Pickup at your lodging at 8:00. Acclimatization: minimum 48 hr beforehand in La Paz.
For almost two hours you can't see the lagoon, and then the water appears all at once. The trek to Laguna Charquini, also known as Laguna Esmeralda, climbs from La Paz to a turquoise lagoon at about 5,000 m, wedged between Charquini and Huayna Potosí. It is an outing of about 8 hr door to door, with pickup at your lodging, a guided ascent of 1 hr 30 min to 2 hr and a descent of roughly 1 hr. It is not technical, but it is demanding because of the effort and the altitude, and it requires at least 48 hr of prior acclimatization in La Paz. It includes round-trip transport, a Spanish-speaking guide (English on request), coca tea, a snack and water.
Highlights
- Turquoise. Water of a deep tone that appears all at once as you top out on the last stretch; the intensity of the color depends on the light and the season.
- Non-technical. There are no ropes or crampons and no mountaineering experience is needed, but the altitude makes every step demanding.
- Cordillera. Huayna Potosí (6,088 m) straight ahead and, between June and September with clear skies, Illimani (6,438 m) in the background.
- Silence. A while by the shore, with wind among the stones and nothing else.
What does the itinerary look like?
- Pickup and departure toward the cordilleraWe pick you up at your lodging.
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In less than an hour the city is behind you and far below.
- Coca tea stop at MilluniThe vehicle gains altitude quickly and stops for a coca tea before continuing.
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Take your time with the tea: everything that follows is out in the open.
- Trailhead~4,750 mNear 4,750 m the road ends and the trail begins, on a bare stone altiplano where almost nothing grows.
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Before the first step, a short acclimatization pause.
It is cold even in strong sun: your skin burns and your hands never warm up.
- Guided ascent to the lagoon (1 hr 30 min to 2 hr)Above 4,700 m your body works twice as hard with every step.
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You will stop more often than you planned, and the group sets the pace. Each stop gives you the cordillera back: hanging glaciers, bare rock and Huayna Potosí filling half the view.
The last stretch is a slope of loose stone that hides everything. You climb with your eyes on your boots, counting steps, until the lagoon appears where a second earlier there was nothing.
- Time at Laguna Charquini~5,000 mPhotos, rest and the silence of the shore.
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At this altitude the cold gets in through your back before you notice, so put on a layer before you sit down. The city is less than an hour away by road and could be on another continent.
- Descent and return to La PazYou walk down to the starting point in roughly 1 hr, and as you lose altitude your breathing returns to normal.
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Then the ride back to La Paz: about eight hours in total, door to door.
What is included in this tour?
Included
- Round-trip transport
- Spanish-speaking guide; English on request
- Coca tea at Milluni
- Snack and water
What do you need to know before booking?
Who it is for and who it is not for
It is a non-technical high-altitude hike: there are no ropes or crampons and no mountaineering experience is needed, but it is demanding because of the effort and the altitude.
- Not suitable for. Pregnancy, heart problems or high blood pressure, significant vertigo, very limited fitness and young children. Minimum age: 14.
- If you feel unwell. At any sign of discomfort, you descend immediately to lower altitude, toward La Paz.
Acclimatization and altitude
A minimum of 48 hr of prior acclimatization in La Paz is required; it is a condition of sale.
What to bring
The tour does not provide mountain gear. Bring sunglasses, warm clothing, sun protection, a hat, ankle-high boots and cash for extra expenses.
The glacier and the water
The lagoon was not always there: it formed from the meltwater of the Charquini glacier, which has been retreating. When you sit by the water, you are looking at ice that has stopped being ice.
If you prefer a shorter hike
Chacaltaya (5,421 m) is reached by vehicle and requires only a short walk.
Altitude and health
This tour reaches ~5,000 m. It is not recommended in case of pregnancy, heart or respiratory disease, uncontrolled hypertension or significant vertigo. Minimum age: 14 years. Prior acclimatization: Minimum 48 hr beforehand in La Paz. We advise you to stay well hydrated, avoid alcohol on the first day and check with your doctor before booking. If symptoms of altitude sickness appear, the guide may decide to descend, for your safety.
Before you book: payment, cancellation and the unexpected
Payment and booking
When you book, you pay 30% of the total: 15% as a booking payment (arras, non-refundable) and 15% as a deposit. Then a second deposit of 20% 30 days before departure and the remaining 50% 7 days before departure. If you book 15 days or less before departure, you pay 100% of the total when you book and it is non-refundable. If a payment does not arrive by its due date, the booking is cancelled automatically. You can pay in foreign currency with Libélula, RedEnlace and Revolut, or by bank card, QR code or bank transfer; the payment provider may charge transaction fees.
Cancellation and date changes
More than 45 days before departure: 100% of the deposit (15%) is refunded, less bank fees for the money transfer; the booking payment (arras) is not refunded. From 45 to 31 days: 50% of the deposit is retained, which corresponds to the pre-payment of lodging, transfers or others. From 30 to 8 days: 100% of what you paid is retained. From 7 days to 24 hours: everything you paid is retained. Less than 24 hours, and in case of a no-show: the full price is due. Date change: possible depending on the availability of the company and of our providers, with a new quote; sums already paid to providers are not refundable and must be paid again. If Terra Alta cancels or postpones the trip, you choose a new date at no extra cost or a refund of what you paid, except costs already paid to providers that cannot be recovered.
Prices
Prices are in US dollars per person, based on a group of 6 people, in a shared departure.
Blockades, closed roads and weather
A flooded salt flat (roughly December to April) is not a reason to cancel: the tour goes ahead with an itinerary adapted by the guide, with the mirror effect, and Incahuasi island may not be reachable; no refund is due for the visits that change. If a dangerous external event (a storm, heavy snowfall or another natural event) or social unrest or a blockade requires it, Terra Alta may modify, postpone or cancel the trip to protect travellers; what applies is what is provided for a cancellation by Terra Alta.
Tips and expenses
Tips are not included and are voluntary. Entrance fees listed in bolivianos are approximate and may change; they are paid on site, in cash.
Insurance
Terra Alta does not include travel insurance. If you wish, we recommend taking out a policy with medical assistance and repatriation from high altitude.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need mountaineering experience?
No. There are no ropes or crampons and the hike is not technical. What makes it demanding is the air: above 4,700 m your body works twice as hard with every step. The tour does not provide mountain gear.
How far do you walk?
The guided ascent takes 1 hr 30 min to 2 hr, depending on the group's pace, from the trailhead at about 4,750 m to the lagoon at about 5,000 m. The descent takes roughly 1 hr. In total the outing is about 8 hr door to door.
Why do you ask for 48 hr of acclimatization?
It is a condition of sale: at least 48 hr in La Paz are needed before going up to about 5,000 m. See the Before you book block to find out how it is applied.
Can I bring children?
It is not suitable for young children, or in cases of pregnancy, heart problems or high blood pressure, significant vertigo or very limited fitness. Minimum age: 14.
What happens if I feel unwell on the climb?
At any sign of discomfort, you descend immediately to lower altitude, toward La Paz. Tell the guide as soon as you notice it.
Guides to prepare your trip: altitude sickness and soroche in Bolivia · Chacaltaya: how to get there and what altitude to expect · La Paz: history and altitude
From USD 52 / person
If you are continuing south, combine it with Salar de Uyuni in 2 days. Uyuni · 2 Days
