The hostal in Peñas is well known by mountain climbers as a base from which to explore the chain of beautiful peaks west of La Paz. In the kitchen dining room, we meet two Italians, a couple of Austrians and a Swiss woman from Graubünden. Our difference, bicycle vs. crampons, is much smaller than our joint liking of quiet heights! Both dinner and breakfeast talks are very engaging, especially since our next target is Lago Tuni, next to Pico Austria where some of them plan to climb today.
We set off on our repaired steeds. After a short stretch on the main road we arrive in Palcoco, where we are hailed by a group of three cyclists on the main square. In Bolivia, we have crossed the path of quite a few young western adventurers, attracted no doubt by the combination of natural beauty and low cost.
After a false start from Palcoco (a lost and retrieved waterproof story), we have an uneventful dirt road climb (no dog, no near miss, no rain etc.) up the valley. The mountain range in front of us gently plays with the clouds. A mesmerizing very sharp peak is shining beautifully at times, which in hindsight we identify as Nevado Condoriri (5648m). As we reach precisely 4500m, Lago Tuni appears for the first time.
It is getting quite late, so we descend ~150m to reach a meadow. A farmer encourages us to pitch the tent in the vicinity of his Alpaca stable near a clear little stream. The wind is strong and cold, but the sky has cleared. We have a great view on Pico Austria and Condoriri to the north and, in the east,a massive mountain illuminated by the sunset (Mt Huayna Potosi 6088m).
The sunrise is just as clear, but clouds form quickly. We quit camp swiftly to reach Lago Tuni, and admire the reflections of the glaciers. It is hard to pull ourselves away from this beauty - but today we have a significant pass to conquer on our route to La Paz.Read more
November 24, 2025 in Bolivia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
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