El Choro Trek in Bolivia

4 days

Duration

4/5

Difficulty

Join this tour and follow the ancient old Choro Trail. This trekking goes all the way from the Andes Mountain Range into the Amazon basin!

The beautiful Choro Trek is probably the best known trekking of the Yungas area and maybe even the whole of Bolivia! The spectacular descend starts from the cold, rough surroundings of La Cumbre at an altitude of around 4700 m. From La Cumbre you will hike for 3 days along a scenic trail full contrasting landscapes. In total you will descent around 3210 m, until the trek finishes in Chairo at an altitude of 1490 m.

Short itinerary El Choro Trek in Bolivia:

Day 1: La Paz – La Cumbre – Challapampa
Day 2: Challapampa – San Francisco
Day 3: San Francisco – Chairo – Coroico
Day 4: Coroico – La Paz

Optional:

You can already go straight after the trek (on day 3) back to La Paz (4 hour ride)
You can do the trek in private service and/ or
You can do the trek in 4 days if you want to take it easy/more time to take pictures

Extended itinerary El Choro Trek in Bolivia

Day 1: La Paz – La Cumbre – Challapampa

Early morning we leave La Paz by private transport. After about 2 hours we reach La Cumbre (4700 m). On a clear day you will have magnificent views over the Andes and the Cordillera Blanca Mountain Range!
If the natural conditions allow it, it is even possible to get to the highest point at 4900 m.
From La Cumbre the Choro Trail goes zigzagging down, allowing a beautiful view of the environment, even though sometimes it part of it is under a layer of fog.
After hiking for about 2 ½ hours, we arrive to Samañapampa, at 3980 m. Here all hikers must register (20 Bs). Please bring your passport. In a small kiosk we can buy cookies, food (snacks) and soft drinks. About an hour further we reach the town of Chucura, the biggest town in this valley at an altitude of 3700 m.
From Chucara it takes around 3/ 4 hours before we arrive to Challapampa where we will camp for the night.

Day 2: Challapampa - San Francisco

After a good breakfast we clean out our camp, make our backpacks and start hiking.
Today we will hike around 8 hours, mostly downhill, sometimes a little up, but always surrounded by impressive nature. Along the way the rough Andes nature slowly changes into a lushly green vegetation of the high tropics and the cold climate gets replaced by the warm humidity of the Yungas.
We’ll pass by several small waterfalls and take in breathtaking views of the inimitable Yungas Cloud Forest, a high-altitude rainforest surreally covered with clouds. The cloud forest and high tropical forest of the Yungas are also the favorite habitat of many different species of hummingbirds.
After entering the warm Yungas valley, we’ll set up our second camp in the little village of San Francisco.

Day 3: San Francisco – Chairo – Coroico

After a good breakfast in the beautiful nature of the Yungas we pack up our camp and start our hike descending to the river. From the river we ascend and descend the slope until, after about one and a half, we arrive to Sandillani (house of the Japanese), at 2100 m.
We lunch at Sandillani, before we start descending the ‘trial with many curves’ towards Chairo at 1490 m. From here our transport will bring us in about 1½ hour to the famous town of Coroico.
In Coroico we have included a night in the well know Hotel Gloria, so you have time to get an impression of this interesting backpackers town between the Andes and the Amazon. And of course it is also nice to have a last drink with your group members to celebrate that you accomplice the Choro Trail.

Day 4: Coroico – La Paz

Today you travel in about 4 hours by public bus from Coroico to La Paz.

Note: The itinerary of the tour above depends on local circumstances and weather conditions and might be slightly different as described.

Important note: This trail is not very difficult to hike without a guide. But it is still a hike at high altitude, through rough landscape that is mostly inaccessible by car. Going with a professional guide who knows the area increases your safety along the way and also provides you directly with help when something might go wrong…

Included in the El Choro Trek in Bolivia:

Transport to Starting point Trek
Professional Local Trekking guide (SPEAKS SPANISH)
Use of tent , mattress
Food (from lunch to lunch)
Transport Chairo – Coroico
Camp fees
One night + breakfast in Coroico

Not Included in Tour:

Water
Porters
Bus back to La Paz (20 Bolivianos)
Entrance Fee Chucura (10 Bs)
Sleeping bag
Tips and personal spendings
International banking fees

Recommended to Bring:

Passport
A good backpack of min.55 liter
Good hiking shoes
Warm clothes for at the top and light clothes for in Coroico
Protection against rain, humidity (also for your camera), sun and mosquitos
Sleeping bag
Pocket money
Headlight
Water for the first day
Snacks

Notes:

Customer carries own backpack, mattress, and personal belongings (no food, or tent)
To hire a porter who can carry a backpack of max 70 liter, you will have to pay 80,- US$ extra