3-day trek to the top of Pico Austria and Acotango from La Paz
Join José, IFMGA-certified mountain guide, on this 3-day hiking trip in the Bolivian Andes. Reach the top of Pico Austria and Acotango and enjoy amazing views!
Private
Andes
3 Days
Apr - Nov
High
Beginner
Highlights
* Discover some breathtaking Bolivian landscapes.
* Reach the top of two over-5000m peaks with an expert guide.
* Enjoy breathtaking views of the Bolivian Andes and surroundings.
Description
Don’t think you need to be an expert mountaineer to reach over-6,000m summits. Come to La Paz and join me on a 3-day trekking expedition to the top of Pico Austria and Acotango!
The Bolivian Andes are a perfect destination for mountaineering and hiking adventures. This trip is your chance to explore the beautiful areas of the Condoriri Valley and the Sajama National Park and to reach the summit of two important Bolivian peaks.
Pico Austria (5,396m) is part of the Condoriri (Kunturiri) massif which gets its name from the condor shaped summit of another of its mountains. Hiking through grassy hills, moraines and scree slopes we will reach the top of Austria, an ideal mountain to acclimatize before the harder ascent.
Acotango (6,056m), our second goal, is a volcano situated between Bolivia and Chile. It is part of the Quimsa Chatas mountains, along with the Maria Capurata and Guallatire peaks. They are located within the Sajama National Park, home of the highest peak in the country, Nevado Sajama.
These non technical ascents will allow us to enjoy breathtaking views of the Condoriri Valley, the Sajama National park (in Bolivia) and the Lauca National Park (in Chile). It is not necessary to have climbing experience and we will not use specialized equipment. But you do need to start the acclimatization prior to the excursion. Before the trip, you must have spent at least 3 days in La Paz City, Titicaca or Uyuni doing light physical activity. Of course, you will also need a good fitness level.
So, if you are up for some awesome hiking ascents in Bolivia, please contact me. Let’s reach the summits of Pico Austria and Acotango together!
And if you are looking for something a little more challenging, check out my 4-day Guided ascent to Sajama!
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Transport during the trip
- Permit and entrance fees
Price details
Included: Meals & accommodation mentioned in the itinerary.
Not included: Meals & accommodation while in La Paz.
Itinerary
Day 1: Pico Austria
Early in the morning we will take the high road towards the majestic Andes Mountains that overlook Lake Titicaca. Then, after a short car transfer we will reach the trailhead in Condoriri Valley.
Finally, we will get to the top of Austria via moraines and rock slopes with no technical difficulty.
Return to La Paz.
Day Elevations:
La Paz 3,650m (11,972ft)
El Alto: 4,100m (13,450ft)
Condoriri trailhead: 4,400m (14,432ft)
Austria Peak: 5,396m (17,699ft)
Timing
Driving: 6 Hrs (65,2 km)
Walking: 6-8Hrs (9km)
Meals: Lunch
Day 2: Sajama National Park
A pleasant drive will take us to Sajama National Park. This high-altitude valley, surrounded by the highest volcanoes in Bolivia, hosts some of the highest forests in the planet and has a rich fauna (Alpacas, Vicuñas and Llamas). We may visit the church of Curahuara de Carangas, known for its magnificent mural paintings. We will make a short visit to the geysers and the hot springs (the local community charges a small extra cost). Our hostel will be relatively close to the hot springs.
Overnight: Hostel
Day Elevations:
La Paz: 3,650m (11,972ft)
El Alto: 4,100m (13,450ft)
Sajama Village: 4,260m (13,973ft)
Timing:
Driving: 4Hrs (354 km)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Acotango
We will set off early on a drive from our campsite to the trailhead, following a secondary dirt road to a sulfur mine. Then we will tackle the ascent to Acotango. It is not technically difficult but quite demanding and requires a good acclimatization. To get to the summit we will follow the rim of an old and almost completely eroded crater, walking either on snow, ice or soft sandy terrain. From the top Acotango we enjoy panoramic views of Sajama and Lauca. Finally, we will descend and return La Paz.
Day Elevations:
Acotango road-head: 5300m (17,384ft)
Acotango: 6,056m (19,863ft)
Sajama campsite: 4,260m (13,973ft)
Timing:
Walking: 6 to 8 Hrs (8km)
Driving: 4Hrs (354km)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Details
More info
This program will take place every Friday from 5th April to 15th November.
Meeting point
FAQs
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
About the guide
José
Mountain Guide
IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide from Bolivia
I first visited the Andes when I was 14 years old, and that's when the love of nature and Mountains started. Since then the "Call of the Hills" has not diluted and I dedicated my life to work as a mountain guide.
Proper training started in 1984 with the aid of the German government and the German Alpine Club (DAV). Then a group of Bolivians were certified as a mountain guide’s instructors. After many years of negotiation, Bolivia succeeded in becoming a member of the International Mountain Guides Association (IMGA, UIAGM, IVBV) in 2005. That's when I achieved the international Certification.
I also studied Film Making and hold a Masters degree on Script Writing and worked on some documentary projects with the BBC.
I lead trekking and climbing groups in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and Chile and speak Spanish, English and French.
Languages
French | English
Certificates
AGMTB
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Man
5
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
5
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
5
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
5
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
5
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
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