From La Cumbre at almost 5000 metres in the Cordillera Real north of La Paz, we began the Choro trek organized by Deep Rainforest.  We set off down a 900 year old stone footpath covered in ice which soon melted as we descended steeply.  The path was the main route between the Altiplano and the Amazon region and is still used and maintained by the small communities living along the way who travel up and down on foot.

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The first day, led by our capable guide Guido, we descended 2000 metres.  Our muscles felt it the next day descending another 800 metres before a steep climb after which the path levelled off to follow around the mountainside hundreds of metres above the valley.

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The treeless slopes and grazing llamas gave way to forests of trees covered in old man’s beard, supporting orchids and bromeliads getting moisture from mist off the waterfalls and clouds filling the valleys.  We camped 2 nights perched on the side of mountains with spectacular views across the valleys.

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We set off at dawn on our last day, the rainforest dark and dripping moisture, the path overgrown in places.  We came across a little bent up old Japanese man, Tamiji Hanamura, 89 years old who had been living by himself in this isolated spot for more than 50 years.  He loves to talk to visitors and show them his many post cards from different parts of the world and shares his lovely garden with campers.

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Our trek ended in Chairo at 1300 metres from where we took a scary taxi ride up to the hill town of Coroico where we spent the night before returning to La Paz.  Between La Paz and Coroico used to be the “world’s most dangerous road”.  Now that there is a new road for traffic, tour operators offer “the world’s most dangerous bike ride” on the old one.

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