Laguna Jistaña Quta (Bolivia)

The Cordillera Real trek is famous for being one of the most spectacular in Bolivia. It normally takes three weeks to walk the entire length of this mountain chain. However, it is also possible to spend one or two weeks just exploring part of the Cordillera Real.

Before embarking on the adventure, however, it is important to first acclimatise to the altitude by going hiking in the area around Lake Titicaca. It's also important to mention that you need to be in excellent physical condition to cope with the altitude and the pace of the trek.

After spending more than a week trekking through and exploring the mountains of the Cordillera Real in the company of our porters, with various ascents and descents involved, we finally reached Laguna Jist'aña Quta, which lies at an altitude of 14,960 ft near Laguna Kacha. Above us stood the Ancohuma mountain, dominating the whole valley. After spending some time contemplating the exceptional scenery here and observing the various birds that came to drink from the lake, it was time to descend back down the valley to our camping location. Another day of trekking lay ahead of us the following day!