Laguna Kacha (Bolivia)

The Cordillera Real mountains lie east of the Bolivian capital La Paz and are known as the Himalayas of the New World. Their snow-capped summits range from around 13,000 ft to approximately 21,000 ft in height. Amongst the most famous peaks are Illampu (20,892 ft ), Ancohuma (21,086 ft), Chachakumani (19,928 ft) and Huayna Potosí (19,974 ft).

The Cordillera Real trek is considered to be the most spectacular in Bolivia. Allow three weeks to walk the entire mountain chain. It is also possible to just spend a week or two hiking a section of the Cordillera Real.

After a week spent trekking from mountain pass to mountain pass and through various valleys in the Cordillera Real in the company of our mule drivers, we finally reached  Laguna Kacha and the Kacha Valley, which lie at an altitude of more than 16,000 ft. Above us rose the peaks of Ancohuma and Illampu, dominating this section of the Cordillera. We headed next to Laguna Carizal and Laguna Chojna Quta, at the foot of the Paso Calzada pass.

Exhausted from what had been an intensive day of walking but with our eyes filled with the sight of the star-filled sky above us, we set up camp. Another day of trekking lay ahead of us in the morning!