Cochabamba - scenic drive through rural Cochabamba - Lake Macho
We will leave early from Cochabamba in our private 4x4 vehicle (around 8/9am) and drive out of Cochabamba and towards rural countryside areas outside of the city. As we slowly climb from the 2500 meters of Cochabamba we will see the scenery change from semi-tropical to mountainous. Our drive takes around 2 hours and takes us along winding mountain tracks that offer great views of the city we are leaving behind. As we enter the mountain area we start to see packs of llamas and the landscape becomes more typical of the high altitude with jagged rocks and peaks. We get out of the vehicle at Lake Macho at an altitude of around 4500 meters and refresh ourselves with a warming traditional drink of "api", a purple corn drink that has a fruity flavor - perfect for a quick energy boost before our trek.
We start the walk winding along steep mountain side trails and we will soon feel how the altitude can affect us when climbing upwards, luckily soon after we arrive by a beautiful sheltered lake area and the trail flattens out for a while allowing us to recover a little. As we pass through an open area we should keep our eyes out for condors flying above - it is common to see them here and an unforgettable sight. Also in the area there are sometimes some vicuñas - the smallest of the four camelids that are found in Bolivia and the most timid. As we continue we will be steadily climbing and we will pass over some rocky terrain but nothing techincal. We will stop for plenty of breaks as needed to catch our breath and take in the wonderful views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Along the way it is typical to find small pieces of rock that contain fossil shells - this area is amongst the richest in the world for fossils and remains largely undiscovered in that respect.
After around 3 hours we should arrive to the peak at 5035 meters and have a wonderful view of the Cochabamba valley below and, if clear enough, as far as Illimani mountain in the distance - there is no better view point in the area! Here we will eat our packed lunch and rest a while enjoying the scenery (during cold weather periods we will not stay long and walk down to a lower, more sheltered area to eat though) before starting our descent via a different trail. The first part is made of rocky, scree trails and we will have fun sliding down this section. Returning by this route we can see a different geology and we will pass by some incredible fossils embedded in the rock. Also, if we are sharp-eyed and lucky, it is possible to spot vizcachas (Andean rabbit-like creatures) in amongst the rocks. Our trek back down is faster and we should have time to stop to gaze over the lake at the bottom again for a while and soak our feet in the cold waters before continuing back to the car for our drive back to the city. Return time varies as it depends how fast the group has walked but 17.00 - 19.00 is typical.