing towards the great Suriplaza area. Here, we explore the surroundings on a fantastic hike. A classic route has yet to be explored in this place. Still, the scenic beauty and the experience of Rodrigo, our guide to this region, promise a unique undertaking. Our goal is to climb one of the peaks in the area. Additionally, get closer to the 5,000-meter mark in the process. Length of the hike: 5 hoursLodging: Camp 4690m/15,387ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: SURIPLAZA – GUANEGUANE CLIMB 5,097m - PARINACOTA VILLAGE (4430m/14,534ft)
We are getting deeper and deeper into the unique world of Lauca National Park. On our route today, the Bofedal de Parinacota with its incomparable fauna and the majestic twin volcanoes Pomerape (6,282m/20,610ft) and Parinacota (6,342m/20,807ft) dominates the landscape. To have an exceptional 360 ° view of this landscape, we will climb Cerro Guaneguane (5,097m/16,722ft), the best viewpoint in the entire region. With our four-wheel-drive vehicles, we reach a height of 4,500m/ 14,763ft, here we take our backpacks and start our hike towards the summit. The climb is an easy walk. It doesn't present any technical difficulties. Still, due to the high altitude, a suitable physical condition is required. Thanks to our excellent acclimatization of the previous days, we will have no problems reaching the top in 3 hours or so. Here we enjoy an unbeatable view of all the volcanoes in the area, as well as the Cotacotani lagoons. At the summit, remains of structures built by indigenous people have been found. The antiquity of these structures has not yet been established. Still, there is a possibility that they belong to the Inca period. According to the Aymara tradition, these would have served to celebrate ritual ceremonies linked to the gods or guardian spirits that inhabit the hills. After the descent, we drive to the nearby town of Parinacota. Length of the hike: 5 hoursLodging:Hut Parinacota 4430m/14,534ft
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: PARINACOTA VILLAGE – SAJAMA NATIONAL PARK
Departure from our hut at around 9 am to cross the border reaching the Bolivian high-plateau, with its typical high-altitude colorful landscapes home to herds of llamas and alpacas grazing freely. After 3 hours of traveling, we arrive in Sajama National Park and to our lodging, a modest lodging built on adobe. Our hosts, Ana Maria and Mario, await us with a typical local meal, based on quinoa and llama meat.Lodging: Hut Ana Maria Mollo 3.700m/12,140ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: SAJAMA VILLAGE - ACOTANGO CLIMB - SAJAMA VILLAGE
The day begins with an hour-long transfer by 4WD, to reach an altitude of 5400 meters at the foothills of the Acotango volcano. The climb is a walk without technical difficulty. The first part proceeds along a path on volcanic soil and then continues over a glacier that could be covered with penitents but has no crevasses. Within 3 to 4 hours, we will have reached the summit. The return to the car waiting for us where we left it takes another 2 hours. At about 4 in the afternoon, we will be back in our accommodation.Lodging: Hut Ana Maria Mollo 3.700m/12,140ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: RESERVE DAY – REST DAY
In case of bad weather or just a rest day before attempting the summit of Acotango. You can visit the thermal baths located near the village of Sajama. Or even walk further to the Macaya lagoon and the chulpas (ancient tombs) with rock paintings.Lodging: Hut Ana Maria Mollo 3.700m/12,140ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: SAJAMA VILLAGE - PARINACOTA CLIMB - SAJAMA VILLAGE
The day begins at dawn with an hour-long transfer by 4WD, to reach an altitude of 5.400m (17,716ft) at the foothill slopes of the Parinacota volcano. The climb is a walk without technical difficulty. The first part proceeds along a path on volcanic soil and then continues over snow that could be covered with penitents but without crevasses. Within 6 to 7 hours, we will have reached the summit. The return to the car waiting for us where we left it takes another 3 hours. At the end of the day, we will be back in our accommodation.Lodging: Hut Ana Maria Mollo 3.700m/12,140ft
Meals: Breakfast, Box-Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: SAJAMA NATIONAL PARK – LAUCA PARK – ARICA
Today is the time to say goodbye to the Andes and head towards the sea. We cross the border back to Chile and descend the foothills ravines, following the winding route to the Arica coast. The last part of this journey (approx. 5 hours) takes us through the fertile Lluta Valley. Arica is known as the "City of Eternal Spring" due to its privileged climate. It is also a cultural melting pot in the border triangle between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. From a historical perspective, the Chinchorro culture that settled here thousands of years ago is of particular importance. The city played a crucial role in the War of the Pacific in the late 19th century, still under the Peruvian flag at the time. Without forgetting the fact that it is one of the most important port cities in Chile. Here we end the day in a typical restaurant and say goodbye to our expedition team.Lodging:Hotel Novotel **** Sea level
Meals: Breakfast and Box-Lunch
Day 13: ARICA – SANTIAGO – INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT
Private transfer to the airport for your flight to Santiago. At arrival to Santiago, connection with your international flight.Meals: Breakfast
Important notice:
The day by day itinerary is flexible. The expedition leader may modify this itinerary according to weather conditions, or other unforeseen factors.