trek d'el choro

Czick on the road / Bolivia / El Choro trek - the most popular Bolivian hiking trail going bad

El Choro trek - the most popular Bolivian hiking trail going bad

El Choro, one of the most popular hiking trails in Bolivia

El Choro trek belongs to most popular La Paz hiking areas thanks to its easy accessibility, stunning views, and varied scenery. Part of this trek is also an ancient Inca trail, but unlike in Peru, you don't have to book an agency or buy an expensive ticket to walk here. It starts in La Cumbre Pass at the altitude of 4650 m and only the first part requires walking uphill to the highest point of 4885 m, then it slowly drops through the Bolivian forest into a lovely city of Coroico at 1750 m.

How to prepare for hiking El Choro trek in La Paz

This trek requires 2-3 days, depending on your condition, so having camping equipment as well as enough food is essential. Many agencies offer an organized trek for the price a bit more than 100$, where mules are carrying all your heavy equipment, but supposedly it is quite easy to do on your own as well. We have decided for this option and on Friday morning took a bus to La Cumbre pass, where this hike starts. Right at the starting point with a map of the hike, we met two fellow travelers – a Czech guy and an Iranian girl and logically joined forces for this beautiful trekking.

Already in La Paz, in one of the agencies, they told us we are quite lucky because the bridges were destroyed by the rivers, but since yesterday it is possible to cross them again. With this in mind, we fearlessly started the trek. After 1h of climbing up, at the highest point with wonderful views, there were 6 men waiting for us. Very kindly they ask us not to continue in this trek, because it's very dangerous to cross the bridges, that they are working on fixing them and have instructions from the government not to let through any tourists.

They also recommended us another trek, which Jakub had on his little tourist map and told us it's also very nice. We thought it through a lot and eventually decided to hike the El Choro anyway – if we see we cannot cross the bridges, we will just turn around and go back... Well, it just wasn’t meant to be, a bit lower we met the men again, and they got really angry to see us again. Not wanting to risk a fight with 6 Bolivians, we rather decided to turn around...

Lucky enough to find an alternative Inca trail - Sillutinkara

After 3 hours of hiking, we were exactly at the same spot as before, at La Cumbre pass. Lucky enough to stop a bus in next 10 minutes, we asked the driver to take as to the start point of the other trek. On the way, we got a chance to see the death road, twisting like us snake on the hills below us. Not more than 30 minutes we were already at the beginning of the so-called Sillutinkara trek - one of the myriad trails that the Incas in Bolivia used to access the much larger Choro Trail. Excited we gonna hike the Inca trail, after all, we merely started trekking, keeping in mind then we don’t have much more than few hours of light left.

The first part of the path was nice, leading up on a grassy hill. It got a bit cloudy, but we didn’t mind, because together with the altitude, also the temperature dropped (we went down by bus to 3300 m). It didn't take us more than 1h to get to the top, to a small camping area where we cooked lunch and rested a bit. The ground here was very wet and I was just hoping, the other camping areas marked on the map will look better. We started to decent into to the jungle, we couldn't see anything because of the clouds but it didn't matter, soon we were deep in the Bolivian forest, surrounded but tall green trees and different kind of vegetation.

How does trekking in Bolivian jungle look?

The path down was terrible – steep and slippery and quite overgrown with small bushes and grass. Looks like this Inca trail is not frequently visited. All the greenery was wet and so were we very soon. We walked slowly, it wasn't possible otherwise, we were checking every step otherwise ended up in an ankle deep mud. It looked like the jungle would never end, after 2h of hiking, we knew we have to find a camping spot, and we knew it’s gonna be in the jungle.

Our hope was one of the camping marked on the map, but when we got there, there was just a pool of mud. What were the options we had? Go back to the higher parts, where we saw some suitable spots, or continue and hope we will find something better. In no way I was gonna go back and then down again the next day, I was determined to walk the whole night if necessary, but luckily enough after another 20 minutes, we found quite dry and flat surface, where we could make our tents – looked like somebody was camping them sometime before us. We made a quick dinner and rushed to hide from mosquitos into our tents.

Our first hiking day on the map:

Rainy night and rainy day

It was raining a little bit the night. Our tent was so bad, the rain soon started dripping on my face and I felt that everything around me is wet. We got up quite early the next day, had a breakfast and managed to pack all our wet equipment just before it started raining again. This time we didn’t even have our rain ponchos as we were expecting beautiful sunny weather just like in La Paz. Ahead of us were at least 3 hours of hiking in the jungle, in the rain, on a slippery and muddy surface. Soon we stopped watching out for where we step, we were all wet anyway.

After 3 hours of suffering, the sun finally started to appear slowly, and we have reached the spot, where Sillutinkara joins the El Choro trek. A perfect sunny spot, ideal for cooking some lunch and trying to dry all our wet clothes. It only took us another 2h of a nice sunny hike to get to our final destination, a village Choro, where we have spent a night in a local house and took a taxi to Coroico the next morning.

Our second hiking day on the map:

I guess this trail could be nice when you are lucky enough not to have rain. But as we were returning from sunny Coroico exactly in the area of Sillutinkara trail was raining again. Maybe, it’s just raining here all the time?

Czickontheroad

Czick on the road

El Choro Trail

From the mountains to the jungle

Description

The El Choro trail is a popular hiking route in Bolivia that connects the towns of La Cumbre and Chairo, crossing the Bolivian Andes. The route is approximately 60 kilometers long and can be covered in 2 to 3 days, depending on the hiker’s pace and stops.

The El Choro trail is known for its breathtaking scenery, which includes snow-capped mountains, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and forests. It is also possible to see a great variety of flora and fauna, such as condors, foxes, vicuñas, among others.

National Park Cotapata  – El Choro Trail

4,860m Max / 1,280m Min 

Basic / Moderate

3 Days / 2 Nights

Day 1. La Paz – Apacheta – Villa Loa

From your hotel in the city of La Paz we head towards “La Cumbre” (4.700 m.), and we will go a little further with the vehicle to Apacheta. There the porters and cooks organize the camping equipment to carry during the trip, we begin the trek to Villa Loa descending the well preserved Inca Trail in the valley of the same name, (7-8 hours of walking).

Day 2. Villa Loa – Sandillani

We will walk a few minutes until we reach the river where we will cross to the other side to continue to Buena Vista and continue to the next river of jukumarini, then an important point will be the slope of the devil that will be the steepest slope of the trek, finally we will arrive to saldnillani, this day we will walk about 7-8 hours.

Day 3. Sandillani – Chairo – La Paz

Today is the shortest day as we continue descending gently and continue on a zig zag road to Chairo (1,300 m), where our adventure will end and where our vehicle will be waiting for us to return to the city, our time walking is around 3 hrs.

• Private transportation
• Camping equipment
• Admission fees
• Other material for personal use.

El Choro Gallery

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Bolivia’s El Choro Trek is an Experience You Don’t Want to Miss

Alpine peaks and lush rainforests come together on the El Choro Trek, and while I never know what this incredible hiking trail has in store for me, the discovery alone makes me follow its roads time and time again.

Bolivia is a world all its own. I’ve travelled the globe and cannot compare it to anywhere else I’ve ever been. While Patagonia’s world-renowned treks—such as the Torres del Paine W Trek —feel like you’ve stepped onto a peak somewhere in the Alps, trekking Bolivia is something else entirely — it’s almost untouched by time. People still live in the countryside, nurturing their cutlure and practicing traditions like they have for thousands of years. With barren alpine terrain dotted with glacial lakes on one side, and exotic rainforests bursting with life and color on the other, the El Choro Trek feels like a world tour of hiking packed in only four days.

Pros and Cons of Hiking the El Choro Trek

What i love about trekking in bolivia.

So, how come this isn’t on the list of the best hikes in the world ? I think it’s because Bolivia is a locals destination. I’m originally from Argentina, where I guide for Montañas de una Vida. Kids in Argentina and the neighbouring countries can’t wait for the day they get to go explore El Choro; it’s almost like a rite of passage. Even though I’m a native Spanish speaker, sometimes not even I can understand the locals because there are roughly three dozen officially recognized Indigenous languages. Bolivia lets you get lost in its authenticity. While it follows the lesser known parts of the 500-kilometer-long Inca Trail network, El Choro isn’t your typical tourist trek. Consider this an “off the beaten path” version of hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu . 

Bolivia has huge, 6,000-meter tall mountains, perhaps the tallest in all the Andes, save for the tallest peak which is actually in Argentina. The whole landscape looks like you’ve been transported to the Himalayas, with its mountains and valleys. This is where it gets interesting. Where you would normally find alpine forests, Bolivia boasts rainforests. You’ll find yourself in the driest place possible and the wettest the next day. It’s truly an ever-changing adventure!

Hiking the Iconic El Choro Trek

Tourists usually hike the El Choro Trek in three days, but if you ask me, it doesn’t do it justice. Four days is the way to go. (You can check out the El Choro Trek  route map on FATMAP ). If you do it in three days, you’ll have to hike for more than 10 hours a day and you’ll barely get to look around and soak in the ancient beauty of the place. Four days is a much more chill ordeal and a better opportunity to connect to this wild and unique place. This allows you to get to know the locals, as well. Bolivia’s nature is beautiful, but what will take your trip from pretty good to unforgettable is experiencing the local culture — there is nothing like it anywhere else on the planet. 

Day One: Trekking through the high alpine terrain 

As opposed to starting from La Cumbre, a small town south of the trek, I prefer my first day starts in the heart of the action. I always skip the not-so-scenic three-hour mining road route from town and start the trek in Huayna Potosí. All you have to do to get here is take a mini van from La Paz. Right off the bat, you get to see those mountain views you came here for. From there, I go on a short hike up to a pass. The 400-meter elevation gain hardly feels like a chore, since you get to see amazing glacial vistas along the way. 

The trek dives down into a deep valley where the first campsite awaits, Samaña Pampa. I set up camp in the shadow of big mountains, which are to thank for the beautiful alpine views. Even though it’s far above the treeline and alpine, the terrain is surprisingly easy to hike. The real challenge is the altitude, so make sure you keep track of your health!  

Day Two: Linking up with the Incan trails

On the second day of your El Choro Trek, you’ll finally see those Incan features the area is known for. From paved steps to ancient ruins, this is the day to walk among history and possibly my favorite day on the trek. Since we’re leaving the high alpine terrain, it’s only natural that this is where the trek turns downhill. We’ll be losing 2000 meters of elevation, to be precise. Local flora only amps up this experience. Yunga is a special type of Andean vegetation, and it’s in stark contrast to high alpine terrain hiked only the day before. It’s not quite like the vegetation you’d find in the Amazonian rainforest, but it is the perimeter of it. It gets wetter, it’s warmer and this is where I start shedding some of the layers off. 

The trek winds through a bunch of small, authentic Andean villages including Challapampa. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to see how the locals live. They live in nature, but with nature as well. From the materials they’ve gathered to build their houses to the way they grow their own food, I promise it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve seen. It might make you want to live a simpler life, too. The second day marks traversing from one environment to the other.

Day Three: Hiking among clouds and with wildlife

The trek gets crowded on the third day, but not in the way you might think. While you might encounter a local here and there, you’ll actually see a lot of the native wildlife. From condors flying overhead to restless hummingbirds, this part of the trek is buzzing with life. As we make our way down the hill, we’re nearing Río Jucumarini. One of the forest’s inhabitants that calls that same river its home is the spectacled bear, also known as the Andean bear or the Jukumari bear. They’re the only bear species that lives in South America and they kind of look like reverse raccoons. The fur around their eyes is lighter and makes them look like they’re wearing glasses, which earned them their name. I haven’t seen them that many times, but there are lots of birds to make up for it. 

By now, we will have dove into the rainforest. It’s humid, it’s even hotter than the day before and there are clouds forming in the pit of the valley. They’ll be climbing up its walls, but we’ll hike through them and eventually surpass them and reach Sandillani. How often do you get to say you walked through clouds?! The trail dips down the Incan steps once again, taking us closer to the river.

Day Four: Back to civilization

The final day won’t ask too much from you. In comparison, it’s milder and allows you to cool down as your El Choro adventure comes to an end. All that’s standing between us and Chairo is an easy three-hour hike. We’ll see Incan tambos, cattle enclosures, which still stand to this day. The Yunga gets even more colorful than the day before and wildlife more active, giving us a gorgeous send-off.

My Insider Tips for Planning Your El Choro Trek

El Choro is a true moderate trek that any outdoor enthusiast can do. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before you dive into this wild place. I listed everything you’ll need to make this trip your favorite adventure yet. 

When to visit El Choro

You’ll want to plan your El Choro Trek anywhere from April to October, with April to August being the high season. Summers in Bolivia are monsoon season, so expect rain. Winters are colder, but they are also drier and there aren’t as many tourists. If you go too early, there might still be snow, which adds unnecessary difficulty.

Watch out for altitude sickness

If you can, fly in La Paz a couple of days prior to your trek, ideally three or four days. La Paz itself stands at 3,640 meters, which is very high above sea level. The altitude will hit you straight away. Don’t stay at La Paz on your first day. The Moon Valley is an area that sits 400 meters below La Paz and is a great place to sightsee and explore while you get acclimatized. I advise you to have a checkup prior to your trip. Your doctor can even prescribe medication to ease the whole acclimatizing process. 

Who can hike the El Choro Trek

If you don’t lead an active life, skip this trek. The terrain isn’t too challenging, but the trek does require you to be in good physical shape. You’ll be hiking long distances and doing it really high above the sea level. Elevation gain and loss can hit you harder than you might think. It’s very demanding for your legs, even if it’s mainly a downhill trek. You’ll actually be wanting to hike uphill. 

Can you hike this trip solo

El Choro Trek can be a solo adventure. However, hiking with a local guide might be that one thing that takes your experience from memorable to unforgettable. Part of the appeal of the El Choro Trek is its doability. However, if you don’t start your trek in La Cumbre, the route can get difficult to follow. Having a guide means taking any guesswork out of the game, from permits to where to get water. Most guiding services offer a chef, too. Food is arguably one of the best ways to get to know the culture. I can’t stress this enough, but the locals really do make this trip a one of a kind experience. Any chance you get to get to know them — use it!

Do you need a permit

You do need a permit to hike the El Choro Trek. You can obtain your permit in Samana Pampa. Once you’re in, you won’t have to worry about campsite reservations and such. As far as logistics go, this trip is a breeze.

What to pack for your El Choro Trek

While going from one extreme environment to the other is part of the appeal of the El Choro Trek, it does require some preparation on your end. Make sure you pack waterproof layers that are easy to take off in the more humid and warm parts of the trek. Since the trek is mostly downhill, you’ll want to wear sturdy hiking boots with lots of ankle support. Your regular 30L day pack is all you need, but make sure you pack an additional water bottle, as it’s better to have extra than find yourself without it.

And that’s it! I hope I’ve inspired you with my description of what I consider to be one of the best hiking trails in the world. The landscape, the culture, the history — it all comes together on this trail to provide the adventure of a lifetime. If you’re planning your next big trip, I highly recommend you add the El Choro Trek to your short list of ideas. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. 

About the author

Julián is a Patagonia local who has been hiking, climbing up and skiing down its mountains his whole life. He’s one of the expert guides in Montañas de una Vida , operating in Patagonia, Peru and Bolivia. Not only does he take his clients on adventures of a lifetime, he makes sure to pass on invaluable experience which can only be gained from years spent in the great outdoors.

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El Choro Trek Unguided, Bolivia

An hour after we rolled into our campsite in La Paz, Chris, Mallory and Ellie invited Richard, George, Jenine and I to accompany them on the El Choro Trek. El Choro is a three day, 57 kilometre trek starting in the vast Bolivian altiplano (highest elevation: 15,941 feet) and descending into the jungle-y village of Chairo (elevation: 5,278 feet). The only catch: they were leaving the next day. At 6:00 a.m. In anticipation of the Santa Cruz Trek in Peru it took us like, 2 full days to prepare. Checklists, food, water, gear. We threw that all out the window and said, “Heck yes, we’re in!” We scrambled around gathering food items from the nearby tienda , organized our gear, and packed up our bags for the next day. Spontaneous decisions are definitely something we have learned to make while on this trip, and more often than not they lead to something special.

The first day of trekking started in thick fog. As we descended steeply the rain started. The El Choro trail is like Bolivia’s version of the Inca Trail, complete with a stone path that continues for three days. I don’t know what those Incas were thinking while building the trail because the pathway becomes treacherously slippery in the rainy season. All of us bailed in the mud or on the rocks, slipping and sliding towards our first camp spot.

It was pretty astonishing that in a matter of hours the scenery went from golden plains to a rainforest climate, complete with bright green blades of grass and a variety of beautiful thick flowers. After seven hours of hiking we trudged into the first camp, boots filled with water and pants splashed with mud, soaked through to the skin. We set up camp, hung up most of our clothes, and congregated around the fire attempting to dry out our wet belongings. The urgency to dry out our wet hiking boots (just a little bit closer to the fire and maybe that would help!!) resulted in some melted rubber sole components. Our knees were shot from all of the downhill, toes were wrinkly and ragged, and it was time for a good night’s sleep.

One cool thing about the El Choro Trek is that there are a bunch of campsites along the way with thatched roofed shelters and a tienda or shop selling goods such as bottled water, Coca Cola, crackers, sardines, and other miscellaneous items. Usually an elderly woman runs the place and will supply dry firewood or some coca tea (sometimes even in Care Bear mugs!) to warm you up. The shelters were a God’s send each day when we arrived dripping with water to set up camp. The women would often supply us with a big blue tarp to set our tent on top of and a token dog or cat would be running around looking cute and enjoying our attention.

On the second day of the El Choro Trek we reluctantly slid our dry feet into our still damp boots, donned our packs, and continued our descent to the next camp. We were all sore from the first day of hiking, but luckily there were more sections of uphill this time instead of the dreaded slick downhill. I had been craving some uphill hiking, which seems odd, but I wanted to give my “downhill muscles” a bit of a break. Despite the atrocious weather, Richard and I were in surprisingly great spirits. To have one multi-day trek under our belts made a huge difference in the way we felt the second time around. We knew more or less what to expect, had our routines down, and could just relax and enjoy the company. Except that we forgot our sandals. That was a dumb mistake! Squishing around at camp with Ziploc bags over our feet shoved into hiking boots ensured it was the last time we would leave our counterfeit Havianas at home (in the truck).

The second day actually started out relatively dry. It felt good to put our rain jackets and backpack covers away for a bit. At around lunchtime the rain started and got more and more intense until we reached our final resting stop.

After another day of crossing wooden bridges, admiring waterfalls, and avoiding rocks, mud and roots, we happily pitched our tents in a fern-filled manger-like shelter at Camp San Francisca. The local woman running the camp, Francisca, was very sweet. Also, she must get insanely lonely being a 5 hour walk from the nearest neighbour. She welcomed us with open arms and even took my rain-drenched tank top and hand-dried it in front of her wood-burning oven. She had a motherly way about her and really took care of all of us by drying our clothes, bringing us coals for our fire, pouring coca tea, and giving us dry pieces of cardboard to sit on by the fire.

We started our third day after a restful and dry sleep in our fern-filled manger. We bade a quick goodbye to Francisca and started on our way, like every other day, downhill and in the rain.

Ellie had been having some problems with her shoes over the past few days and her feet were covered in blisters. She completed the last day of trekking in bare feet. Over roots, pointy rocks, through streams, mud, and donkey droppings.  The awe-inspiring thing too, was that she kept up pace. She was hiking right along with us with no shoes on. Incredible.  Ellie is one tough Czech chick.

Other than that, there isn’t much to say about the remainder of Day 3. It rained. We walked. Snack and rest breaks were minimal as we just wanted to get the last section over with. Eventually we arrived in Chairo, where we changed out of our wet clothes and hopped into a Combi/Collectivo to the nearby town of Coroico. Here we ate a heavy, greasy lunch of fish and chips (mistake) and hopped into a Combi for the three hour ride back to La Paz. The drive from Coroico to La Paz (or vice versa) is a must-do in Bolivia. The mountain scenery is fantastic. Once we arrived back in La Paz we caught a taxi and took a life-threatening ride back to our campsite. Our driver was completely frazzled and told us he had been working for 13 hours and had 7 more to go. He sharply accelerated, slammed on the brakes, screeched around corners. We were jumbled around in the back seat, on each other’s laps, while the driver navigated the busy streets. He swore at other drivers and laughed when we tried our own Spanish curse words that we had picked up throughout our travels. Eventually we made it back to camp in one piece, stinky damp clothes and all.

Ellie’s volunteer time at Colibri had come to an end, and we felt humbled to be invited to her going away party even though we had really only known her for a week and a half or so. She bustled around the kitchen putting together some mouth-watering homemade pizzas with a variety of ingredients that the guests had brought. We generously poured red wine and shoo-fly punch as we munched on pizza and sat around in a circle of chairs chatting away. Ellie is now off to Peru for a volunteering gig in the jungle near Cuzco. My only regret is not having more time to listen to her talk about the times she worked as a sheep-hearder in Ecuador, an orchid farmer, her talents as a jewellery maker and wood burner, an employee at H&M, and many, many other interesting pursuits that I’m sure we didn’t talk about. Good luck Ellie and I hope we meet again!

Great to get out of the truck once in a while and stretch the legs, isn’t it? Thank you both again for the wonderful pictures and good stories. Are the food items that you take with you on a multiday trek there similar to what is available back in Canada or are they more simple foods?

Looking forward to the next post!

Loved this post. Michael

Amazing photos! Super helpful info. Great experience as an adventurer. Thanks for recording it.

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• DESTINATIONS

El Choro Inca Trail Trek

• Full Itinerary
• Important Notes
• Photo Gallery

The El choro is one of the most famous in Bolivia, initiated by a wide, paved path that was possibly built by Inca civilizations pre and served to connect the Bolivian Andes to the Amazon. Because of its incredible changing landscapes with snow-capped peaks, Inca walls, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and lush vegetation of the Yungas valley, has become a very popular route for hikers.

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EL CHORO INCA TRAIL TREK

3 days/2 nigths

Itinerary of El Choro Inca Trail Trek

Day 1: la paz - apacheta - challapampa.

Begin at 7:00 am in La Paz in transport we will go to the summit and walk up the Apacheta located 5000msnm, where we will have spectacular views, it will soon be time to descend for approximately 6 hours by an Inca route up to Challapampa where we camp.

Day 2: Challapampa - El Choro - San Francisco

7:00 continue our walk, we pass the Choro population in a path full of vegetation, through coca plantations, waterfalls, rivers .. up to San Francisco, where we have dinner and camp.

Day 3: San Francisco - Sandillani - Chairo

We begin our walk early, pass through the village of Sandillani, will cross a suspension bridge and reach the slope of the devil, after approximately 6 hours of walking we will arrive at the Chairo community, where we have lunch and we will prepare to return to Peace in transport.

Our services include

•      Private transport La Paz - The Summit
•      Private transport Chairo - La Paz
•      Local guide
•      Chef
•      Shared camping equipment, tents, cooking equipment, mattresses
•      Full lunches, , 3 lunch, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners

Not included

•     Breakfast the first day
•      Dinner on the third day,
•      Walking poles,
•      Water and extra drinks,
•      Ticket to the community Chucura

What to bring

•      Sunblocker
•      Walking sticks
•      Hiking shoes

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How to Hike the El Choro Trek in Bolivia

April 11, 2016 pirwa.

The pre-Columbian El Choro trek once formed part of the famous Inca Trail network known as the Qapac Ñan. It begins an hour outside of La Paz, at La Cumbre, and ends in the village of Chairo in the tropical Yungas valley. Along the way, hikers are treated to striking views as they descend from the frosty heights of the Andean range, past the cloud forest, and into a semi-tropical ranforest.

You don’t have to book the El Choro trail if you don’t want to; unlike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you aren’t required to go through a travel agency in order to hike this trail. However, it’s still a good option if you’d like to learn more about the area and don’t want to have to carry a tent and food. When you book through an agency in La Paz , you only have to carry you sleeping bag, the day’s water ration, and your personal items. Your campsite and meals are prepared for you.

What Do You See on the El Choro Trek?

The second day is very up-and-down. You’ll notice the weather warming up and the vegetation becoming denser as you enter the cloud forest. There’ll be some great views, and plenty of wildflowers. After an 8-hour walk, you’ll reach the village of Sandillani, nearby where one can set up camp.

Finally, on the third day, you’ll walk for 5 more hours, but this time through the semi-tropical Yungas Valley. You’ll mainly be following a big river, with some waterfalls and hanging bridges punctuating it. Along the way, you’ll see subtropical plants banana palms and coffee plants. Butterflies and tropical birds complete the colorful picture, with one highlight being the scarlet Cock-of-the-Rock.

After completing the trail, you’ll find yourself in the small village of Chairo. From here, you can take public transportation to La Paz for 20bs. If you want to stay in the Yungas valley, you can continue on to Coroico by taxi, as there isn’t public transportation available, but it will run you around 180bs.

What to Pack for the El Choro Trek?

Because of the descent, this trail generally starts out in cold weather, with snow and ice sometimes collecting on the ground in the morning, but it ends in tropical weather. Because of this, you’ll need to prepare for some weather shifts. Our list of items to pack includes these musts:

• Hiking shoes
• Hat, gloves and scarf for the beginning of the trek
• Insect repellent
• Sunglasses and sunblock
• Energy snacks
• Plastic bags for refuse, and to protect certain belongings in case of rain
• Flashlight for use at the campsite at night

Aside from having our own hostel in La Paz , Pirwa also boasts its own travel agency, which is part of the Inca World Travel family. If you’re looking for a fairly-priced, reliable operator through which to book the El Choro Inca Trail , contact us for more information!

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Una improvisada caminata de 3 días que me llevó desde las montañas del Altiplano hasta las frondosas selvas de los Yungas

El Choro Trek es una de las rutas de larga distancia más populares de Bolivia. Se trata de un antiguo camino con muchos tramos pavimentados que en tiempos del Imperio Inca se utilizaba para transportar mercancías entre las selvas de los Yungas y las ciudades de las montañas (como La Paz). El Choro Trek atraviesa el Parque Nacional Cotapata y une las poblaciones de La Cumbre y Chairo . Un recorrido de 53km con un desnivel negativo de 3.600m que se suele cubrir en 3 jornadas y permite disfrutar de una gran variedad de paisajes.

PREPARANDO LA EXCURSION

Reconozco que me lancé a recorrer el Choro Trek completamente a la aventura . La única parte positiva era que me encontraba en muy buena forma física , tras caminar durante varios días por la Cordillera Real a más de 5mil metros de altura. Pero hubo varios aspectos donde me la jugué:

* Guía : decidí no contratar los servicios de uno, porque en teoría el camino era sencillo . Aunque no tenía un mapa detallado de la zona o la posibilidad de orientarme con el móvil vía GPS ; una vez en marcha descubrí que apenas había señales con indicaciones; y para colmo el año que realicé el trekking (2018) una crecida del río Chucura había arrasado varios puentes y borrado parte del sendero (en la actualidad ya se han reconstruido). Así que hubo ciertos puntos donde me costó mucho continuar.

* Comida : solo metí en mi mochila unos paquetes de galletas , confiando en encontrar algún lugar para comer durante la ruta. Al final tuve suerte , pero es recomendable ser autosuficiente porque las opciones son muy escasas (alguna tienda básica y viviendas particulares).

* Alojamiento : tras pensarlo mucho opté por no viajar con tienda de campaña para reducir peso, y me condicionó bastante porque en la zona no hay hostales o refugios . La primera noche tuve que dormir al raso metido en mi saco; y la segunda me vi obligado a seguir caminando por la selva en medio de la oscuridad . Así que si no te gustan las aventuras al límite te aconsejo llevar tienda.

En cuanto al equipo recomendado, a parte del habitual para cualquier ruta de montaña hago especial hincapié en los siguientes elementos: bastones de montaña (los tramos pavimentados del sendero son muy resbaladizos); repelente de mosquitos (para la zona de los Yungas); chubasquero (las lluvias son frecuentes en cualquier época del año); y un buen saco (se duerme por encima de los 2mil metros de altitud).

VIAJE: LA PAZ – LA CUMBRE

Mi jornada no empezó de la mejor forma posible. Me desperté a las 5.30h en mi habitación del Hotel Nuevo Sol de La Paz con los golpes de unos ruidosos vecinos y ya no pude volver a dormir. A las 7.30h me levanté, preparé las mochilas , dejé la pequeña en la recepción con las cosas que no iba a utilizar, y bajé al comedor a desayunar . El menú delicioso como siempre: huevo frito ; pan con mermelada; macedonia de frutas ; zumo de naranja; y un café con leche.

El Choro Trek parte de La Cumbre , un pueblecito situado a 25km del centro de La Paz. Para llegar hay 2 opciones :

* Transporte público : primero es necesario un colectivo a la Terminal de Villa Fátima ; y allí tomar un autobús dirección Coroico , bajándote en La Cumbre. Una alternativa económica (unos 25B en total), pero se pierde bastante tiempo.

* Taxi : fue la opción que elegí , para empezar la ruta temprano . El día anterior aproveché mi visita a las oficinas de la agencia Climbing South America y contraté el servicio a través de Ana . Precio: 200B (a compartir con mi amigo Jose , que también se unió a esta ruta). La mujer pensaba que tras el trekking por la Cordillera Real descansaría un par de días y se quedó de piedra cuando le dije que en cuestión de horas iniciaba el Choro Trek.

A las 8.30h apareció en la recepción del hotel Mario , un simpático taxista. Y tras una breve presentación subimos al vehículo. El trayecto duró una hora , avanzando por una carretera llena de perros que cruzaban peligrosamente. Y llegamos a La Cumbre (4.725m).

ETAPA 1: LA CUMBRE – CHALLAPAMPA / Distancia: 19km / Desnivel: -2.035m / Tiempo: 7,5 horas

En La Cumbre hay una oficina con un libro para registrarte antes de comenzar la ruta (no es obligatorio), y una estatua de Cristo . Si viajas en transporte público deberás recorrer una empinada pista de 3km que lleva hasta el Paso de Abra Chucura (4.860m). Pero no tiene mucha gracia, así que pedí a Mario que me dejara directamente en el paso , y nos despedimos.

Desde Abra Chucura las vistas son espectaculares, con montañas peladas, cumbres nevadas en la distancia, y el sendero del Choro Trek serpenteando hacia el Valle del Río Chucura . La altura era considerable, pero el trekking por la Cordillera Real me había inmunizado , y tampoco me entretuve mucho. La etapa del día se dividió en 3 partes :

1. Para empezar bajé hasta el fondo del valle por una pista sin asfaltar. De camino me encontré con una pareja de australianos y charlamos unos minutos, aunque continuamos por separado. También me crucé con una lugareña (conocidas como Cholas o Cholitas ), con su ropa tradicional (sombrero, pollera de vivos colores y manta de rayas para guardar cosas). Y vi un par de Caracaras de Montaña .

2. A continuación avancé por el valle , sin apenas desnivel. Atravesando un paisaje cubierto de vegetación, con el río Chucura formando meandros, grupos de llamas , un rebaño de ovejas , ruinas de antiguas construcciones , y enormes montañas de fondo. El tiempo era genial, con cielo azul y sol muy agradable. No hacía nada de frío y no paré de hacer fotos. Más tarde llegué a la Estancia Samaña Pampa , donde hay una zona de acampada y una tienda básica . Aquí me registré en un libro , compré unas galletas (7B) y me senté a descansar unos minutos. La señora encargada me preguntó si tenía medicinas para darle pero, como de costumbre, viajaba sin un botiquín básico y no pude ayudarle.

Después seguí caminando , y comprobé con horror cómo aparecía en el horizonte una gigantesca masa de nubes . No tardaron mucho en tapar el cielo y ya no volví a ver el sol en el resto de la jornada. Tras un rato recorriendo un tramo muy bien conservado de la calzada que cubría el Choro Trek, llegué a la población de Chucura . Un lugar precioso, con casitas de piedra rodeadas de jardines donde había todo tipo de flores exóticas . Allí un abuelete me hizo registrarme en un libro , y pagué la tasa de 20B , que en teoría va destinada al mantenimiento del sendero. A esas alturas ya tenía hambre , así que me senté junto a la entrada del local y comí un trozo de pizza que me había sobrado de la cena del día anterior.

Me hubiera encantado quedarme a pasar la noche en Chucura, pero no había opciones de alojamiento . En los alrededores pude ver caballos pastando, y un grupo de imponentes Black-Faced Ibis que no se dejaban fotografiar de cerca ( les seguí durante un rato). La verdad es que me sorprendió encontrarme muy poca gente recorriendo El Choro Trek (pensaba que sería una ruta muy transitada). En todo el día apenas vi a 8 personas…

3. La última parte fue un continuo descenso , con una niebla cada vez más espesa que creaba una atmósfera irreal . La vegetación era realmente curiosa: árboles con sus ramas cubiertas de musgo ; coloridas flores; helechos … Un espectáculo. Aunque en muchos puntos se podían ver los destrozos causados por la crecida del río Chucura , con bloques de tierra arrancados, construcciones en ruinas y huellas de máquinas excavadoras . También encontré diferentes obstáculos que ralentizaron mi ritmo: resbaladizos tramos de calzada húmeda que me obligaban a hacer equilibrios ; un precario puente hecho con troncos de madera sorteando el caudaloso río (lo pasé fatal); y una avalancha de piedras que bloqueaban el sendero.

A todo esto las horas fueron pasando y la etapa no acababa . Eran las 17h, me encontraba bastante cansado , y empezaba a oscurecer . Si hubiera tenido tienda de campaña la hubiera plantado en cualquier claro del bosque y a dormir, pero no era el caso. Reconozco que se vivieron momentos de tensión y ya me veía haciendo un vivac entre los arbustos , con el peligro de encontrarme algún bicho (principalmente serpientes o insectos peligrosos). Menos mal que al final divisé las casas de Challapampa (2.825m) y respiré aliviado.

La aldea estaba al otro lado del valle y el puente original había sido destruido por la crecida del río. En su lugar había diferentes tablas y troncos que ayudaban a cruzar pequeños arroyos; y un puente colgante sin protección lateral que se balanceaba peligrosamente sobre el agua. Fue toda una aventura . No me esperaba tantas complicaciones en esta primera etapa.

En Challapampa hay unas instalaciones muy sencillas con una zona de acampada y una tienda de productos básicos gestionada por una abuelita encantadora. Eso sí, la ubicación es impresionante, frente a una pared de roca forrada de árboles ; y con el sonido del río de fondo. Allí encontré a un puñado de turistas occidentales , aunque con un ambiente bastante frío, sin relacionarse entre ellos. Yo hablé un poco con la pareja de australianos , y un francés de Burdeos que viajaba con su guía local . Pero en general todo el mundo iba a su aire. Para cenar piqué una manzana y frutos secos que me habían sobrado del trekking por la Cordillera Real; y unas galletas que compré en la tienda (5B).

A la hora de dormir , como no tenía tienda de campaña, me tuve que conformar con un colchón relleno de paja situado en el exterior , bajo un techo de madera , pagando lo mismo que si plantara una tienda (15B). Antes de meterme en el saco estuve unas horas escribiendo en un cobertizo que parecía un decorado de La Matanza de Texas, con pieles de oveja que apestaban, mazorcas de maíz colgando del techo y un enorme machete.

ETAPA 2: CHALLAPAMPA – SANDILLANI / Distancia: 22km / Desnivel: -775m / Tiempo: 11 horas

Al día siguiente me desperté a las 7h, tras una noche de sueño casi perfecta . No pasé nada de frío (gracias a mi saco y dormir vestido) y solo se escuchaba el río . Aunque de vez en cuando se me posaban insectos en la cara . Para desayunar comí unas galletas , preparé la mochila y a las 8h ya estaba en marcha , sin imaginar lo que me esperaba. La etapa del día se dividió en 5 tramos :

1. De entrada caminé durante 3 horas hasta el pueblo de Choro , siguiendo una pista en continuo descenso . La única dificultad fue la resbaladiza calzada , y el barro acumulado en algunos puntos. Me encantó este tramo, con una vegetación exuberante, coloridas flores , pequeñas cascadas , alguna tumba aislada y bonitas panorámicas del valle cubierto de selva . En cuanto a fauna vi un grupo de pájaros de plumaje verde que desapareció rápidamente entre los árboles; montones de mariposas que me rodeaban; y una serpiente muerta.

Ya en Choro, al pasar junto a una vivienda un lugareño me llamó y me acerqué a curiosear. Y acabé charlando con el hombre, sentado en una terraza , con buenas vistas de los alrededores. Tenía una tienda con productos básicos y me apetecía beber algo, pero solo había botellas grandes y me tomé una Coke que me había sobrado del trekking por la Cordillera Real. Por cierto, Silverio (mi guía en ese trekking) era de Choro, y por lo visto el lugareño le conocía .

2. Tras la parada me esperaba una sorpresa: el puente colgante que cruza el río Chucura también había sido destruido . Así que me tocó bajar hasta el cauce del río, pasar al otro lado por unos inestables troncos de madera , y encontrar la continuación de la pista. Menos mal que alguien había dejado montoncitos de piedras con indicaciones, porque la cosa estaba complicada.

Una vez en el camino correcto , la pista se convirtió en un estrecho sendero que avanzó a través de la selva subiendo sin parar . No me lo esperaba y acabé en manga corta, empapado en sudor y con el corazón a mil. Pero al cabo de un rato el sendero se suavizó y llegué al Camping Buena Vista . Se trata de un lugar que durante mi visita no hizo honor a su nombre, porque las nubes tapaban la panorámica . Allí me encontré al turista francés con su guía local y hablé con ellos. El guía iba con unos humos demasiado subidos (quizás intentando justificar sus servicios). Según él, fue quien mató a la serpiente , porque se le encaraba; y el que dejó los montoncitos de piedras.

En el camping también había un grupo de 4 chavales que estaban comiendo un plato caliente. Yo me moría de hambre , así que pregunté al encargado . Y por suerte me preparó un plato de arroz blanco con atún y verduras , que engullí acompañado de una Coke (21B). Me dejó como nuevo.

3. A continuación tocó sortear el Valle del río Jucumarini . El descanso me sentó genial y bajé hasta el fondo a buen ritmo. Pero en el río me encontré otro puente colgante roto , y de nuevo tuve que hacer equilibrios sobre troncos. Tras una subida seguí la ladera de la montaña, con unas vistas memorables de la selva extendiéndose hasta el infinito . No podía parar de hacer fotos. Por el camino descubrí un montón de flores exóticas, y hasta un Colibrí . Y llegué a la aldea de San Francisco . Allí estaban el turista francés y su guía, que se quedaban a pasar la noche porque ya eran las 16h (contaban con tienda de campaña). No hubiera sido una mala opción, pero me vi obligado a continuar .

4. Por delante tenía el Valle del río Coscapa . Durante la bajada fui esquivando rocas resbaladizas; pasé junto a dos cascadas (una me mojó y en la otra crucé sus aguas saltando de piedra en piedra); y contemplé nuevas panorámicas del valle , con una cascada en la distancia cayendo desde gran altura . La buena noticia fue que el puente colgante estaba intacto , y pude pasar al otro lado del valle sin problema . En cambio poco después me esperaba la Cuesta del Diablo , una durísima pendiente que me dejó sin respiración. Suerte que el trekking por la Cordillera Real me había puesto en forma … La subida acabó en la población de Bella Vista , donde vi una tienda básica y me compré una Coke para refrescarme (5B).

5. El tramo final de la etapa fue una auténtica odisea . Al poco comenzó a oscurecer , así que guardé mi cámara y me equipé con mi linterna frontal . Yo intenté caminar lo más rápido posible, pero las piedras eran un peligro y tuve que sortear un arroyo . Y al mismo tiempo ir examinando el sendero para no pisar algún animal peligroso (como la serpiente que mató el guía). La sensación era única, atravesando la selva en medio de la noche , rodeado de sonidos extraños . Además, por si fuera poco, había leído que en esta zona se habían producido algunos robos a turistas . Reconozco que estaba bastante nervioso .

El peor momento se produjo cuando alcancé una bifurcación sin ninguna señal que indicara hacia donde iba cada camino. No me lo podía creer y hubo instantes de desesperación . Ya me veía haciendo un vivac allí mismo . Hasta que Jose descubrió unas pequeñas letras que alguien había escrito a mano y pudimos continuar (el sendero correcto es el de la izquierda ). Vaya tela…

Tras otro rato caminando pasé junto a una casa y pregunté a su propietaria dónde estaba. La alegría fue tremenda, porque había llegado a Sandillani (1.980m), punto final de la etapa; y esa casa era el lugar donde había previsto pasar la noche .

ALOJAMIENTO: URPUMA ECOTURISMO – 25B/Noche

*Puntos a favor: bungalow muy espacioso; buena limpieza; ubicación inmejorable, en medio de la selva; tranquilidad total por la noche; familia propietaria realmente amable; restaurante anexo; precio.

*Puntos en contra: camas individuales; sin electricidad; lavabo exterior compartido; en mi bungalow había un murciélago que no se quería marchar.

Yo estaba agotado , con una dolorosa rozadura en un dedo del pie ; los brazos llenos de picaduras de mosquito (con los nervios no me puse repelente); y una mano con restos de sangre , al cortarme con una planta. Y aun así tuve la cara de negociar a la baja el precio del bungalow, reduciéndolo en 5B. Jose se partía de risa…

Una vez instalado encargué la cena y me senté en el comedor del restaurante . Allí conocí a una pareja de Austria que se alojaba en otro bungalow y estuvimos charlando un rato. Poco después llegó mi plato, con un huevo frito, arroz blanco, patatas fritas y ensalada . Me supo a gloria. Para acompañar, 2 botellas de agua , porque estaba deshidratado. Precio: 40B.

No tardé mucho en regresar a mi bungalow y prepararme para una noche de descanso más que merecida. No podía con mi alma, pero estaba muy satisfecho . Ya había dejado atrás lo peor del Choro Trek.

ETAPA 3: SANDILLANI – CHAIRO / Distancia: 9km / Desnivel: -700m / Tiempo: 2,5 horas

Por la mañana me desperté a las 7.30h con los gritos de los austriacos, que decidieron ponerse en marcha muy temprano . Pero bueno, aproveché y a las 8h ya estaba en el restaurante preparado para desayunar . Me tuve que conformar con un sándwich de huevo frito con tomate y un café con leche (13B).

Antes de comenzar la etapa di un paseo por los alrededores . Una pena que el día volviera a amanecer muy nublado , porque las vistas son espectaculares. En su lugar me acerqué a conocer la Casa Sandillani , una vivienda de ladrillo que durante décadas perteneció a un excéntrico japonés (apodado “el Chino” por los lugareños), que dejaba acampar a los turistas en su jardín y los registraba en un libro de visitas . El pobre falleció en el año 2013 , y ahora su tumba preside el jardín, rodeada de enormes plantas, con una foto y sus gafas de sol .

Más tarde estuve hablando con el matrimonio propietario de Urpuma Ecoturismo. Me explicaron historias alucinantes de sus encuentros con la fauna de la selva: serpientes venenosas, osos enormes, monos … Algo muy difícil de ver en una breve visita como era mi caso.

A las 9.30h comencé la última etapa del Choro Trek, un descenso constante que me llevó hasta la población de Chairo (1.280m). Al principio caminé poco a poco , disfrutando de nuevas panorámicas del valle cubierto de una espesa selva , con el río al fondo. La verdad es que esperaba ver bastante fauna , pero todo quedó en un fugaz grupo de pájaros de plumaje verde y azul ; y numerosos graznidos procedentes de las copas de los árboles. Así que decidí acelerar el ritmo (a pesar de mi herida en el dedo del pie) y bajé casi al trote . Tanto que adelanté a la pareja de Austria , que había salido de Sandillani 2 horas antes que yo. Cerca de Chairo la selva tenía cada vez más parches, con zonas deforestadas para campos de cultivo.

Una vez en el pueblo puse punto y final al Choro Trek . Y lo celebré sentándome en la terraza de un pequeño bar y tomándome una cerveza Paceña (la segunda del viaje, tras la de la Isla del Sol). Precio: 18B. Sentó genial tras varios días de caminata. Un nuevo reto superado , a pesar de las complicaciones.

VIAJE: CHAIRO – LA PAZ

Para regresar a La Paz necesité 3 etapas :

1. Taxi hasta la población de Coroico : en Chairo no hay transporte público, y la simpática dueña del bar me ofreció un vehículo por 150B . Me pareció un precio demasiado caro para dos personas y le estuve dando vueltas. Hasta que apareció la pareja de austriacos , que se sentaron con nosotros a descansar (iban muertos). También querían viajar a Coroico y acabamos aceptando la oferta de la mujer (tocábamos a 37,5B cada uno). El taxi nos dejó en la plaza principal de Coroico, donde me despedí de la pareja.

2. Colectivo a la Terminal Villa Fátima : había furgonetas normales (11 pasajeros) y otras más exclusivas , con aire acondicionado (7 pasajeros). Yo decidí viajar en la primera , porque al ser más barata seguro que se llenaba antes de gente. No sé si fue casualidad, pero al cabo de un minuto ya estábamos en marcha . Eso sí, me tocó un asiento sin respaldo muy incómodo. Precio: 20B (las exclusivas costaban 30B).

El trayecto duró 2,5h , avanzando por una carretera llena de curvas , con montones de perros a punto de ser atropellados, adelantamientos inverosímiles y unas vistas preciosas del valle. No paramos de subir , ya que había que recuperar los 3.600m de desnivel que bajé durante el Choro Trek. Esta carretera fue construida en el año 2007  y sustituyó a la conocida como Death Road , que tuve oportunidad de conocer muy de cerca al día siguiente.

3. Taxi hasta el Hotel Nuevo Sol : ya era de noche , y encima al llegar al centro de La Paz encontramos un tráfico horrible . Así que acepté pagar los 30B que me pidió el conductor en lugar de los 20B habituales.

El Choro Trek es uno de los mejores senderos que se pueden recorrer en Bolivia. Yo pensaba que tras mi trekking por la Cordillera Real sería demasiado repetitivo, pero atraviesa un paisaje selvático totalmente distinto, y si dispones de tiempo se trata de un complemento perfecto . Es posible realizar el Choro Trek en 2 días a buen ritmo , ya que la última etapa es muy sencilla. O en 3 , pero acampando el segundo día en San Francisco , para repartir mejor las distancias.

A parte del Choro Trek hay otras rutas que discurren por la zona de los Yungas , como el Takesi Trek o el Yunga Cruz Trek . Son opciones con menos turistas , aunque yo no vi muchos durante mi caminata (quizás por los destrozos causados por la crecida del río Chucura , que había arrasado muchos puentes).

Si te gustó el post, dale al like (el corazón que hay en la  parte  superior), deja un comentario con tu opinión, y sígueme en redes sociales

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Comentarios

jhenny paye

Excelente descripción del recorrido, este año ire por 4ta vez, lo realizamos en 3 días, terminamos cansados pero al proximo año ya estamos planeando para volver.

Ganas De Mundo

Muchas gracias por el comentario! A mí también me encantaría repetir la ruta, fue toda una aventura y los paisajes espectaculares. Un abrazo!

Andres Orellana

Me encanto el articulo, felicidades! espero pronto hacer este recorrido. Muchas gracias por compartir esta experiencia!!

Gracias a ti por el comentario! Un placer compartir info de viajes. Espero que disfrutes mucho la ruta

Hola! Gracias por compartir tu experiencia! Sabes si hay alguna época mejor para ir? Pienso ir en Julio, gracias!

Hola, normalmente se recomienda ir entre mayo y octubre, que es la temporada seca. Aunque últimamente el tiempo es un poco impredecible. En principio julio es un buen mes. Un abrazo!

Es una experiencia inolvidable, me agrada que personas ajenas a mi país Bolivia disfruten de el más que nadie…..saludos

Gracias por el comentario Roberto, esa ruta me encantó y ya tengo ganas de regresar a Bolivia, me faltó mucho por ver. Un abrazo!

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From the mountains to the valley

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Tour Summary

El Choro is one of the most well-known pre-Columbian trails amongst trekking enthusiasts. This 60km long trail, famous for its diversity of landscape and climate, usually takes 3 days to complete. Over that time you will descend approximately 3600m of elevation!

DID YOU KNOW?

This trail used to be frequented by the Incas for trading and communication.

It is possible to combine this program with summiting Huayna Potosi (6088m).

We leave La Paz after breakfast. A 1-hour drive takes us to La Apacheta (4810m), the highest point of the trek. We will load our equipment onto donkeys and walk downhill for 5-6 hours on a well-kept trail until we reach our campsite at Challampa (2600m).

After a hearty breakfast we start following the Koscapa river until we reach the town of El Choro (2145m). We then continue through a trail which winds through valleys and creeks until we reach San Francisco (1921m) where we will spend our second night.

Today we will have an early start. We keep following the previous trail until we cross the Koscapa river (1715m), at which point we start to ascend through fruit and coffee plantations to the town of Sandillani (1978m). We will have lunch and explore the Japanese garden after which we will carry on to Chairo (1100m) where a car will be waiting to take us back to La Paz.

Bilingual tour guide (Spanish- English)

Private transport

Food during the expedition.

Logistics transport equipment (donkeys / mules)

Camping tent (NORTH FACE OR SIMILAR)

Cooking utensils

THERMAREST PLUS ROLL MAT

Dinning tent at base camp

National park tickets.

Please take with you:

Rucksack (35Lts)

Big Rucksack or Duffel bag (To be carried by porters or mules)

All seasons sleeping bag

Trekking boots

Winter underwear

Waterproof jacket

Sunglasses with UV filter

Bottle of water (NALGENE)

Tour details:

Altittude:   Max. 4800m.(15700fts) Min 1100m.(3.600fts)

Days:   3 days, 2 nights

Season: May to September

Activities: Trekking

Difficulty: Hikking

Location: Cordillera Real - Yungas valley

Guide: English Speaking

Experience: Basic/Medium

Cost: From $ 450

Who?: 100% Guarantee

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El Choro Inca Trek 3 Days

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From the high Andes mountains to the low Yungas! El Choro Inca trail

Trekking: 3 Days, 2 nights

The El Choro trek is the most popular trek with tourists due to its easy accessibility from La Paz, stunning views and varied scenery. Ranging from chilly Andean mountains, down through cloud forest to semi tropical rainforest it offers a range of conditions to deal with but is also a fantastic introduction to the varied environments of Bolivia and the different conditions you can encounter trekking here.

DAY 1 – La Paz to  Challapampa – Mountains and Inca Paving

You will be picked up from the hotel at around 08:00 am.  in private transport for the 45 min to 1 hour drive to  La Cumbre (4.700 m.a.s.l.) which is the starting point for the trek. Here it can be very cold in the mornings and it is not uncommon to find snow and ice on the ground so you will need warm clothing for this section where you will start the trek which is going to lead us to the warm valleys of Los Yungas.  We will walk up to 4.900 m. and here we will find the pre inca trail and then we start to descend.  After around a  6 hour walk, we will arrive to the village of Challapampa where we will set up camp.

DAY 2 –  Challapampa to Sandillani – Cloud Forest Views    

Today is a longer walking day and involves several up and down sections . As the day goes on the vegetation becomes denser and the climate more tropical. The views are stunning and very typical of the “Yungas” cloud forest area. After around 8 hours walk we will arrive at the small population of Sandillani where we eat and spend the night camping

DAY 3 –  Sandillani to Coroico – Semi Tropical Jungle Trails

The last day involves around 5 or 6 hours walking and is mostly very hot so you will need plenty of water and it is advisable to use insect repellent. The trek ends at the village of Chairo where we will return in private transport to La Paz.  

EMERGENCIES AND SAFETY  – Our guides carry a first aid kit, cel phone and long range radios. Also for your convenience the guide will have available “gaffa” tape for repairs or patching skin hotspots (pre blister areas on your feet), shoe laces, disinfectant hand wash.

INCLUDED IN TOUR:

• Transport to the trail head (Cumbre)
• Local Spanish speaking guide
• Camping fee
• Stays overnight in tent
• Sleeping mattress
• All meals from lunch on the 1st day up to lunch on the last day
• Cooking gear
• Transport of tent, food, cooking gear

Also Available for Use Upon Request (RENT)

• Quality branded sleeping bags
• Waterproof  poncho
• Trekking pole

NOT INCLUDED

• Entrance fee
• Transport from Coroico back to La Paz by bus Bs. 25 to 30 p.p.
• Entrance fee, about Bs. 20 p.p.
• Shoes, water, snacks
• Sleeping bag: Bring your own sleeping bag or rent one
• Self-inflating mattress/iso-mattress
• Transport/porter for your own personal items
• All other costs that are not specifically mentioned
• Basic English speaking guide

• - Guides with passion and enthousiasm
• - Our team speaks English, Spanish and Dutch
• - CERTIFIED GUIDES
• - Our teams and client to guide ratios are kept small
• - Discover the highlights as well as authentic Bolivia
• - Our work is our greatest passion, this is also reflected in the positive feedback on Tripadvisor

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El Choro Trek

Pedro Domingo Murillo, Bolivia

"An epic challenge to remember from the heart of Pedro Domingo Murillo"

The El Choro Trek is a 49.1 km trail that starts in La Paz, Pedro Domingo Murillo, Bolivia. Based on our data, the trail is graded as Difficult. For information on how we grade trails, please read measuring the difficulty of a hiking trail on hiiker . Also, check our latest community posts for trail updates. This trail can be completed in approx 4 days. Caution is advised on trail times as this depends on multiple variables. For more info read about how we calculate hike time .

User comments, reviews and discussions about the El Choro Trek, Bolivia.

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5.4 km · 1290 m

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Start 4850m - End 1750m

Departure Place

La Paz City

• Group Size: 1-12 max
• Difficulty: 3 - Moderate walking, hilly terrain
• Destiny: Challapampa - Choro
• Availability: Year Round

From: $ 269,00

for a quick and easy booking process. You can reserve with 50% or 25%

El Choro Trek (Inca Trail) starts at a 4,650m/15,250ft, It is one of the most famous and recognized treks in this region, it runs approximately 65 kilometers on the road.

Crossing the Cumbre at a 4850m/ 15912ft, above sea level pass through the Cordillera Real surrounded by glaciated peaks and Andean flora and fauna such as llamas, alpacas, bears (Jucumari) and numerous bird species and then descends to and through the spectacular Yungas cloud forest.

El Choro Trail in Bolivia is a must-visit destination for hikers and nature lovers. This ancient Inca trail stretches for over 40 kilometers, winding through the stunning Andean mountains and offering breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys and rivers.

The trail starts in the high-altitude town of La Cumbre, where hikers can admire the snow-capped peaks of the Andes before descending into the lush cloud forest below. Along the way, you’ll pass by small villages, waterfalls, and ancient Inca ruins, providing a glimpse into the rich history and culture of the region.

The Choro Trail is a challenging but rewarding trek, with steep ascents and descents that will test your endurance. However, the stunning scenery and unique cultural experiences make it well worth the effort. Be sure to pack plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen, and prepare for changing weather conditions as you make your way through this stunning natural wonder.

Whether you’re an experienced hiker looking for a new challenge or a nature enthusiast eager to explore the beauty of the Bolivian Andes, the Choro Trail is sure to captivate and inspire you. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this hidden gem in the heart of South America.

The ancient Inca trail

La paz – challapampa.

We walk through one of the most beautiful pre-Inca roads, from the summit at 4850m / 15912ft, until the Llamacucho at 3950m / 12959.32 is a spectacular descent, and then continues to the village of Samañapampa, where we will have lunch.

After lunch we will continue our way to Chucura, here we will arrive approximately an hour later, payment entrance fees for the community, and then continue our descent to the village of Challlapampa (2800m / 9200 ft.) Place of camping and dinner, here we will pass the night.

Challapampa – San Francisco (Choro Bridge)

We start the trek, this second day there are ups and downs in the most tropical part, we will get to the Choro Bridge, where we will have lunch, then cross the bridge, and continue our walk through spectacular and beautiful places, here the flora changes and the fauna. We will arrive to San Francisco camping and dinner place (2,630m / 8630ft) here we will spend the Night.

San Francisco – Chairo – La Paz or Coroico (Return)

We start the day earlier, we are much lower in the Yungas of Bolivia, for this area we will see many butterflies and birds of the area, multicolored birds, and if we are lucky Jucumari bear, this area is special for lovers of the photograph.

We walk to Sandillani, where we can see more clearly the ecological changes abundant banana trees, yuccas, and from this height we will observe coca plantations.

We continue the journey until we descend to 1750m / 5741ft, to Chairo where we finish our adventure, here we will have lunch in Chairo, then take our return transport to the city of La Paz or if you wish in Coroico.

— Included —

• Bi-lingual guide
• Private transport
• Entrance fees
• Trekking tent quality

— Not Included —

• Personal Expenses

— Recommended —

• Sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support
• Comfortable and breathable clothing suitable for hiking
• Lightweight and moisture-wicking layers to adjust to changing weather conditions
• Waterproof jacket or poncho
• Sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Hydration system or water bottles
• Snacks and energy bars

Spectacular mountain views

The trail offers breathtaking views of the Andean mountains, including snow-capped peaks and verdant valleys.

Ancient Inca ruins

Hikers can explore ancient Inca ruins along the trail, providing a glimpse into the region's rich history and culture.

Challenging terrain

The trail features steep ascents and descents that will test your endurance and offer a thrilling adventure for experienced hikers.

Cultural experiences

Along the way, hikers can visit small villages and interact with local residents, gaining insight into the traditional way of life in the Andes.

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El Choro Trek

• 1.1 History
• 1.2 Landscape
• 1.3 Flora and fauna
• 1.4 Climate
• 3 Fees and permits
• 4 Get around
• 11 Stay safe

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El Choro Trek is in the La Paz department of Bolivia .

The mainly well paved stone trail was constructed before or during the Inca Empire for the transport of food and goods from the lower subtropical area of the Yungas to the bigger cities in the mountains like today's La Paz .

La Cumbre, the starting point of the trek, is a very high and cold place with a few small plants and a rocky landscape. Climbing up to the highest peak of the trail, you might experience snow and strong wind. From that point on the trail goes down into a valley, where you have a humid, softer climate. There are more and more plants, and after some hours you see several rivers, waterfalls, cattle and llamas.

It gets more humid and after one or two days you enter subtropical areas with high trees and a wide variety of plants. The area is very hilly and most of the time you follow a big river. Several times you pass waterfalls or rivers on hanging bridges or on stones.

Flora and fauna

The first hours, after passing the summit, you will find little vegetation. Beneath Lamas, which belongs to the locals, there are barely any animals. Later, the pasture is accompanied by ferns and bushes. More and more plants encircle the trail as well as some flowers. The wood of conifers and others begins more or less close to Chucura and is more and more mixed with banana palms and subtropical plants as it goes down. Close to the end of the trail there are also coffee plants.

The most impressive animals you see are the butterflies and other insects and birds. There are a few mosquitos. One very famous bird of the Yungas region is the cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus).

The first part is quite cold: Snow paves the way of the first hours all year round as it leads to the summit.

After the summit you will descend through cloudy and foggy air until you find the first green valleys crossed by little rivers and some flowers. The first bushes and smaller trees are behind Samañapampa. The nights are cold here as it is still around 4,000 meters high. In general, huge parts of the trails' pavement are slippery and wet. Later, as you enter the zone with more vegetation after passing Chucura, parts of the trail are closely surrounded by wet plants. From the campsite of Challapampa on, it gets way warmer and the nights are calm. Clouds tend to sit over this site of the mountains, so it is in general quite rainy.

• Take a bus from the bus terminal north of Villa Fatima to any town in Yungas. There should be plenty of buses leaving frequently. Expect to pay Bs. 10 per person for a bus, Bs. 15 or 20 for a micro (faster). From La Cumbre follow the path around the Registro (red building). Don't forget to write your informations on the registro inside the building (for safety reasons).
• Take a taxi from La Paz to La Cumbre or even to the start of the Choro Trek. Expect to pay Bs. 200-300 per group.
• Take a full inclusive tour from La Paz. Expect to pay at least Bs. 700 per person.
• -16.321026 -68.054849 1 El Choro Trek start . The GPS coordinates of the start are -16.3210262 and -68.0548494  

Fees and permits

You need to pay Bs. 20 at Chucura for maintenance of the path and bridges.

Hiking is the only option for getting around. OpenStreetMap has good coverage of the area . On average, it takes three days and two nights to do the trek, but the trek is more relaxed in 4 days.

On the first night, you will probably camp at Samañapampa, which will take you at least 4 hours from the starting point. The next place to stay at night is Challapampa. In between, there are no options, and the path from Samañapampa to Challapampa takes around 6 hours, depending on weather conditions.

From Challapampa to San Francisco it takes 7 hours, and from San Francisco to the end of the trail, 5 hours. In general, you need to rest in between, as it is steep from time to time.

From the high mountains to the subtropical woods of the Yungas, you will see many different plants, colourful butterflies and many parts are close to a river, which includes spots for dipping in the water and several smaller waterfalls.

As you will walk most of the time, you can basically watch the surroundings and dip in the water, but there are no offerings of additional activities or services along the trail.

• -16.28708 -68.050129 1 Samañapampa . This small registration hut sells water, soft drinks, sandwiches and a schematic map of the trek with average hiking times, distances and altitudes (Bs. 1).  
• Challapampa – At this family based ground next to the river you can buy beer, food and a cooked meal. There is also space for camping here
• Sandillani – Camp site and lodges, and a little shop contains food and drinks and the owner offers to cook as well. (The store is well stocked.) It is convenient for extending the trek to 4 days and stay here with amazing views of the route. It was closed in the past, maybe only seasonal — check ahead.

You should carry all your food with you. There are some restaurants and little shops on the way, but they can be closed as owners travel to buy goods from time to time.

Bring coca leaves and offer them to all the locals, that is the easiest and fastest way to make friends. Consider bringing dry fruits, biscuits and the like to offer to the kids that ask you for sweets. But consider that they have no access to dental care, so better not to hand too much sugar.

Being able to sterilize water is an advantage, but not necessary. Most camp sites sell 2 L bottled water for Bs. 20. You can as well drink the water of the rivers. Locals avoid drinking from the main river and use the small streams instead.

You have to camp (with your own gear, you can rent it in La Paz). You should be able to camp under a roofed camp site though. The lodges on the way in Sandillani had been closed as the income was too low for the owners. There are more roofed camping opportunities, but you will probably use two of these three (in a 3 day trek):

• -16.249973 -67.982067 1 Challapampa . Camp site in the valley next to the bridge. It has electric light during the evening, pipes with flowing water, a covered table with benches, a covered place for tents, but only a squat toilet. The little shop provides food and beer. Also cooked food can be bought by the family running the place. Bs. 10 per person .  
• -16.215169 -67.938695 2 Buena Vista . Campsite with a wonderful view and fresh water, even has a shower! There is cooked food available as well. Bs. 10 or 15 per person .  
• -16.221053 -67.911513 3 San Francisco . Nice campsite with fresh water, covered table with benches and covered place for tents. The toilet may be a bit inconvenient for some people to access. The owner runs a little shop with few goods to eat and drink and if you ask him, you can also use his little kitchen. Consider leaving behind anything you might not need any more for the trek, as that is probably your last night and hot meal. She would specially benefit from a cheap batteryless light that gets recharged by winding it (€5 in Decathlon), as they have no electricity. Bs. 10/15 per person .  

Take waterproof clothes and shoes with you. There are no alternative ways to walk than via the trail and no transport options. Parts of the trail might have eroded in heavy rains or parts of bridges might have collapsed, so you might have to improvise as well. On hanging bridges, you should pass one person at a time (and mind your step when some planks go missing). The people living on the trail are friendly and helpful, but some among the older ones do not speak Spanish, only the local language.

Bring plenty of medicines. Not only there is no medical help in case you need it, there is no medical facilities for the locals neither, so they rely on tourists when they are ill. Don't be surprised if you run out of ibuprofen and plasters.

A taxi from Chairo to Coroico may be overpriced (Bs. 180 per group). There is no public transport. From Coroico there is frequent public transportation to La Paz for Bs. 20 per person.

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• El Choro - Classic 3-Day Inca Trek

EL CHORO - CLASSIC 3-DAY INCA TREK

The El Choro trek  is the most popular trek with tourists due to its easy accessibility from La Paz, stunning views and varied scenery. Ranging from chilly Andean mountains, down through cloud forest to semi-tropical rainforest it offers a range of conditions to deal with but is also a fantastic introduction to the varied environments of Bolivia and the different conditions you can encounter trekking here.

The El Choro trek is the most popular trek with tourists due to its easy accessibility from La Paz, stunning views and varied scenery. Ranging from chilly Andean mountains, down through cloud forest to semi tropical rainforest it offers a range of conditions to deal with but is also a fantastic introduction to the varied environments of Bolivia and the different conditions you can encounter trekking here.

DAY 1 – La Paz to  Challapampa - Mountains and Inca Paving

You will be picked up from the hotel at around 08:30 am.  in private transport for the 45 min to 1 hour drive to  La Cumbre (4.700 m.a.s.l.) which is the starting point for the trek. Here it can be very cold in the mornings and it is not uncommon to find snow and ice on the ground so you will need warm clothing for this section where you will start the trek which is going to lead us to the warm valleys of Los Yungas.  We will walk up to 4.900 m. and here we will find the pre inca trail and then we start to descend.  After around a  6 hour walk, we will arrive to the village of Challapampa where we will set up camp.

DAY 2 –  Challapampa to San Francisco - Cloud Forest Views  

Today is a harder walking day and involves several up and down sections . As the day goes on the vegetation becomes denser and the climate more tropical. The views are stunning and very typical of the “Yungas” cloud forest area. After around 6.5- hours walk we will arrive to San Francisco where we eat and spend the night camping.

DAY 3 – San Francisco  to Coroico - Semi Tropical Jungle Trails

The last day involves around 5 or 6 hours walking and is mostly very hot so you will need plenty of water and it is advisable to use insect repellent. The trek ends at the village of Chairo and from there we will take a transfer to Coroico where our trek will come to an end.  

• Private transportation to beginning of trek
• Transport from Chairo to Coroico
• Camping fees
• Pickup from your hotel / hostel in central La Paz 
• Spanish-speaking trekking guide (Basic English speaking for an additional cost, see below - not always available) 
• Meals during trek
• Camping equipment - tent, mattress

NOT INCLUDED

• Sleeping bag - can be rented for 50 Bs (pay on first morning but let us know in advance)
• Poles - can also be rented for 50 Bs
• Water - we recommend 2 liters to start with, then you can purchase more from local shops on the way or you can refill from natural streams (in this case you will need water purification tablets that you can easily find in pharmacies)
• Travel Insurance - recommended 
• Sunglasses and sun cream 
• Return bus back to La Paz 15-20bs
• Entrance fee Chucura Viallage on route 10bs
• If you wish to hire a Basic English speaking guide there is an additional cost - please see below.The level of English for these guides can be less than conversation level and they know enough to understand and give basic instructions/ information only. An English speaking guide is not always available and in case we cannot confirm it, we will obviously refund you the extra cost you paid. The more notice you give us, the more likely it will be that we can confirm the English speaking guide. If you don't want to go on the trek unless you have an English speaking guide, you  must  let us know in the Further Details section, otherwise if it is not available, we will still confirm the tour with a Spanish-speaking guide. Price is per person.
• The trek requires a  minimum of 2 people  in order to leave but you can book for one and if we find more people the trek will go on that date. If we do not we can refund your money as per our cancellations policy. You can also book as a PRIVATE ONE PERSON TOUR - by booking this option there will be a guaranteed departure of the trek. Use the  Private One Person Tour  checkbox below to select this option.
• You will be carrying your own personal belonging on this trek but not your own tent or any of the food. It is possible to hire porters for this trek at a cost of 36.50usd$ per day. Each porter can carry one backpack of up to 50L in size. 

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Fill in the required details and click "add to cart".You can then continue shopping for more items or click on the "cart" link at the top right hand corner of the page to complete your booking.

You must provide details for each passenger that you are booking for and also ensure that you change the qty box to show the correct amount of passengers that you are booking for.

• Private Tour for Just One Person add an additional + $140.00
• I would like to have a Basic English-speaking guide for this trek (if available) + $20.00

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Inca Trail? yes, the Incas built a huge system of trails. So big was it, that Inca Trails can be found in many countries in South America, not only in Peru. El Choro Trek is a trail built by the Incas in pre-Columbian times. This road was used to transport goods and food from the lower subtropical areas to the bigger cities in the mountains.

Along the El Choro trail, trekkers get to visit Inca ruins, some local communities, and to experience the different climate regions of Bolivia. Starting with a dry and cold weather at the top, followed by the cloud forest and ending in a wet, subtropical climate, this road offers its visitors a wide range of changing landscapes.

If you want to experience Bolivia at its best, with its culture and diverse flora and fauna, the El Choro trek is for you. Walk along this ancient path and discover Bolivia! Vamos!

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• Trivia It is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Amor Towles .
• Goofs Before February 1922, a red star on a budenovka (pointy cloth military helmet) was decorated with 5-6 mm black edging.

User reviews 149

• balancelife1969
• May 10, 2024
• How many seasons does A Gentleman in Moscow have? Powered by Alexa
• March 29, 2024 (United States)
• United Kingdom
• En gentleman i Moskva
• Bolton Town Hall, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, UK
• Vanity Film & TV
• Popcorn Storm
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 55 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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