COUNTRIES

Samaipata lies in lowland Bolivia and high altitude is not a problem here

Samaipata is the first stop on the Che Guevara route. He was killed in the area in 1967

It looked and felt like spring

Beautiful scenery of Amboró National Park near Samaipata

Amboró National Park

Potosi, one of the highest cities in the world (over 4000m)

Potosí lies beneath the Cerro Rico, a mountain "made of" silver ore. Cerro Rico was the major supply of silver for Spain

Because of silver, Potosi was one of the largest cities in the world, with a population exceeding 200,000 people

The mountain continues to be mined for tin and other metals including silver to this day

It's hard work using simple tools

Miner using dynamite. Due to poor worker conditions, the miners have a short life expectancy and many die around 40

Just south of La Paz lies Ilimani, the second highest peak in Bolivia

Local woman working hard near the last village before the base camp of Illimani

Lamas grazing high in the mountains

The girl was our cook and the boy was looking after mules

She didn't speak much Spanish, her mother tongue was Aymara

Climbing up to High Camp, called Nido de Condores

Resting in High Camp before the climb

We left our tents around 2am. Cold and wind made 3 other guys to turn back

View from the summit of Illimani 6,438m after sunrise

There is a big Bolivian flag at the top. The other climber was throwing up from altitude sickness

Coming down can be dangerous for somebody not feeling well

Back in La Paz the next day

Life in La Paz