Overview
Sajama National Park is Bolivia’s oldest national park and one of its most visually overwhelming — a high-altitude Altiplano landscape dominated by the perfectly conical Mount Sajama (6,542 m, the highest peak in Bolivia), surrounded by a cluster of active volcanoes, flamingo-filled lagoons, natural hot springs, and the highest Queñua tree forest on the planet. The park sits at 4,300 metres on the border with Chile and receives very few international visitors, which makes every encounter with its extraordinary landscapes feel entirely private.
The 3-day programme covers the park’s core highlights in a comfortable, expert-guided expedition: the colonial Carahuara de Carangas church (one of the 16th-century Altiplano chapels), the flamingo lagoon at Laguna Huayña Khota, a trek through the Queñua forest to the base camp of Mount Sajama, a soak in the natural hot springs, and a final morning at the geyser field — one of South America’s most photogenic volcanic features.
Wildlife on the Altiplano is unexpected and rewarding. Vicuñas, Andean Foxes, Lesser Rheas, James’s Flamingos, and large herds of domestic Llamas and Alpacas are commonly seen. The nights at altitude are intensely clear — the Milky Way above the dark Altiplano is extraordinary — and the programme includes time for star-gazing before bed.
Destination Type
departure & logistics
price includes
price excludes
Hotel pickup in La Paz and departure through the city of El Alto onto the high Altiplano — a vast treeless plateau at over 3,900 metres that stretches to the Chilean border. The drive passes isolated Aymara communities where llama and alpaca herders live much as their ancestors did for centuries. Keep watch for Lesser Rheas — the South American ostrich, an endangered endemic of the Altiplano grasslands — which are commonly spotted from the vehicle on this section.
Stop at the remarkable Carahuara de Carangas church — a 16th-century Baroque chapel that is one of the finest of the altiplano’s famous village churches, with the backdrop of Mount Sajama visible on clear days. After the cultural stop, the road enters Sajama National Park and the landscape becomes dominated by the enormous volcanic cone of Sajama rising above the treeless plain. Arrival at Tomarapi village and the lodge accommodation by late afternoon. Dinner and star-gazing under the remarkably clear Altiplano sky before bed.
After an early breakfast, the first destination is Laguna Huayña Khota — one of the most beautiful lagoons in Bolivia, and arguably in all of South America. The combination of the deep blue water, the surrounding volcanic peaks, and the flocks of James’s Flamingos feeding in the shallows makes this one of the most photographed locations in the Bolivian Andes. The guide explains the ecological significance of the lagoon and the three flamingo species (James’s, Chilean, and Andean) that inhabit the high-altitude lakes of the region.
The afternoon programme centres on a trek through the Queñua forest — the highest elevation woodland on Earth, growing at around 5,000 metres elevation. The Queñua trees (Polylepis sp.) are ancient dwarf trees with extraordinary peeling papery bark, shaped by centuries of high-altitude winds. The trek follows a path toward the base camp of Mount Sajama, passing through the forest and reaching the lower slopes of the volcano before returning. Vicuñas and Andean Foxes are regularly seen in this area. The reward for the afternoon’s hiking: a well-earned soak in the natural hot springs at sunset, with the silhouette of Sajama behind you. Dinner at the lodge.
The final morning of the programme is dedicated to Sajama’s geyser field — a fumarolic area on the volcanic flanks where boiling water and steam jet from vents in the earth against a backdrop of volcanoes and open Altiplano. The sight and sound of active geysers at altitude, with no other visitors around, is one of the most atmospheric experiences in all of Bolivia.
After the geyser visit, breakfast and departure from the park. The drive back to La Paz traverses the open Altiplano — keep watch for Andean Foxes hunting in the grasslands, large herds of wild Vicuñas (the smallest and most endangered camelid, now recovering after near-extinction in the 20th century), and additional sightings of Lesser Rheas. Arrival in La Paz by early-mid afternoon, with drop-off at hotel or airport.
Our team replies within a few hours. We also speak Spanish and English.