What is the Apolobamba Trek?

The Apolobamba Trek is an intense, multi-day, high-altitude hiking route through the remote Cordillera Apolobamba, close to the Peruvian border. People talk about it as an amazing mix of extreme isolation, traditional Kallawaya villages (indigenous healer communities), and rugged, glaciated ground that feels very unforgiving.

In contrast with the busier treks near La Paz, Apolobamba gets very few visitors. Depending on the chosen pace, it can run anywhere from four to seven days, yet you still face multiple mountain passes that stand above 4,500 metres. Because the paths are frequently not clearly marked and the logistics can be complicated, doing this trek really needs full self-reliance, or alternatively, the hiring of a skilled local guide, plus pack animals.