Hotel pickup at 8:00. Acclimatization: 24 hr in La Paz beforehand.
This tour covers, in half a day, two clay and sandstone ravines about 10 km from downtown La Paz: the Valle de las Ánimas, with a guided walk of 1 hr 15 min, and the Valle de la Luna, with a 45-minute circuit. It ends at the Killi Killi viewpoint and returns around 14:30. It includes transport, guide, entry to both valleys, water and a high-altitude snack, and requires 24 hr in La Paz beforehand.
Highlights
- Two valleys. The gray and beige labyrinth of the Valle de la Luna and the ocher spires of the Valle de las Ánimas.
- Walk in Ánimas. 1 hr 15 min, guided, along the ridge of the ravine, with time for photos.
- Clay labyrinth. 45 minutes between walls at shoulder height, sometimes above your head.
- Killi Killi. A viewpoint to close the tour with all of La Paz in its basin. The afternoon is free.
What does the itinerary look like?
- Hotel pickup and departure for the ravinesHotel pickup at 8:00.
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We head to the ravines south of the city, about 10 km from downtown.
The ground here is soft clay and sandstone, and that is why the landscape has this shape. It is not a mountain that broke, it is a mountain that wore away. Water carried off the upper part and left standing only the stretches where the mix of minerals held out a little longer. Hence the crests, the spires and the corridors that close off with no way out.
- Valle de las Ánimas: 1 hr 15 min guided walkIt is the wilder of the two.
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The walk follows the ridge of the ravine, among spires that rise by the dozens, packed tight against each other. Here the name begins to explain itself. Two versions circulate among the community members: some say the wind, passing between the formations, makes mournful sounds; others, that the elongated silhouettes look like souls (ánimas) standing upright. Nobody has settled the argument.
The Valle de las Ánimas covers 2,538 hectares, declared a municipal protected area and a departmental natural monument. In the distance, when the day is clear, Illimani closes the horizon at 6,438 m. There is space, there is echo and there is time for photos: this is not a fifteen-minute stop.
- Valle de la Luna: 45-minute circuitHere the walk changes scale and you look where you step.
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It is a labyrinth: the walls reach shoulder height, sometimes above your head, and in a couple of turns you lose track of where the city is. The color depends on the mineral that has been exposed: it runs from beige to light brown and in some sectors reaches nearly red with violet veins.
Look down at the foot of a spire: there is a cone of fine dust, the same color. That is the spire, falling. This landscape is being carved right now, while you walk through it.
- Killi Killi viewpoint and return around 14:30The viewpoint is named after the Andean kestrel, the falcon that was abundant on the hill.
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From here La Paz unfolds whole in its basin, with brick roofs climbing the hillsides and, if the day is clear, Illimani as a white backdrop. From this same hill, in 1781, Túpac Katari directed the Indigenous siege of the city. At 14:30 the day ends and the afternoon is yours.
What is included in this tour?
Included
- Transport
- Spanish-speaking guide; English on request
- Entry to both valleys
- Water and high-altitude snack
What do you need to know before booking?
Terrain, altitude and mobility
The tour is easy, but the terrain is uneven, soft clay and sandstone, and the altitude ranges between 3,600 and 3,965 m. That is why it requires 24 hr in La Paz beforehand.
Compared with the La Paz in a day tour
Here the valleys take up the entire morning, with the walk in Ánimas and the 45-minute circuit in the Valle de la Luna. In La Paz in a day the valleys are the final leg of a day that also crosses the historic center and the cable car.
Altitude and health
This tour reaches 3,965 m. It is not recommended in case of pregnancy, heart or respiratory disease, uncontrolled hypertension or significant vertigo. Minimum age: 10 years. Prior acclimatization: 24 hr in La Paz beforehand. 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
How long does the tour take?
About 6 hr, a half day with three stops and a relaxed pace. The route ends around 14:30 and the afternoon is free.
Do I need to acclimatize first?
Yes. The tour requires 24 hr in La Paz beforehand. The altitude ranges between 3,600 and 3,965 m.
What is the difference between the Valle de la Luna and the Valle de las Ánimas?
The Valle de las Ánimas is the wilder one, with ocher spires and a 1 hr 15 min walk. The Valle de la Luna is a narrow clay and sandstone labyrinth, with a 45-minute circuit.
What does the price include?
Transport, guide, entry to both valleys, water and a high-altitude snack. Payment terms are in the “Before you book” block.
What should I bring?
Comfortable shoes for uneven terrain, and water. Add sunscreen, a cap, a jacket, a snack and a waterproof layer.
Guides to prepare your trip: what to see in La Paz and around · La Paz: history, altitude and two capitals · altitude sickness: symptoms and prevention
From USD 45 / person
There is also a departure that combines Chacaltaya in the morning with the Valle de la Luna in the afternoon. Chacaltaya + Moon Valley
