Best Walks and Climbs Around Huayna Potosi mountain, Bolivia.

Climb and trek around one of the most well-known mountain in Bolivia: Huayna Potosi.   Read our expert guide to the best trails around and up to the summit. 

Huayna Potosi is a 6088 metre, non-technical peak, readily accessible from La Paz – three characteristics that make it attractive to novice and experienced mountaineers alike. 

Snow route up Huayna Potosi

This majestic mountain lies at the heart of Bolivia’s marvellous Condoriri range, with several trekking routes leading right to the base of the peak. A few days trekking will equip you with fitness and acclimatisation  – the perfect preparation for a summit attempt. 

On summit day an early start from the refuge under a star filled sky, gives way to a bright dawn. The sun rises over the Amazon offering up beautiful views of the sprawling urbanisations of La Paz and El Alto, the fabulous adjoining peaks of Illimani, Mururata, and Condoriri, the vast length of the Cordillera Real, the plains of the Altiplano and even the far distant Lake Titicaca. 

We suggest you spend some time trekking at altitude in the Bolivian Andes and / or learning some mountaineering skills before attempting a climb of Huayna Potosi. 

The fitter you are and the more acclimatised to high altitude the more you will enjoy the climb and the better chance you will have of success summit day.  

Climber on  Huayna Potosi

If you have a few days available then there is not better way to acclimatise and prepare yourself for a climb of  Huayna Potosi than a few days with an expert Bolivian guide, learning the ropes. Our 4 day programme is designed just for this purpose:

Bolivia Climbing and Mountaineering Itinerary 

Day 1: Depart La Paz by vehicle, walk to base camp (L,D) 

Day 2: Walk to glacier, climbing practice, camp (B,L,D) 

Day 3: Climbing practice, camp (B,L,D) 

Day 4: Break camp, drive back to La Paz (B) 

Alternatively we recommend a combination of several days stunning trekking in the Sajama national park, or in the Cordillera Real, followed by the mountaineering challenge. You will always be fully supported by our team of expert cooks and guides.  

Sajama

Condoriri trek

We have designed a six day trip starting with a four day trek in the magnificent Condoriri range. The trek takes you through some stunning mountain scenery, and right up to the base of Huayna Potosi.

Condoriri and Huayna Potosi Itinerary 

Day 1: Drive La Paz to Rinconada, trek to Laguna Jurikhota (4,700m), camp (L,D) 

Day 2: Condoriri glacier, Austria pass (5,150m) to Laguna Chiarkhota, camp (B,L,D) 

Day 3: Hike to Maria Lloco, camp (B,L,D) 

Day 4: Short trek to Huayna Potosi base camp (B,L,D) 

Day 5: Trek from base camp to mountain refuge (5,130m) (B,L,D) 

Day 6: Trek from refuge to summit (6,088m), return to La Paz (B,L) 

We can put together a longer trek option if you have more time,  including 12 days of trekking the full length of the Cordillera Real, walking through areas where very few tourists ever go.

Kathy, Andean Trails, on Huayna Potosi.

 For more on Huayna Potosi read our blog with tips and advice on how to make it to the summit. 

There are several other straight forward 6,000 m peaks in Bolivia suitable for novice climbers and experts alike:  

Parinacota (6348m) Pomerape (6282m) and Acotango (6082m) lie close to the Chilean border and amid remote, spectacular high altitude mountain scenery, rich in wildlife, such as vicuna. 

Read about the Bolivian cholitas that have climbed many of the Andean peaks in their magnificent country.

Acotango

Parinacota and Pomarape

Please ask us for further information and suggested itineraries. 

Mr Meissner(July 2019)recently returned from a 2 week walking programme in Bolivia including a visit to Lake Titicaca, several days trekking in the Condoriri range and in Sajama national park plus an ascent of Acotango: 

He comments: 

“The whole trip went fine, everything was good. The best part was the climb of Acotango (July 10) and also the 2nd day of the Condoriri Trek from Jurikhota to Chiarkhota via Cerro Austria (July 3). The local team was very responsive and well organized. Everything was done as planned and on time. The guides were all very knowledgeable.  Your overall plan with having several days in La Paz, Tiwanaku  and Lake Titicaca worked out very well. It was also good to have a local mountain guide for the Acotango climb. 

I also felt we benefited the local communities.

I chose this trip as Bolivia is off the beaten path and I had never been there. There were very few tourists on the treks. I wanted to climb a non-technical high peak in the Andes. And I chose Andean Trails for my trip to Bolivia as I had had  a good experience with Andean Trails 2 years ago at the Cordillera Huayhuash Trek in Peru. “