Blogs from Cordillera Real, Oruro Department, Bolivia, South America

Sajama, the highest peak of Bolivia. It is a volcano with a huge crater on the top covered by snow. There are not many people going there, maybe because of the cold and terrible wind on some days, which often gets over 100km/h, it's very hard to climb then. When I was climbing, the weather was good, just the first day was a bit hard, we had to reach the high camp (5.650m) directly from the Sajama village (around 4.250m) which is quite hard with all the equipment. Last 500m meters to reach the camp started to blow very hard and it was not easy to continue - not only because of the wind, but also because of the volcano dust, which is covering the mountain, so you have never save step and are sliding always ... read more

As you all know by now, I can't seem to sit still for long periods of time. Perhaps its some form of ADHD, but I am frequently living with my head in the clouds, even while on vacation. After an action-packed 10 weeks in the hectic metropolis of La Paz, I decided it was finally time to move on to my originally intended destination in the jungle...but only after one last adrenaline fix. Challenged by the ascent of the last mountain, Huayna Potosi, but yawning over the lack of technical stimulation, I began seeking out peaks in the area that were a bit more hands on. ...And thus stumbled upon the stunning Condoriri massif in the Cordillera Real. After posting advertisements to recruit other climbers I had three more on board - a friendly but novice ... read more

Hola Chicas y Chicos, We zijn net terug van een ongelofelijke trektocht van 11 dagen langs/over de Cordillera Real in Bolivia. Onze hematocrietwaarde heeft intussen serieuze dopingwaardes overschreden. We passeerden een 15-tal passen boven de 4500m, waarvan 3 boven de 5000m. De laagste kampplaats lag op 4100m, de hoogste op 4750m. Volgende week kunnen we een marathon lopen :-) Het was een uitputtende tocht met gemiddeld 6u stappen per dag. De tocht bracht ons langs de zelden bezochte (in de eerste 6 dagen zagen we 5 toeristen), ruwe oostkant van de bergketen via een ongelofelijke vallei met lagunes naar de beroemdere westkant, waar de sterk vergletsjerde bergen imposante flanken hebben. Onze gids Selso toverde ongelofelijk lekkere maaltijden uit 5 ingedrienten en vergezelde ons langs de soms fel, steile rotspaden naar vergezichten die je adem letterlijk ontnemen. ... read more

Schoenen guten Morgen (respektive Nachmittag)! Nach zwei doch eher intensiven Wochen in den Bergen konnte ich mich gerade endlich mal wieder motivieren, mich an den Computer zu hocken und was zu schreiben. Eigentlich sind wir naemlich gerade damit beschaeftigt, jegliche Form von Kalorien in fluessiger oder fester Form in uns reinzustopfen und zu -schuetten. Laut unseren zwei Medizinern Markus & Christoph geht es dabei um den "erhoehten Grundumsatz", weshalb unser Tagesablauf uns eigentlich nur noch von Kneipe zu Kneipe fuehrt. Huehnchen, Brot, Obst, Reis mit Bohnen, Hamburger, Pfannkuchen, Steak, Apfelkuchen, Kaffee, Pizza, Bier und eine Flasche Rotwein. So hat gestern unser Menue ausgeschaut. Heute wird bestimmt auch wieder gut. Wie auch immer: Nachdem wir vom Hippiestrand am Tittikakkasee wieder hier in La Paz angekommen sind, haben wir uns auf die Socken gemacht und sind erstmal ... read more

I have some parasites or bacteria in mi estomago... not such an unusual thing in Bolivia, but still not the most pleasant of experiences when they have been habitating your insides for more than a week. I think it was from eating ceviche (a Peruvian dish of raw fish) which tastes great but can cause long term consequences not so favourable to your bodily systems. My doctor wondered whether I was trying to commit suicide. No... but ceviche is so good! Probably not a good idea to eat it when you are more than 6 hour drive from the ocean... and on that note I don't think I've seen a refrigerated truck since we've been in South America.... So the climb up Chacaltaya (the only ski mountain in Bolivia) last weekend wasn't such a memorable experience, ... read more