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As we acclimatize in the rarified air of La Paz, we will be going out each day to different parts of the city and nearby canyon lands to meet the locals as they go about their daily lives, tending to their animals and agriculture. A large part of the Bolivian population is based on agrarian pursuits so no matter what direction we head, we will find people in the fields with the stunning background of the Andes as a constant reminder of the majestic landscape we are traveling in.
After acclimatizing in La Paz, we head towards Lake Titicaca, the jewel of the Andes and our first destination, the pilgrimage site where the lake-side town of Copacabana is located. Just the drive out of the canyon where La Paz hides is an amazing ride as we climb close to 3,000 ft / 900 m out of the canyon until we are on the proper Altiplano (the high plateau) that averages 13,000 above sea level. The city of El Alto is the biggest urban center we will cross during this journey. It’s a bustling, traffic-chocked city, that never sleeps, with haphazard streets and raw brick buildings in constant construction. Once past it, we can enjoy the open space as we head towards Lake Titicaca.
As we drive northwest, we have the imposing Cordillera Real on our right that dominates the backdrop and is the source of water for both cities of El Alto and La Paz. The rolling hills lead us to the southern coast of the smaller part of the Lake Titicaca called Wiñaymarka and the small villages and hamlets that dot the shoreline. En-route the road climbs and dips next to the shoreline until we drop down into the Straits of Tiquina then cross on motorized ferries over to the Peninsula of Copacabana. This section of road is truly one of the most spectacular in all of the Andes, as we travel high above the lake with helicopter views of the lake below, the rolling foothills of the Andes lapping at the snow-capped cordillera showing off its crown of ancient glaciers. We spend the night in Copacabana to acclimatize and see the colorful markets and countryside. The next couple of days are spent on the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) where we get to walk to Inca ruins, see stunning sunsets and meet the Aymara living in harmony with their environment. The island has a magical tone to it, and we get to bask in the simplicity of a world where there are no cars and noise, just jaw-dropping views of the rugged island, the shimmering lake and watch the clouds play hide-and-seek across the summits of the Andes.
By now, everyone should be well acclimatized so we head to the Apolobamba Range! We head back across the lake and the straits of Tiquina and over to the idyllic scenes near Santiago de Huata as we drive northwest next to Lake Titicaca near the Peruvian border. We begin to rise quickly and come closer to the spiritual landscape of the Apolobamba – the remote mountains where the medicine men of the Andes call home. Our goal is the town of Charazani where we spend a couple of nights. The next couple of days will be about making portraits of these people as they prepare medicine and rituals, as they have done for centuries. Visualize old wise men, aged by the strong Andean sun, sitting on a knoll, making a ceremony with glaciated summits in the background and deep valleys below. If we are lucky, the spirit of the condor will fly above us. The spirits cannot be planned; they must be experienced and called forth by the ones who can communicate with them. The Apolobamba is a very special place, and you will feel it.
After a couple of days our route heads back towards Lake Titicaca to spend a few more days making photos of the people on the lake and the rolling hills below the mountains. We visit Suriqui island where the legendary totora-reed boat builders come from, just a brief sail from the southern shore and the town of Huatajata. We spend our last night on shore then head towards the mountaineering basecamp of Mt. Huayna Potosi, a 6,000-meter mountain only 2 hours from a major metropolitan city. The drive takes us past a hydroelectric lake and over into the Zongo valley, where the upper ramparts of Huayna Potosi’s glaciers melt into small streams and drop into the tropical Yungas valleys. These glacial melt waters eventually end up in the Amazon basin, cutting through the jungle and finally empty into the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil, over 3,000 miles to the east!
We return to La Paz for our final dinner together and to celebrate a journey into the heart and soul of the Bolivian Andes!
The tour is researched and designed, on-the-ground, by expert landscape photographer and author, Sergio Ballivian. Sergio’s deep connection to this magical plateau can be viscerally felt in his large format photography book, Altiplano - Where Earth and Sky Embrace. Before arrival in Bolivia, we provide a pre-departure information packet, with info sheets to help you plan clothing and camera equipment.
Geographical Highlights:
La Paz, officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz, is the seat of government of Bolivia. The city, in west-central Bolivia is an hour’s drive southeast of Lake Titicaca, and set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River, with source waters from the glaciers of the Cordillera Real. It is surrounded by the high Andes mountains to the east and the Altiplano to the west. Overlooking the city is Mt. Illimani; its three main peaks, eternally covered in snow and glaciers, rises to 21,122 ft / 6,438 m into the crisp Andean sky.
La Paz is the highest capital city in the world with an average elevation in downtown La Paz of 11,985 ft / 3,650 m above sea level. The actual depth of La Paz is close to 3,000 ft / 900 m, as measured from the highest to the lowest point in the canyon. This dramatic difference gives La Paz very different climatic conditions, depending on where you are standing – from alpine tundra to subtropical highland, with rainy summers and dry winters being the norm.
Lake Titicaca, (Rock of the Puma in Aymara) is an ancient freshwater lake, shared by Bolivia and Peru (split 40/60) surrounded by the Andes at an elevation of 12,507 ft / 3,810 m above sea level. It is the highest navigable lake in the world for large ships. Measured by volume of water and total surface area, it is the largest lake in South America with average depths ranging from 460 to 920 ft / 140 m to 280 m. Titicaca is one of less than twenty ancient lakes on earth and is thought to be a million years old. The Island of the Sun, located in Bolivia, is the birthplace of the Inca empire, with modern day ancestors still using the terraces for crops that were used by their ancestors.
The Apolobamba Range shares a border with Peru and has been the destination for the Tiwanaku and Inca rulers for gold and minerals for centuries. It is also the home of the medicine men of the Andes; the Yatiri’s, Amautas and the Kallawayas. It is remote and wild, and a place rarely visited by tourists.
This photo tour is designed to explore the Bolivian highlands, using La Paz and Lake Titicaca are our core area of exploration including acclimatization time. One does not need to travel far to meet the descendants of the Tiwanaku and the Incas as we have a world of possibilities a short drive from La Paz. To make this journey special, we add a special segment and head to the Apolobamba Range, which is rarely visited and remote. Here we will meet the medicine men of the Andes, the yatiri’s, the amautas and the Kallawayas. Come prepared to make spectacular and moving portraits in the Bolivian highlands. The extreme variety of terrain, vistas, and climates as well as a huge smorgasbord of different people make this photo safari an all-encompassing regional tour-de-force.
As we acclimatize in the rarified air of La Paz, we will be going out each day to different parts of the city and nearby canyonlands to meet and greet the locals as they go about their daily lives in animal husbandry and agriculture. A large part of the Bolivian population is based on agrarian pursuits so no matter what direction we head, we will find people in the fields with the stunning background of the Andes as a constant reminder of the majestic landscape we are traveling in.
After acclimatizing in La Paz, we head towards Lake Titicaca, the jewel of the Andes and our first destination, the pilgrimage site where the lake-side town of Copacabana is located. Just the drive out of the canyon where La Paz hides is an amazing ride as we climb close to 3,000 ft / 900 m out of the canyon on a backroad until we are on the proper Altiplano (the high plateau) that averages 13,000 above sea level in the north. The city of El Alto is the biggest urban center we will cross during this journey. It’s a bustling, never-sleeping city with haphazard streets and ever constant construction. Once past, we can enjoy some open space as we head towards Lake Titicaca.
As we drive north, we have the imposing Cordillera Real on our right that dominates the backdrop and is the source of water for both cities of El Alto and La Paz. The rolling hills lead us to the southern coast of the smaller part of the lake called Wiñaymarka and the small villages and hamlets that dot the shoreline. En-route the road climbs and dips next to the shoreline until we drop down into the Straits of Tiquina then cross over to the Peninsula of Copacabana. This section of road is truly one of the most spectacular ones in all of the Andes, as we travel high above the lake with helicopter views of the lake below, the rolling foothills of the Andes lapping at the snow-capped cordillera showing off its crown of ancient glaciers. We spend one night in Copacabana to acclimatize and see the colorful markets and countryside. The next couple of days are spent on the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) where we get to walk to Inca ruins, see stunning sunsets and meet the Aymara living in harmony with their environment. The island has a magical tone to it, and we get to bask in the simplicity of a world where there are no cars and noise, just jaw-dropping views of the rugged island, the shimmering lake and watch the clouds play across the summits of the Andes.
By now, everyone should be well acclimatized and it’s time to head to the Apolobamba Range! We head back across the lake and the straits of Tiquina and over to the idyllic scenes near Santiago de Huata as we drive next to Lake Titicaca. We begin to rise quickly and come closer to the spiritual landscape of the Apolobamba – the remote mountains where the medicine men of the Andes call home. Our goal is the town of Charazani where we will spend a couple of nights. The next couple of days will be about making portraits of these people as they prepare medicine and rituals, as they have done for centuries. Visualize old wise men, aged by the strong Andean sun, sitting on a knoll, making a ceremony with glaciated summits in the background and deep valleys below. If we are lucky, the spirit of the condor will fly above us. The spirits cannot be planned; they must be experienced and called forth by the ones who can communicate with them. The Apolobamba is a very special place, you will feel it.
After a couple of days our route heads back towards Lake Titicaca to spend a few more days capturing the people in the region. We visit Suriqui island where the legendary totora-reed boat builders come from, just a brief sail from the southern shore and the town of Huatajata. We spend a night on shore then head towards the heart of the Andes and visit the mountaineering basecamp of Mt. Huayna Potosi a 6,000-meter mountain only 2 hours from a major metropolitan city. The drive takes us past a hydroelectric lake and over into the Zongo valley, where the upper ramparts of Huayna Potosi’s glaciers melt into small streams and eventually meet up with the tropical Yungas valleys. These waters eventually end up in the Amazon River surrounded by jungles, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean over 3,000 miles to the east!
We return to La Paz for our final dinner together and to celebrate a journey into the heart and soul of the Bolivian Andes.
The tour is researched and designed, on-the-ground, by expert landscape photographer and author, Sergio Ballivian. Sergio’s deep connection to this magical plateau can be viscerally felt in his large format photography book, Altiplano: Where Earth and Sky Embrace.
Before arrival in Bolivia, we provide pre-departure information sheets as part of the preparation packet to help you plan clothing and camera equipment. Come prepared to capture the heart and soul of the Bolivian highlands!
We can run this trip at any time, so please let us know your date preferences and we will create a custom departure date for you and your group
You can check current group & dates using the CHECK AVAILABILITY button above.
Flights to Bolivia:
Typically, flights to Bolivia depart late in the evening from North American cities (Miami, Houston, Los Angeles) and arrive in La Paz very early the next morning. Depending on your airline, you would arrive at different times on day 1 in La Paz. Please send us your flight schedule and we will arrange to pick you up on the day of arrival.
*International airfare is NOT included in this itinerary.
*For airline tickets, please contact our ticketing agent GEO Travel 210-225-7903.
Itineraries
Day 1
Arrival in La Paz, Bolivia (AM) – City Tour (PM)
Airport Arrival, Immigration & Customs
Depending on your international flight schedule you will arrive very early in the morning (between 2-6 AM) at El Alto International Airport. The airport is located in the city of El Alto which is on the edge of the Altiplano at 13,200 ft / 4023 m above La Paz (downtown La Paz is at 12,000 ft). You are now at high altitude; so, you need to be aware of the effects of altitude on your body; you may feel light-headed and short of breath, but that's normal. Once we drop down 3,000 ft / 900 m in elevation to your hotel (10,200 ft / 3,100 m), you should feel much better.
Upon arrival, you go through Bolivian Immigration for your tourist visa (issued upon arrival) then Customs (Aduana). Your guide will be waiting for you at the general passenger meeting point, just look for the sign from Sergio Photo Tours. We will take your luggage to our private vehicle for transport to the hotel. We'll have bottled water in the vehicle for you, which helps with the acclimatization process.
Private vehicle transport to your hotel
We drive from the airport to the lowest elevation in the city of La Paz which sits at 10,200 ft / 3,100 m. We'll be heading down a winding mountain road with breathtaking views of the valley below. We head to Hotel Mitru Sur (5*) or similar hotel, located in Calacoto/Achumani neighborhood. You'll check in and rest until lunch time (noon) at the hotel.
The best way to acclimatize to altitude, is to move slowly, drink plenty of water and rest when you are tired. Acclimatization time is a very personal affair, some do it quickly, and others take more time. It can take a few hours or a few days. Listen to your body. We design all high-altitude itineraries with acclimatization time built in.
La Paz city tour
At 2 pm we'll begin a 4-hour city tour of this fascinating city deep in the heart of the Andes; visiting open air markets, colonial neighborhoods, the witches' market and take in the vast canyon of La Paz from breathtaking viewpoints. We return to your hotel so you can rest before dinner.
Hotel & dinner location of your choice
After the city tour concludes you can freshen up and rest before dinner at a restaurant of your choice. We will provide a list of preferred restaurants for you to choose from and we can make your dinner reservations. We recommend a light dinner, avoid alcohol and caffeine before bedtime. During the day you may want to enjoy a Mate de Coca (coca tea), a local herbal tea that helps with acclimatization, but refrain from it at night. Anise and chamomile teas help with digestion as well.
Keep drinking water, it’s very important for acclimatization.
Hotel: Hotel Mitru Sur (5*)
Meals included: L
Day 2
La Paz – Andean Foothills and Valleys – La Paz
After breakfast we depart and head east to the spine of the Andes…our objective is the high-altitude agricultural valleys as we head towards Mt. Illimani (21,122 ft. / 6,440 m) sentinel that looms over La Paz. The geographical ruggedness of this region is stunning, and you will see a great deal of canyons, multi-colored cliffs, deep river valleys and never-ending stacks of mountains. Great photographic opportunities abound of people working the fields with stunning backgrounds. We will have lunch at a local restaurant while en-route. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner together at a local restaurant.
Hotel: Hotel Mitru Sur (5*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 3
La Paz – Altiplano – Lake Titicaca - Strait of Tiquina – Copacabana
We depart after breakfast and head via the Altiplano towards the Peninsula of Copacabana and the port-side pilgrimage town of Copacabana. The route goes next to Lake Titicaca on our left and the Cordillera Real on our right, with plenty of spectacular locations for photos of both locations, many including both the lake and the Andes. The road will head north to the Peninsula de Copacabana and across the Strait of Tiquina where the vehicle will cross on a barge and our group will take a motorized boat to the other side to meet our vehicles. Once across you will continue your journey high above the lake with spectacular views of the Altiplano, Lake Titicaca, the Cordilleras Real and Apolobamba and the Islands of the Moon and Sun before arriving in the lakeside town of Copacabana in time for lunch. After checking-in to our hotel on the slopes of the Calvary hill, we can either explore the town a bit or head into the further points of the peninsula where quiet coves hide little villages and hamlets where people still farm and tend to their animals as they have for millennia. We return to our hotel before sunset. You will have time to freshen up before we have dinner together at a local restaurant.
Hotel: Rosario del Lago (4*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 4
Copacabana – Island of the Sun
After breakfast we will depart to the Island of the Sun in a private boat, sailing along the rocky shores of the Peninsula de Copacabana then crossing to the Island of the Sun for about an hour. We will land on the northern point of the island and head up to the Chincana Inca ruins before continuing south along the crest of the island to our hotel, which is located towards the southern end of the island. We will plan to have a picnic lunch en-route. There is no more spectacular location for a hotel like the Estancia Eco-Lodge with unrivaled views of Lake Titicaca below with the majestic Cordillera Real above. Sunsets and sunrises are a dream come true for anyone lucky to spend the night here. We have a plethora of beautiful scenery to enjoy as we walk across the island, enjoying the peaceful quiet as no motor vehicles are allowed, everything is done on foot. There is no need to walk far, as you can catch the sunset today and the sunrise tomorrow, all within the comfort of your cabin or from the main lodge.
Hotel: Estancia Eco-Lodge (4*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 5
Island of the Sun – Yampupata – Copacabana
For those that like sunrises don’t miss this one in the morning – as the views south to Illimani and the Cordillera Real are stunning! All you have to do is open your window and there it is! After breakfast we head south to the port which heads down the Stairs of the Inca and the Sacred Water Fountain. This southern end of the island is where the majority of the people on the island live so we will have time to wander a bit on the narrow trails, talking to people and making portraits. We will have lunch at lakeside and enjoy some time to relax before we sail back to the mainland. We board our private boat back to the village Yampupata where our vehicles will be waiting. En-route you will have plenty of opportunities to photograph the local Aymara people tending to their normal daily life; farming, tending to their sheep, sending their kids to school, all while living at 13,000′ above sea level. From Yampupata we head towards Copacabana via a spectacular dirt road high above the lake before arriving in Copacabana after sunset. After a delicious meal of fresh lake trout (or whatever suits your taste buds...) we head to our hotel to rest and sleep soundly for the night.
Hotel: Rosario del Lago (4*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 6
Copacabana - Santiago de Huayta – Achacachi – Charazani
By now, you should be very well acclimatized after spending a few days in La Paz then moving onto Lake Titicaca and the Island of the Sun. Today we head into high-altitude territory – the Cordillera de Apolobamba, a little-visited group of glacier-covered mountains next to the Peruvian border, just north of Lake Titicaca. Our route takes us from Copacabana, back to the Straits of Tiquina and then northwest towards the Gulf of Achacachi and the towns of Santiago de Huata and Achacachi, before beginning the steady climb into the southern Apolobamba Range. As we leave Lake Titicaca behind, the road meanders across ridges and farmland and we come face to face with the rugged peaks and deep valleys where medicine men make potions that are used throughout the spine of the Andes. Narrow mountain roads with stunning views of glacier-covered peaks will be the order of the day. This is the world of the Amautas, Kallawayas and Yatiris...a select group of people who have been keeping secret recipes and perform rituals for generations, only to be shared with the people that need them. Outsiders do not get to see how the medicines are made, but they can get help from a medicine man in order to cure ailments. One can feel the spiritual energy as you enter the realm of the Kallawayas. We will end up in Charazani, a small town clinging to the side of a very deep canyon where the melting glaciers of the Andes flow into the rivers of the Amazon further to the east. We will have a picnic lunch en-route and take time to see and speak with the locals before arriving in Charazani at the end of the day. In this part of the world, accommodations are basic, but we think the trade-off will be worth it. Dinner and basic overnight accommodations in Charazani.
Hotel: Hostal Mi Tierra (2*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 7
Charazani – Amautas - Condor Canyon - Charazani
As we peer around our basecamp for the next couple of days, we can see small villages on far-off ridges, once in a while, plumes of smoke coming from thatched-roof houses. We are now in Quechua territory. These are the villages and homes of the Amautas, the wise men of the Andes. In the period of the Inca dynasty, they were the scholars and teachers of everything the children of the Inca kings needed to know about their society. This knowledge was maintained through an oral tradition, as they had no written language, and passed it on to future generations. We will visit a village where these people will perform a ceremony for safe travels, good health and abundance. Afterwards we will have a traditional lunch overlooking the mountains. In the afternoon, we head to a canyon that has a very robust population of condors, the sacred bird of the Andes. We return to Charazani in the late afternoon, after sunset. Dinner and basic overnight accommodations in Charazani.
Hotel: Hostal Mi Tierra (2*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 8
Charazani – Escoma – Huarina - Huatajata
The mornings are very quiet in the mountains, and this is a great time to be out and about walking the narrow, steep streets of Charazani. As the locals begin their slow rhythmic morning pace this is a great time for photos, so take advantage of the opportunity and explore early. After breakfast we will begin our drive out of the canyon, crossing various passes until we see Lake Titicaca again. We drop elevation quickly on curvy roads with views of the Apolobamba Range in our rear-view mirror. The stark shimmering blue of the lake will be a powerful and colorful change from the beige and black mountains. We will have lunch en-route. We spend a good amount of time driving on the shores of the lake with breathtaking views of the Cordillera Real on our left. There will be plenty of time for photos of the locals and landscapes from when we leave Charazani until we arrive in the port of Huatajata. Dinner and overnight at the Inca Utama hotel.
Hotel: Inca Utama (4*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 9
Huatajata – Suriqui - Huatajata
The placid mornings on the lake have a peaceful tone and provide a smorgasbord of photo ops when the light is still soft. We depart after an early breakfast for the brief sail to Suriqui Island, home of the famous Aymara totora reed boat-builders of Lake Titicaca. These are the same people who Thor Heyerdahl hired to build the Ra II in 1970 from Ethiopian papyrus reeds that sailed from Morocco to Barbados. We will have lunch at an appointed time before sailing back to the mainland. The rolling hills next to Lake Titicaca is where we head for more exploration and to catch the sunset. We return to our hotel in Huatajata for dinner and rest.
Hotel: Inca Utama (4*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 10
Huatajata – Mt. Huayna Potosi - La Paz
Today is our last day on Lake Titicaca as we head into the heart of the Cordillera Real. A short drive away is our turn-off so we head high into the Cordillera Real, the massive range that has been keeping watch over us for the past 9 days. Our destination is the alpine lake and basecamp to Mt. Huayna Potosi (19,970 ft / 6,088 m) before we drop into Zongo valley. As we head directly east on this windy dirt road, little windows of the Cordillera Real will pop into view around every corner, delighting the senses. Glaciers, rocky summits, fast-moving clouds and historical mining centers and cemeteries are part of what we will see today. Once at the lake we can take a walk on the edge of the lake, enjoy the heady views and then we drive down the other side to the Zongo Valley where we will have lunch. The small stream that has been blocked by the damn above us becomes larger and larger as we head down valley. We will find a nice, secluded spot to pull off and have lunch. There will be time to chat with the locals and enjoy the views, warmer temperatures and lower altitude. At an appointed time, we head back up the valley, up and over the hump of the Andes and wind our way back to the city of El Alto and eventually to the city of La Paz. We should arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon, so you have time to freshen up before our final dinner together at a local Bolivian restaurant.
Hotel: Mitru Sur (5*)
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 11
La Paz - Airport transfer day
Based on your flight schedule we will coordinate a departure time from the hotel. The ride from hotel to the airport takes 45 minutes. Domestic flights require 1 hour arrival before departure and international flights require 3 hours arrival before departure. We will coordinate your hotel departure time when you arrive back in La Paz.
Hotel: none
Meals included: none.
End of Sergio Photo Tours services.
- hotel,
- meals as noted (B,L,D)
- private transport
- bi-lingual guides
- airport transfers
- decades of experience and local knowledge
In order to make a reservation for a photo tour you can either fill in the form found in "BOOKING" and send it in directly from this website, you can e-mail us directly with any questions or call us. The procedure from beginning to end is roughly the following: 1. Initial contact from you to us via several methods; online form (below), e-mail, postal mail or by phone 2. We respond to your query and send you whatever information you may have asked for 3. You fill out the Trip Application Form and send in a deposit (non-refundable) for a specific tour 4. We acknowledge receipt of Trip Application Form and your deposit and send you a Receipt/Invoice for the balance due 5. We send the general Pre-Departure information packet so you can begin to make preparations (gear, visas, clothing, vaccinations, etc.) 6. You send in final payment (60 days before departure date) and required paperwork (Medical Form, Liability Release, copy of passport, Travel Arrangement Form) 7. We send you the Receipt/Invoice for all payments and any balance due (if any) and final itinerary 8. We communicate with you about any last minute requests or questions you may have 9. We meet you at the starting point of the photo tour 10. We all have a great tour and you make awesome images to cherish forever
YES! Anyone can book a single spot on any tour group at any time. These prices reflect the cost for one person, based on the total number of fully-paid people booked on a trip. If you have more people in your group and/or if the total number of people rises, the cost per person goes down. These prices are NOT based on a person or complete group bringing in a set amount of people on a tour
Final group size / price tier will be known 60 days before departure
Yes. You can check the current price tier for any group at any time. Every time we have a new booking we will update the price tier. The same goes if somebody cancels the trip.
