Previous Post: Day 1 – South of Sorata To Alto Llojena
- time: 7:45 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- distance: 10 km.
- highlights: walk up to the pass (Rinconada); more Illampu Massif views; the view of Lago San Francisco from the day’s high point
- high point: 4889 m
- campsite: above Lago San Francisco in what initially seemed like an unlikely place to put up the tents. Somehow it all worked out just fine!
- Route: download day’s kml file here; you can open it in the Google Earth app.
Day 2 – distance and elevation. N.B. all images enlarge with a click.
Trans-Cordillera Real Day 2 (Alto Llojena to Lago San Francisco)
As the elevation chart illustrates, the day’s walk involved a reasonably gradual ascent to the point labelled Rinconada on the Google map. Then it was down to our campsite above Lago San Francisco. The vehicles were able to drive up to the top of the lake via a round-about route. To speed things up, everyone helped to put up the tents and distribute the duffel bags and within a half-hour, we were all able to crawl into our tents and do what would become an afternoon ritual – unpack the duffel and set everything back up again.
Looking back at our Alto Llojena campsite –
In the photo above you can see the vehicles still at the campsite. Visible further down in the valley is the village of Llojena. We headed off by 7:45, having sat down for breakfast by 7.
Day 2 – trekkers on the way to Lago San Francisco a Javier T. shot
Jankuma mountainscape above Alto Llojena
Not as breathtaking as looking at the changing face of the Cordillera Real – but still a wonder to behold – was the Altiplano to the west. For the first few days, we would be able to see a bit of Lake Titicaca in the distance and even make out the Isla del Sol!
looking west to the Altiplano and Lago Titicaca
the Rio Uma Jalanta coming into Lago San Francisco
Rio Uma Jalanta coming into Lago San Francisco
looking up the Uma Jalanta valley
looking into the Cordillera Real from the Rinconada above Lago San Francisco
one of our two “donkeys” above Lago San Francisco
late afternoon view of Lago San Francisco from the top of the lake
dining tent with a view – tea time above Lago San Francisco. (Thanks for the shot, Tony.)
Day Two – Lago San Francisco campsite
tent up at Lago San Francisco campsite
Cerro Wakana behind our campsite above Lago San Francisco
Next Post: Day 3 – Lago San Francisco To Chojna Khota
Ramblin' Boy 
Ramblin’ boy, Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your posts and use your blogs to plan trips. My husband and I travel as a couple and he teases me about our adventures getting physically harder and harder. Perhaps we were not prepared last year for our 40th anniversary Machu Picchu trek but we definitely were in better shape after our knees recovered. I wish we had also done the Cordilleras circuit. Instead we did day hikes out of Yungay(near Huarez) which really limited us. I am reading this post about the Bolivia Andes with great interest. Might be a future trip. In 2016 we head to Tasmania to do the Overland Track. Not high altitude but still adventuresome for us mid-60 couple. Thanks again for keeping your post current and educational, especially for those of us involved in similar activities: hiking, biking, canoeing… Michelle Z
Michelle, thanks for the positive review! From my own web surfing habits I know that most people stick with a web page for maybe ten seconds so it is great to be reminded occasionally that someone is making it beyond that ten-second mark!
My wife’s mother had a saying that I have made my own. She used to say – “You have to keep moving” and she was proof that it worked!
I must take a look at the Tasmania Overland Track for details. I had looked at Tasmania for a bike tour but the problem of getting my bike there in one piece dissuaded me. Maybe the thing to do is rent a bike once I got there.
Re: being in the mid-60’s. That is exactly where I am at too. We’ve just got to keep on moving!