Hike the Bolivian Cordillera Real

You'll need a good level of fitness for this trip. Although the hiking will be at a measured pace, you'll be hiking at high altitude on uneven ground with a mix of level trails, steep ascents and long gradual descents. However, you won't need any technical skills or mountain climbing experience - just the ability to hike for up to seven hours a day, for several days in a row.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Any tips will be distributed among your guides and porters, and we suggest the below as a guideline per person:

£11 / $12 (USD) per day

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Tap water in Bolivia is not safe to drink. Clean drinking water will be provided at each of the camp sites. Please pack your own reusable bottle, it will be well used.

Water bottles with inbuilt filters are becoming increasingly popular for travellers to use in countries without clean tap water. Please see our guide for advice on the best water filters for adventurers if you wish to bring your own filtration bottle on this trip.

In Bolivia, the dry winter season between May and November is sunny and bright, with ideal hiking conditions. However, weather in the mountains can be changeable, so be prepared with adequate kit in order to manage different weather conditions and temperatures. This adventure takes place at high altitude, with pleasantly warm days and chilly nights, and lower temperatures in the mountains.

In La Paz, daytime temperatures will be generally in the region of 15°C / 59°F to 20°C / 68°F, and down to between 1°C / 34°F to 10°C / 50°F at night.

In the Cordillera Real the daytime temperatures will be generally in the region of 7°C / 45°F to 10°C / 50°F, and down to between -10°C / 14°F to -5°C / 23°F at night.

No. You'll need to have a larger bag suitable for all your belongings which will be transported for you by a team of porters and mules, and a daypack to carry personal items each day whilst hiking. Taking only what you need on this trip will better manage load weights for the support team.

Any excess luggage can be securely stored at the hotel or at the host's office in La Paz whilst you are hiking in the mountains.

We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.

When you hike in the mountains, there's always the risk of getting altitude sickness, regardless of how old, young, fit or unfit you are. We would expect most hikers to feel some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, sleeplessness, heavy breathing) when over 3000m. Our guides are trained to identify the symptoms of altitude sickness so if any more serious symptoms are noted, there is a strict procedure regarding extra care or a rapid descent if needed.

All of our trips have been designed with altitude best practice in mind, so acclimatisation days have been built in at the beginning of the trip, with walks steadily increasing in length and altitude. The experienced guides follow the advice to ‘walk high and sleep low’.

On arrival into La Paz you will be transferred to your hotel to take it easy and begin to acclimatise, La Paz is 3600m above sea level. We have included early check-in to ensure you can rest as soon as possible no matter how early you arrive on Day 1. There are no activities planned on Day 1, although breakfast is included at the hotel as well as dinner at a local restaurant. The activities between Day 2 and Day 4 have been planned to facilitate acclimatisation before the mountain hiking begins and provide an insight into the geography and rural communities of Bolivia. On the hike itself you will have a host guide, local guide and team of porters to support you, along with water and snacks provided. The walking each day will be slow through high altitude scenery on uneven ground, with passes to cross as well as beautiful lake and mountain views. The highest daily walking altitude will be approximately 5200m. You will be camping each night under starry skies, with delicious meals cooked for you, but wrap up warm. The sleeping altitudes will be between approximately 4050m and 4680m.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. See here for more info about the local teams we partner with.