Visiting Sajama National Park

Information

To visit the Sajama National Park, the first thing to mention is undoubtedly the main road that starts on National Route 4. During several stretches of the route you can see the Nevado Sajama mountain on the right, different environments of the park and if you are lucky enough you can observe wildlife. Some points to mention about this route:
- At kilometre 11 you reach the village of Sajama, where there are some services, lodges and trails to walk along.
- At km 22 is the Laguna Huaynacota (like a lake), regularly frequented by high altitude aquatic birds.
- At km 30 you reach the Tomarapi spot, where there is accommodation.

Returning to the town of Sajama, there are several places to visit in the surrounding area, which can be reached on foot along different trails. In all cases, you must take into account that you are walking above 4200 metres above sea level, so you need to be in very good physical condition and take the precaution of returning immediately when you feel the effects of the altitude. Also, don't forget to bring plenty of water, a little food (if it is a walk of several hours) and high factor sunscreen. It is very important to start the walks early in the morning and calculate the time to return during the day (never at night because the temperature drops a lot). Some walks to do:
- Lagunas Altoandinas (High Andean lakes): this is a path of high difficulty as it is mostly uphill. You reach an area of high altitude bodies of water with an impressive landscape. The place is ideal for wildlife watching, as it is common to see southern mountain viscachas and birds such as ducks and coots in the water.
- Geyser trail: a path leading to natural geysers and fumaroles. IMPORTANT: When arriving at the site, observe these formations from a distance and never walk through the geyser area as it can be dangerous.
- Hot springs: a path leading to hot springs managed by local communities.