Sajama National Park

Bolivia'S First National Park (1939) And Home Of Sajama, The Country'S Highest Peak At 6,542 M, A Dormant Volcano. The Park Has A Polylepis Forest Said To Be The Highest In The World, Vicuna Herds, Tomarapi Geysers And Thermal Baths, Near The Twin Payachata Volcanoes. · Sajama, Oruro

Sajama National Park, created in 1939, is Bolivia's first national park, a wide, windswept stretch of Altiplano on the Chilean border. The village of Sajama sits at about 4,200 m beneath the Sajama volcano, at 6,542 m the highest peak in Bolivia. Nearby stand the twin Payachata volcanoes, Pomerape and Parinacota, on the border. The park holds hot springs, the Tomarapi and Sajama geysers, pre-Inca chullpa burial towers and one of the highest forests in the world, of quenua trees. Vicunas, rheas, Andean foxes and flamingos live here. The honest picture is a cold, remote place with few services, simple guesthouses and thin air, about 4 to 5 hours from La Paz. Nights fall far below freezing, the wind is constant and the sun is fierce. It rewards the effort with huge skies, silence and some of the finest views on the Altiplano. Acclimatise in La Paz first, and bring layers, sun protection and cash for the village. Go in the dry months, keep a spare day for weather and treat the cold and the thin air with respect.

Altiplano park on the Chilean border about 250 km south-west of La Paz, entered from the village of Sajama at 4,200 m under the Sajama volcano, with hot springs and geysers, Sajama, Oruro, Bolivia

The landscape is open at all hours and the village, the chullpas and the viewpoints are FREE to see, apart from the park permit paid on entry. Hot spring baths and guides charge small fees. Climbs and 4x4 trips run in the dry season and may CLOSE in snow or heavy rain, so confirm locally.

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