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• time: 7:45 – 2:15
• distance: 11.5 kilometers
• high point: 5038 m with the second just a bit below 5000
• campsite: Laguna Khotia
• route: kml file here

Day 9 – Distance and Elevation

The day began with a walk up the valley from our campsite.  We were headed for the glacial lake – Laguna Warawarani. It proved to be a very scenic spot and we stayed for a while, pointing our camera lenses in every direction! Then it was time to head to our high point of the day at 5038 meters, gradually at first but with a bit of a steep final ascent. This was followed by an equally steep and longer descent down into the Lawrawani valley, which we traversed to reach our second high point of the day. The reward would be one of the trek’s many stunning views – that of Laguna Khotia sitting at the bottom of another slice of the Cordillera Real.  The mist added to the atmosphere of the scene.

Day 9-above Jayllawaya river valley to Laguna Khotia

the day’s first break – time for the sunscreen

taking in the beauty of Laguna Warawarani

Laguna Warawarani – Google Earth

Laguna and Cerro Warawarani

reflections on Laguna Warawarani

a steep descent  – the downside of mountain trekking!

looking down the Lawrawani Valley

looking at another pass- heading for the saddle between the two peaks

another Google view of the day’s walk

down below is Laguna Khotia! (the view east from 18-track)

looking down on the top end of Laguna Khotia

Check out the web pages of various trekking agencies and you will find a variety of names and spellings for the lake that many sources name Laguna Khotia. Among others, I have found Lake Quta Qutia and  Quota Khotia. The Yossi Brain Trekking In Bolivia book names it Lago Khotia while the O’Brien map has it marked as Quta Thiya! The KE Adventure Travel website has it as Kotia Lake. It can get pretty confusing at times!

Cerro Katanani (5468) above Laguna Khotia (4460)

As we came down the final steep scree slope to the Laguna a jeep drove by, the driver honking the horn madly. There is a road here that runs clear through the mountain range to the east side. Our goal was the bottom of the lake where our trekking team was already at work setting up the camp.

Looking up Laguna Khotia

our campsite between Lagunas Khotia and Kara (called Lago Khara Khota by Brain)

Day 9 Campsite – Khotia is behind the rock hump

Next Post: Day 10 – Laguna Khotia To Alka Khota