Cordillera Real - Bolivia - June 2021

Hello! 

My boyfriend and I are currently planning a 3 week trip to the Cordillera Real of Bolivia and are looking to meet up with other climbers with similar experience in Bolivia.

The plan is to climb Huayna Potosi, Pequeño Alpamayo, and Illimani (in that order) without a guide. Before Huayna Potosi, we are planning on taking an intermediate mountaineering course (including a basic intro to ice climbing) that lasts 5 days. The cost of the class is around $400 USD per person if 4 of us take it together. 

We have already purchased our flights and these are our dates: 

We have experience on up to 5.5k meter peaks and have solid rock climbing rope skills, but not advanced mountaineering experience, thus the idea of taking the course.  We have mostly climbed in Mexico, with a variety of routes on Iztaccíhuatl, Pico de Orizaba and other mexican volcanoes. We are actually currently living in Mexico City so the tallest mountains we have climbed unguided in the US are South Sister and Mt. Rainier via the Disappointment Cleaver. 

We would like to connect with 2 or 3 people who are on a similar boat in terms of experience and who would be interested in joining our itinerary. It would be cool to meet up with someone else who lives in Mexico to climb together beforehand but we could also video call people further away. 

I can share the logistics of our trip so far as well as more information regarding the course if you think you are interested in joining.

Any additional recommendations or tips are totally appreciated!

You might as well use a guide for Huayna Potosí as cheap as it is. I think we paid $125 each in 2017 and that was transport, food, guide, equipment, and lodging. Just having someone else cook the food is worth the cost alone. You'll meet some new people, support the local guides, and enjoy an itinerary honed over thousands of ascents. It's a fantastic climb. 

Climb Pequeño Alpamayo and Illimani on your own. After that trip strongly consider a visit to Huaraz, Peru. It's world's premier 6,000m peak climbing destination with none of the permitting BS you find in the Himalayas. It's well set up for independent climbers.

On an unrelated note, you should check out a tour of the silver mine in Potosí on your dia descanso if you can delay returning to La Paz. For cheap you get a guided (in english or spanish) tour inside a pitch black mine, make an offering of cigarettes and booze to the devil, and bring gifts of dynamite and coca leaves to the workers. One of the most surreal parts of my tour involved getting pushed back by a wave of air triggered by some far away explosive. Besides being a phenomenal tour, your fees provide a way to break the cycle of generational dependence of mine work. 

I second the Potosí mine tour. The town of Potosí combines well with Salar de Uyuni. Both are high up too so it makes sense to do these first then go climb mountains, you will acclimatize better. 

I have the contact for a great mountain guide down there. He's been up everything down there a few dozen times. DM me if you want it. He will give you a great deal and it's a win win for everyone (he gets paid more than usual you pay less you would vs a standard booking service). 

Also there is a fair bit of kit available for rent in La Paz. If there is an expensive item you are contemplating buying but won't need for climbing wherever you live you might want to consider rental. I got to climb in rental Spantiks and I was pretty stoked about that on summit day for Huayna Potosí. 

Wow thank you so much guys. Those are excellent! I will definitely consider those tours before climbing.

How did it go? Planning similar trip with more rock for April/ May 2022