Cordillera Real

The Cordillera Real runs about a hundred and twenty kilometres northwest to southeast between the altiplano and the Yungas, and it carries a remarkable concentration of high peaks: Illampu, Ancohuma, Huayna Potosí, Condoriri, Illimani and others, six of them above six thousand metres, all within a few hours of La Paz. That accessibility made it one of the standard mountaineering ranges of South America, with Huayna Potosí climbed by large numbers as a first six-thousander, a reputation for being straightforward that its accident record does not entirely support. Trekking routes cross the range from the altiplano into the Yungas on old paved Inca paths. The glaciers have retreated sharply in recent decades, which has changed several routes and made others more dangerous.

What you actually see

• Six-thousand-metre peaks - a line of glaciated summits above the altiplano.
• Condoriri - the massif whose main peak resembles a condor with spread wings.
• Inca paved paths - the pre-Columbian routes crossing into the Yungas.
• Retreating glaciers - the visible loss of ice over recent decades.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the climbing and trekking window. The wet months bring snow, cloud and unstable conditions. Nights are far below freezing at any time of year.

Honest expectations

These are serious mountains at serious altitude and require acclimatisation, experience and a competent guide; the ease of access to Huayna Potosí has led to people attempting it underprepared. Glacier retreat has made some routes more hazardous. Rescue capacity is limited.

Nearby

La Paz lies southwest; Sorata is at the northern end.