Trekking Around Sorata

The Camino de Oro and the Illampu Circuit are the two classic treks starting from Sorata, but they are long, arduous, and can be dangerous. Less strenuous undertakings are the two-day trek to the Laguna Chalata or a stunning three-day hike to the Laguna Glacier. Official guides can be found in the office opposite the Residential Sorata. Prices vary, depending on what’s included, but you should pay around (Bs)300 for a one-day trip and (Bs)600 for a two-day (one-night) trip, including meals and guide. Renting sleeping bags and tents will cost you more. The most spectacular trip leaving from Sorata is the five-day bike and boat journey to Ruhrenabaque. Andean Epics (591/712–76685, 591/712–76685 andeanepics.com) provides a fully provisioned trip with good bikes into the Bolivian rain forest, where you pick up a boat for a river trip to the jungle town. It costs around $350 USD per person, depending on group size.

A good day walk from Sorata is the San Pedro cave, a three-hour walk around a winding mountain road to the caves, where there is a (Bs)15 entry fee. No guides are needed for this relatively flat hike, which takes in some spectacular views from high above the Sorata River and the valley it has carved in the mountains.