Chacaltaya: how to get there, the 5,421 m altitude and what to pack

At 5,000 meters the air holds close to half the oxygen found at sea level, and that changes the way you walk: three steps, a pause, three steps. On Chacaltaya the pause is part of the excursion.

This guide covers how to get there, how long it takes, how to prepare and what to expect from a mountain that no longer has a glacier.

What Chacaltaya is

Chacaltaya is a mountain in the Cordillera Real, on the edge of La Paz and El Alto, with its summit at 5,421 m (some measurements give between 5,395 and 5,421 m). For decades it was famous for its ski station, considered the highest in the world, with a Club Andino Boliviano refuge dating from the late 1930s and a rustic ski lift that ran mostly at weekends, from November to February.

The glacier that sustained it was about 18,000 years old. In 2005 it was thought it would last until 2015. It disappeared around 2009 and is regarded as the first extinct tropical glacier in South America. Today the station is a set of empty buildings.

What you see from the top

On clear days the summit offers a 360-degree panorama. To the north rises Huayna Potosí (6,088 m); to the south, Illimani (6,438 m), the highest peak in the Cordillera Real. The altiplano stretches west, and on some very clear mornings you can make out a strip of Lake Titicaca. Below, El Alto and La Paz look like a pale smudge at the bottom of the valley.

How to get there from La Paz

There is no convenient public transport to the refuge. There are two real options:

1. Organized excursion. The most common: a minibus with a mountain driver, a guide and a return the same day.
2. Taxi or private driver. Possible, but the road is high, narrow and has few safety barriers. Choose an experienced driver and agree on price, schedule and waiting time.

The minibus route climbs from the city to the old Club Andino refuge. The vehicle goes up to about 5,250 m and, from the refuge, you walk to the summit. For this excursion, the Terra Alta tour page details 7 hours in total and asks for 48 hours beforehand in La Paz: Chacaltaya.

1. La Paz3,640 mearly departure
2. Club Andino refugeabout 5,250 mend of the vehicle stretch
3. Summit5,421 m30 to 60 min on foot

The excursion, hour by hour

A typical day, with an early start, breaks down like this. Times are approximate and depend on traffic, the group and how you feel.

It is best not to linger at the top: altitude tires you more sitting still than it seems, and the cold hits as soon as the effort of the climb stops. The usual stay on the summit is 20 to 40 minutes: take your photos, drink water and start down.

From skiing to science: a short history

The ski station was built in the 1930s, with the support of the Club Andino Boliviano, on the tongue of ice that ran down the mountain. A rustic ski lift carried skiers up to the slope. The season was short, from November to February, and ran mostly at weekends. As the glacier retreated, the slope shortened year after year until it no longer existed.

That same altitude drew physicists. The laboratory at 5,220 m was set up because there is less atmosphere above the instrument and cosmic rays arrive less slowed down.

If you cannot go up, or do not feel like it

There are lower alternatives that offer part of the experience:

• Cable car to El Alto (roughly 4,000 m): a view of the city and the Cordillera Real without leaving the urban area.
• Valle de la Luna and Valle de las Ánimas, in southern La Paz: a clay landscape, little altitude and gentle walks.
• Killi Killi viewpoint: a panorama of La Paz with Illimani behind.
• Tiwanaku, at 3,850 to 3,885 m: moderate altitude and plenty of history. We explain it in the Tiwanaku guide.

When to go

• May to October: dry season, with more clear days and the best views. June to August are the coldest months.
• December to March: clouds and rain, reduced visibility; in those months snow can fall on the summit.
• Time of day: leave early. In the morning the sky is usually clearer than in the afternoon.

Altitude: how to prepare

Acute mountain sickness (soroche) can appear from 2,500 to 3,000 m, and above 5,000 m it is possible even if you are fit. Mild symptoms: headache, insomnia, nausea. Warning signs: confusion, a cough with phlegm, shortness of breath at rest, loss of balance. In that case you must go down at once and get medical attention. For mild symptoms, a slow pace, water, coca tea and, if needed, paracetamol for the headache help. You will find the full plan in our guide to altitude sickness.

Who should not go up: people with uncontrolled heart or lung disease, severe high blood pressure, vertigo, pregnancy or limited fitness should see their doctor first. The minimum age on our departure is 10.

What to pack

• Warm clothing in layers, a hat and gloves: at the summit it is cold and windy even in the sun; temperatures can be below zero.
• Sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen. At 5,400 m the radiation is very intense.
• Closed shoes with good grip.
• Water and something to eat.
• A camera or phone with a charged battery; the cold drains it fast.
• Cash in bolivianos in case you want to buy a tea or leave a tip.

Common mistakes

1. Going up on the day you arrive in La Paz.
2. Packing too little clothing because “it is sunny”: at 5,400 m the wind cuts.
3. Walking fast in the first few minutes. At that height, a slow pace is part of the strategy.
4. Forgetting sunscreen and sunglasses.
5. Expecting to see snow or ski: the glacier no longer exists.

Combine it with other excursions

Chacaltaya can be paired with an afternoon in the Valle de la Luna, at a lower altitude, to balance it out. The Chacaltaya + Valle de la Luna excursion puts two opposite landscapes into one full day. If you prefer to start with something gentle, our La Paz guide explains what to do in the first days.

Recommended tour : Tiwanaku and Puma Punku tour from La Paz