Bolivia’s High Route: Cordillera Real Traverse & Huayna Potosí Summit

Expedition leadership Led by an ACMG Hiking Guide The Huayna Potosí summit attempt is led by an IFMGA-certified mountain guide, supported by a dedicated local logistics team. This is a Challenge 10/10 expedition. Continuous high altitude, 12 days of loaded-pack travel and a 6,088 m summit attempt make this our most demanding international adventure. Departure Dates 2027 May 16 – June 5, 2027 Book this date You will be redirected to our secure Square checkout to pay your 25% deposit. This confirms your spot. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure. A confirmation email with trip details, training guidance and a detailed packing list will follow. Know before you go This is a serious high-altitude, self-carried expedition This is not a classic trekking trip where you hike with a daypack while pack animals carry your gear. Over twelve days, you’ll carry your personal equipment, sleeping system, and a share of food and group gear between planned resupply points. The trek takes place at sustained altitude, with high points around 5,400 m before the Huayna Potosí summit attempt at 6,088 m. Expect long days, cold nights, rough mountain terrain, changing weather and a loaded pack for multiple consecutive days. We have one planned mid-traverse resupply by van around Day 6 or 7, allowing us to top up food and fuel while keeping pack weights sensible. Exact route, camps, daily distances and the resupply location may adapt to conditions, road access and the group’s pace. This trip requires excellent fitness, strong endurance and previous multi-day backpacking experience. You should be comfortable carrying a loaded pack over uneven terrain for long consecutive days and able to stay positive when conditions become uncomfortable. After the traverse, we transfer directly to a refuge near Huayna Potosí to rest, refuel and prepare for the climb. Summit success is never guaranteed; weather, mountain conditions and the group’s wellbeing will always guide the plan. If you are excited by hard-earned passes, huge mountain days, expedition-style camping and a serious summit objective, you’ll probably love this trip. Over 21 days, we cross Bolivia’s Cordillera Real on foot, carry a real expedition load through the high Andes and finish with a summit attempt on Huayna Potosí, one of South America’s most iconic 6,000 m peaks. This is a true point-to-point mountain journey. We begin near Sorata beneath the Illampu range and travel south through remote valleys, glacial lakes and high passes before reaching the Huayna Potosí side of the range. No backtracking, no rushed in-and-out itinerary—just a proper journey through the mountains. We begin in La Paz before travelling north to Sorata for our final expedition preparation. This is where we sort our food, dial in our packs, meet the local logistics team and make sure everyone is ready before stepping into the range. From there, the traverse begins. For 12 days, we move through some of Bolivia’s wildest mountain country: wide puna grasslands, turquoise alpine lakes, glaciated peaks and remote Andean valleys far beyond the usual tourist circuit. Our local logistics crew and private vehicle support the wider expedition, with one planned resupply around the halfway point. But the route itself is travelled on foot, carrying what we need and moving as a team through the mountains. At the end of the traverse, we don’t make the unnecessary detour back to La Paz. Our vehicle meets us near Huayna Potosí, and we transfer directly to a mountain refuge to recover, eat well and prepare for the next objective. Together with a certified IFMGA mountain guide, we move to high camp and make our summit attempt on Huayna Potosí, 6,088 m. After more than 2 weeks in the Andes, we rope up before dawn and climb toward one of Bolivia’s most memorable summits. Then we head down. We trade snow-covered peaks and thin air for the warm green valleys of the Yungas, finishing with two nights in Coroico. Good food, jungle views, a pool and time to let the whole thing sink in before returning to La Paz. By the time we leave Bolivia, you won’t just feel like you completed a trek. You’ll feel like you crossed a mountain range, climbed a 6,000 m peak and travelled through a country from the high Andes to the edge of the jungle. Distance: approximately 155 km Elevation gain: approximately 8,500 m Traverse duration: 12 days Highest point on the traverse: approximately 5,400 m Summit objective: Huayna Potosí — 6,088 m Total duration: 21 days, 20 nights Region: Cordillera Real, Huayna Potosí & the Yungas, Bolivia Difficulty: Extreme — Challenge 10/10 This expedition includes sustained travel at high altitude, remote camping and variable mountain conditions. Route details, campsites, daily distances, summit plans and resupply access may need to change for safety, weather, road conditions or group wellbeing.