Secret Trekking in Circuit north of the royal cordillera

Transfer by 4x4 vehicle to Laguna Cacha (4637 m.a.s.l./15213 feet). From Cacha Lake, we go up, on foot (on the left) or 4x4 (on the right), the small lake valley that stretches northeast to the pass (or paso) Calzada ( 5,050 m.a.s.l./16568 feet ). On the route, we discover Ajoyan Lake ( 4,665 m.a.s.l./15305 feet) first, then further on, two magnificent turquoise blue lakes: Chojña Khota (4,722 m.a.s.l./15492 feet ) and Carizal ( 4,767 m.a.s.l./15639 feet). Camp on the shores of Chojña Khota Lake, at the foot of the Kasiri and Calzada glaciers which cover the slopes of the homonymous mountains. Recently, the development of a track has made it possible to access a 4x4, not far from the shores of Chojña Khota Lake. This alternative is less tiring but less interesting. Up to you…

In the morning you can choose either to relax in the sun around the lake, or climb up to the Calzada Pass to the Carizal Lake. In this case, we follow the shoreline towards the north-east up to the Calzada Pass (5050 m.a.s.l. / 16 568 feet asl.), nestled between the Kasiri and Calzada Massifs. We descend by the same route to Chojña Khota. After lunch, we head out towards the south to Lake Jistaña. We cross a pass at 5100 m.a.s.l. / 16 732 feet asl and descend through the valley to the lake.

We hike to Chiscacalliuani Lake. Our day’s trek takes us west across the mountain and south to Niquioyo Khota Lake (4672 m.a.s.l./ 15 328 feet ). We see the Condor Jipina (5 315 m.a.s.l. / 17 437 feet ) in the foreground. We follow a ridge towards the south-west that offers an amazing panorama of the Altiplano and Lake Titicaca. We continue across 2 passes, the first at (4950 m.a.s.l./16 240 feet ) and the second at 5000 m.a.s.l. ( 16 404 feet ), descending through a steep scree to the green waters of Chiscacalliuani Lake.

Departure on a mountainside due south to reach the Chacha Kumani valley (4 430 m.a.s.l./14534 feet): it is a wide marshy valley which leads to the foot of the imposing glacial massif of the same name. We go northeast to the bottom of the valley to reach the Chachacomani massif. The clear view on the coveted summit. We need to find the best path in the bofedals (marshy area dotted with giant mosses soaked in water) to reach the stream that winds on the other side of the valley, then cross it. We arrive at the foot of a valley which sinks northwest below the Chachacomani. Then, we head northwest towards the perpendicular valley. We quickly gain height. We arrive in a pretty valley wound by a stream (4700m.a.s.l./15419 feet). We continue to the bottom around (4775 m.a.s.l./ 15666 feet) before going up on a very steep slope due north. We then attack this ultimate climb in rocky chaos. We arrive at the edge of the glacier. The place is magic to establish the camp (5130m.a.s.l./16830 feet ).

We depart in the night and make our way across the glacier to fissured plateau. We pass around crevasses to the foot of the Chachacomani ridges. As we head east to the main summit, the slopes are steeper (45º). The view from the summit ridge is stunning, stretching from the north to the south of the Cordillera. We descend by the same route and return to base camp.

Return to the village of Cruz Pampa and drive to La Paz.