Cotapata National Park Circuit

Starting from the highland town of La Cumbre at 4,650 meters, this circuit drops through every ecosystem Bolivia offers — from páramo grasslands through cloud forest to subtropical jungle. The old Inca trail parallels your route as you navigate hairpin turns carved into cliff faces, ford rushing streams, and push through sections where the jungle tries to reclaim the road. Coroico serves as the traditional endpoint, but the full circuit loops back through hidden valleys most tourists never see.

A capable high-clearance vehicle is essential — preferably with low-range for the steep descents and muddy jungle sections. Dry season (May through October) is mandatory; the wet season turns this into an impassable mud trap. Pack for extreme temperature swings, from freezing at altitude to sweltering in the valleys. The reward is extraordinary biodiversity, Inca ruins, and some of the most dramatic elevation changes you’ll experience behind a steering wheel.