| Cordillera Royale | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Bolivia |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 17 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ S 67 ° 10 ′ 0 ″ W | |
The Cordillera Royale is a mountain range Bolivian who goes from Sorata in the north (Illampu - Ancohuma massif) to the Illimani in the south.
Understand
Weather
Good season: from April to September (see mid-October), big blue sky in general on the Titicaca side and irregular rains on the Amazonian side (sunny during the day, -15 / -20 ° at night at altitude). Cool nights at altitude. The rest of the year (from November to the end of March), frequent rains, lots of snow and fog at altitude, the few shelters are closed. However, climbs are still possible (windows of 5/6 days of good weather not rare) and the classic routes are empty.
Read
- Inca peaks, Edition Glénat, 2005, Fabrice Pawlak (partner of Terra Andina) and Patrick Wagnon
- Topos on the Cordillera Real, Occidental, Apolobamba (in Spanish!): Los Andes de Bolivia, Guia de escaladas, Alain Mesili,, 2002, Producciones Cima, the best climbing guide in the Cordillera. Very complete and available in La Paz.
- Topos on classic Bolivian peaks (in English!): Bolivia a climbing guide, Yosi Brain,, 1999, good data sheets. Complete and available in La Paz.
- Topos on the most popular summits of the South American Cordilleras: The Andes, mountaineering guide, by John Biggar, Nevicata, 2000.
Cards
- Illimani, IGM 6044 III, 6043 IV or Cordillera Real, Sur, Illimani, Club Alpino Aleman.
- Huayna Potosi, IGM Milluni 5945 II, Walter Guzman Cordova.
- Janko Laya, IGM Lago Khara Khota 5945 IV or Walter Guzman Cordova Negruni-Condoriri.
- Condoriri, WALTER Guzman Condoriri-Negruni (but some peak names are wrong), or 4 IGM maps: Milluni 5945 II, Penas 5945 III, Zongo 5945 I, Lago Khara Khota 5945 IV.
- Ancohuma, DAV Cordillera Real Nord (illampu); or IGM Sorata 5846 I and Warizata 5846 II.
Cities
Other destinations
- Laguna Huyana Khotia – By 4x4, take the Lake Titicaca road from La Paz. Then head to the village of Penas (map essential) and follow the track that goes up to the cordillera. You will pass from lagoons to multicolored lagoons, in one of the most beautiful settings of the cordillera. Off the beaten track excursion that will give you a flavor of adventure and a real approach to the great cordillera without having to carry your backpack and your tent. You cannot be disappointed while acclimating yourself.
- Laguna Mururata – Even more off the beaten track. Take the Ventilla track (towards Illimani) and pass the pass before Lambate. The first village on the descent is called Tutural Pampa. Go on foot towards the lagoons that you will have seen on the descent. Good walkers will reach the last lagoon, at the foot of the Mururata glacier. We saw people cry on arrival, dazzled by the beauty of the places crossed that have nothing to envy Patagonia and its fjords? Or it was fatigue ...
To go
- For the Illampu-Ancohuma massif, join Sorata:
by 4x4, from La Paz, take the direction of Lake Titicaca and in Huarina, take towards Sorata and the cordillera. Then there is only one track.
- For the Condoriri massif, join Tuni :
by 4x4, from La Paz, take the direction of Lake Titicaca and in the village of Patamanta, take the road to Tuni (via Chunawi). Arrived at Tuni, continue to the right of the lake then reach the base camp of the laguna Chiar Khota on foot (3 h walk - clear water, grassy plateau).
- For the massif of 1 Huayna Potosí (6 088 m) :
by 4x4 from La Paz, go to the Milluni-Zongo dam where the Huyana Potosi refuge is located (comfortable). There is another refuge, just before the dam, the San Calixto refuge (simpler)
- For the Illimani massif:
by 4x4 from La Paz, take the direction of the southern area of La Paz, Calacoto, La Cumbre then after the pass, continue on the only track until Ventilla and turn right (south) for Pinaya (4 h journey from La Paz). Be careful, the track is bad although superb and the driver must be experienced.
- For the Jankho Laya:
- No public bus. 4x4 ride from La Paz. Take the road to Lake Titicaca. In the village of Penas, take the direction of the Hichukhota valley, facing the Cordillera. The track passes along the Khara Khota lagoon and then other lagoons. The route is impressive and splendid arrives at the top of the valley. There, take the most recent road that goes to the left (to the right towards the old Fabulosa mine). Arrived at the pass (4 980 m), join the bottom of the zigzag path, under the place called "Paso Mullu Apacheta" (3 h 30 journey from La Paz)
Circulate
Eat
Housing
The Cordillera Real is a vast, untouched playground. The most immediate consequence is that reception facilities are almost non-existent. There is no refuge (except at Huyana Potosi), no overnight stay possible (except in very rare cases), few villages and of course no trade along the trails. In fact, very often the trails are not clearly marked and it is always reassuring to have a local mule driver or guide with you, both for his knowledge of the region and for his services. Not to mention the emergency means in the event of a problem. All of this makes the Cordillera Real incredibly attractive to the hiker / mountaineer in search of solitude.
security
La Paz does not have a rescue helicopter. You will therefore have to leave your itinerary and program at the refuge and, if no refuge, at the nearest village or at an agency in La Paz. Mobile phones (for purchase or rental in La Paz, calle Guachalla) work on the Altiplano side of the entire Cordillera Real. On the Yungas slope, however, no signal. Most of the classic routes are on the Altiplano side.
Insecurity: scrupulously avoid camping near Laguna San Francisco (Illampu massif), you risk being robbed by the Aymaras of the neighboring locality. And for hikers, only the Choro Trek can cause problems. Otherwise, the Cordillera Real is really peaceful.
