Cordillera de Sama - Inca Trail
The first thing I did once I got into Bolivia was search the web for things to do in the country. Obviously, big attractions include La Paz and Lake Titicaca, and I plan to head that direction on my way north. But… I was looking for something a little more adventurous and a little less touristy – more nature, less people. I searched for some hiking trails and found something that sounded perfect for me – a 20 km Incan trail that winds through a national park. It sounded far more intriguing than anything else Bolivia had to offer, so I made Tarija my first destination as it was the city closest to the trail.
The centuries old Inca trail goes through Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve. It’s a couple of hours drive from the city to the start of the trail head. I’d read online that there were busses to and from the park (referred to as “Sama”). I had also read that while free to visit, you needed to register with the SERNAP office in Tarija. Well… all of that information was pre-covid. The SERNAP office is now a showroom full of toilets and sinks. I checked their website, and I don’t think there is an office in Tarija anymore. Tour agencies don’t seem to be open anymore either. But I really wanted to go, so I figured I’d give it a try.
I also knew I’d need something a little better than photos of maps I’d seen online. I considered buying a GPS device, but it’s not like they’re easy to find here. And I didn’t really want to carry even more stuff, or have more batteries to charge. So I checked out some apps for my phone. I was pretty impressed with Gaia and bought a subscription so I could download maps for offline use. I tested it out around the city and felt confident it would suffice. On my Pixel 4, the GPS location seems to be accurate to within 10 feet, as long as I am outside. I also have an old, backup phone with me (a Pixel), and it struggles with the GPS, but it’s probably good enough to get me from A to B. I didn’t need to use it.
I stocked up on some easy food for the trip (pasta, soup and cookies), packed only necessities to keep my pack light, and got a good night’s sleep.
The morning of my 3 day trek, I left my unnecessary luggage at the hostel and went out to look for a ride to the reserve. And that was difficult. The first taxi driver told me to try a transport company two blocks away. The transport company told me to try the minibus station, Parada al Norte, which I needed to get to by taxi. But there, none of the companies wanted to take me to Sama. But the weird thing is – most of the busses were going right through there. All they would have to do is stop and open the door so I could get out. I think they didn’t want to sell me a fare that was less than full price, and I tried to offer to pay full price, but they still refused. I ran into another traveler at the mini bus station. She was from China and her Spanish was almost as bad as mine, but she tried to help. No success. And I’d asked a couple of taxi drivers if they could take me to the park. Nobody wanted to take me.
I ended up getting a taxi to the new bus station where the big busses leave for larger cities in Bolivia. But still nothing going to Sama. I thought about giving up. I had a bowl of chicken soup at the bus station and considered my options. I realized that if I left Bolivia without having done this hike, I’d regret it. So, I walked out to the parking lot and asked yet one more taxi driver if he’d take me, and he said yes! It cost me about $60, which may have been a little high, but I was desperate. The taxi was slightly newer and faster that other taxis, so we made good time and the trip was comfortable. Once we got to the reserve, I wanted the taxi to take me to the village of Pucsara, but we had to stop a little short because the gravel road had been washed out by a creek. No big deal – it added about an hour to my walk, but I was so happy to be out of the city, and the weather was nice.
The centuries old Inca trail goes through Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve. It’s a couple of hours drive from the city to the start of the trail head. I’d read online that there were busses to and from the park (referred to as “Sama”). I had also read that while free to visit, you needed to register with the SERNAP office in Tarija. Well… all of that information was pre-covid. The SERNAP office is now a showroom full of toilets and sinks. I checked their website, and I don’t think there is an office in Tarija anymore. Tour agencies don’t seem to be open anymore either. But I really wanted to go, so I figured I’d give it a try.
I also knew I’d need something a little better than photos of maps I’d seen online. I considered buying a GPS device, but it’s not like they’re easy to find here. And I didn’t really want to carry even more stuff, or have more batteries to charge. So I checked out some apps for my phone. I was pretty impressed with Gaia and bought a subscription so I could download maps for offline use. I tested it out around the city and felt confident it would suffice. On my Pixel 4, the GPS location seems to be accurate to within 10 feet, as long as I am outside. I also have an old, backup phone with me (a Pixel), and it struggles with the GPS, but it’s probably good enough to get me from A to B. I didn’t need to use it.
I stocked up on some easy food for the trip (pasta, soup and cookies), packed only necessities to keep my pack light, and got a good night’s sleep.
The morning of my 3 day trek, I left my unnecessary luggage at the hostel and went out to look for a ride to the reserve. And that was difficult. The first taxi driver told me to try a transport company two blocks away. The transport company told me to try the minibus station, Parada al Norte, which I needed to get to by taxi. But there, none of the companies wanted to take me to Sama. But the weird thing is – most of the busses were going right through there. All they would have to do is stop and open the door so I could get out. I think they didn’t want to sell me a fare that was less than full price, and I tried to offer to pay full price, but they still refused. I ran into another traveler at the mini bus station. She was from China and her Spanish was almost as bad as mine, but she tried to help. No success. And I’d asked a couple of taxi drivers if they could take me to the park. Nobody wanted to take me.
I ended up getting a taxi to the new bus station where the big busses leave for larger cities in Bolivia. But still nothing going to Sama. I thought about giving up. I had a bowl of chicken soup at the bus station and considered my options. I realized that if I left Bolivia without having done this hike, I’d regret it. So, I walked out to the parking lot and asked yet one more taxi driver if he’d take me, and he said yes! It cost me about $60, which may have been a little high, but I was desperate. The taxi was slightly newer and faster that other taxis, so we made good time and the trip was comfortable. Once we got to the reserve, I wanted the taxi to take me to the village of Pucsara, but we had to stop a little short because the gravel road had been washed out by a creek. No big deal – it added about an hour to my walk, but I was so happy to be out of the city, and the weather was nice.
At the spot the taxi stopped, my driver got out to take photos and remarked about how beautiful and mysterious the reserve was. His English was limited to “Oh my god”, which he repeated several times. And I showed him my route and he seemed rather excited about my plans. He added himself as a contact in my phone so I could call for a pickup, and I figured that was a good idea, since nothing had gone according to plan thus far.
I had to take off my shoes and wade across the stream that had blocked my taxi. And that was the beginning of my journey which didn’t start until late afternoon.
I walked a few hours, wanting to get closer to the trail head so I wouldn’t have as far to walk in the morning. I walked about 6 km, mostly on old roads and trails but wandering through the plains in a few places where I thought I could take a short cut. The short cuts didn’t turn out to be any faster because I had to walk around the spiky shrubs and mud pits, but it wasn’t too bad. I would have liked to have more time to explore the lakes that evening, but the sun sets fast, so I found a clearing on higher ground and set up my tent. I had some pasta for dinner and went to bed early with my e-reader.
I had to take off my shoes and wade across the stream that had blocked my taxi. And that was the beginning of my journey which didn’t start until late afternoon.
I walked a few hours, wanting to get closer to the trail head so I wouldn’t have as far to walk in the morning. I walked about 6 km, mostly on old roads and trails but wandering through the plains in a few places where I thought I could take a short cut. The short cuts didn’t turn out to be any faster because I had to walk around the spiky shrubs and mud pits, but it wasn’t too bad. I would have liked to have more time to explore the lakes that evening, but the sun sets fast, so I found a clearing on higher ground and set up my tent. I had some pasta for dinner and went to bed early with my e-reader.
It was a clear night, and I was camping at almost 3700m, so it got a bit chilly, but I was rather cozy in my sleeping bag. I was up for a few hours during the night. I still had a sinus infection so that made it hard to sleep. But I got up and went out to look at the stars. I really wish I could get a photo of the sky with my phone, but it just doesn’t seem to work.
I woke at about 8 AM when the sun started to roast me in my tent. It’s amazing how hot it gets in there when the sun hits it. I made coffee and ate cookies for breakfast, then packed everything up and headed up to the pass.
The distances in that valley are so much bigger than they look. It was another 6 km up to the pass where the Inca Trail began. Granted, I was walking slow and stopping to talk to llamas, but it took me nearly two hours to get up there.
The fields in the pass were beautiful. The grass was green and there were creeks and pools of water everywhere. The cows and llamas seemed curious about me and weren’t too quick to get out of my way. Wisps of clouds blew through on the wind. There were condors in the air and various other birds scattered about the field. It was stunning and I hadn’t even reached the trailhead yet.
I woke at about 8 AM when the sun started to roast me in my tent. It’s amazing how hot it gets in there when the sun hits it. I made coffee and ate cookies for breakfast, then packed everything up and headed up to the pass.
The distances in that valley are so much bigger than they look. It was another 6 km up to the pass where the Inca Trail began. Granted, I was walking slow and stopping to talk to llamas, but it took me nearly two hours to get up there.
The fields in the pass were beautiful. The grass was green and there were creeks and pools of water everywhere. The cows and llamas seemed curious about me and weren’t too quick to get out of my way. Wisps of clouds blew through on the wind. There were condors in the air and various other birds scattered about the field. It was stunning and I hadn’t even reached the trailhead yet.
The start of the Inca trail was marked by a sign but the trail itself didn’t look like much for the first hundred meters or so. But when I hit the trail built by the Incans, it was obvious. Big rocks pieced together like a puzzle to form a path that couldn’t be missed. And that’s also when I got my first glimpse of the valley I was descending into. I was lucky to have big breaks in the clouds so that I could see so far into the distance.
The trail was extremely efficient along its length. The trail descended steadily down the mountain – never going up. Where the mountain was steep, the trail formed tight switchbacks.
But the trail wasn’t easy to walk. The rocks were uneven. In places, the trail had deteriorated or been covered by falling rocks. In other spots, the trail was wet with running water or was overgrown with bushes. There were many places along the trail where it was easier to follow a cattle path adjacent to the trail than to walk on the trail itself. But, difficult as it was, it was breathtaking and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
There were also so many different flowers along the trail. So many that I’m going to give them their own slideshow!
The trail was extremely efficient along its length. The trail descended steadily down the mountain – never going up. Where the mountain was steep, the trail formed tight switchbacks.
But the trail wasn’t easy to walk. The rocks were uneven. In places, the trail had deteriorated or been covered by falling rocks. In other spots, the trail was wet with running water or was overgrown with bushes. There were many places along the trail where it was easier to follow a cattle path adjacent to the trail than to walk on the trail itself. But, difficult as it was, it was breathtaking and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
There were also so many different flowers along the trail. So many that I’m going to give them their own slideshow!
I had planned to camp by the river that evening where the maps indicated a camping area. But as I descended into the valley, I realized I wasn’t making very good time. I was worried that if I stopped there, I’d have too far to walk on the next day. I continued, hoping to reach the village to camp that night.
I then encountered herds of sheep and their shepherds. One of them was using a slingshot to shoot rocks behind his sheep to make them move. Another woman was winding wool on a spindle while her sheep grazed. She was chewing on a huge wad of coca leaves, her cheeks full. When she spoke, I had to ask her to repeat herself. It was still indecipherable. I told her I came from Pucsara and was headed for Calderillas and she nodded at that, though I have NO IDEA what she was mumbling about. She asked something else, and I said I didn’t understand and kept moving. (“Boring conversation anyway” popped into my head).
It was a good thing I pushed further that day. It took another 2 hours to reach the village. It was probably the most difficult part of the hike. The “trail” was completely overgrown with thick shrubs and trees. I tried to find a cattle path headed in the right direction without straying too far from the trail, but after 20 minutes I gave up and decided just to walk along the riverbank. It was slow going. The rocks were big enough to be obstacles but too small to be stable when stepped on. Even so, it was easier than trying to fight through the thick shrubs along the “trail”.
When I finally got into the village, I came across a little store. A woman there asked if I was going to spend the night and I said yes. She offered me a bed for the night in a large, concrete room with many beds in it. I recognized the room; I’d seen photos of it online. It’s really the only place to spend the night when hiking the trail unless you have a tent. Had it been pouring rain, I may have taken her up on the offer, but I am much happier in my tent where insects can’t get me. She pointed out a spot beside the building where I could put my tent. I bought some water and a snack from her and crawled into my sleeping bag before it got dark.
At dusk, I heard a lot of very large insects buzzing around. I don’t know what they were, but the pitch of their buzzing suggested they were huge. Once it was dark, it was silent and I never did figure out what was causing the racket.
It was another clear night but much warmer than the first. I had to get up in the night to pee and marveled yet again at the stars and Milky Way. I also saw something rather shocking – a firefly so bright and white that it looked more like an LED than an insect. I only saw the one.
I slept in again – waking when the sun started to cook me. My tent fly was really wet from condensation, inside and out, so I had to drape it over a rock wall in the sun and encourage it to dry while I had breakfast. I also used my host’s toilet in an outbuilding - I’ll just say I left it cleaner than I found it. Fortunately, they did have a sink with running water.
I bought more water, paying double to thank her for the use of her facilities. …I guess…?
I then encountered herds of sheep and their shepherds. One of them was using a slingshot to shoot rocks behind his sheep to make them move. Another woman was winding wool on a spindle while her sheep grazed. She was chewing on a huge wad of coca leaves, her cheeks full. When she spoke, I had to ask her to repeat herself. It was still indecipherable. I told her I came from Pucsara and was headed for Calderillas and she nodded at that, though I have NO IDEA what she was mumbling about. She asked something else, and I said I didn’t understand and kept moving. (“Boring conversation anyway” popped into my head).
It was a good thing I pushed further that day. It took another 2 hours to reach the village. It was probably the most difficult part of the hike. The “trail” was completely overgrown with thick shrubs and trees. I tried to find a cattle path headed in the right direction without straying too far from the trail, but after 20 minutes I gave up and decided just to walk along the riverbank. It was slow going. The rocks were big enough to be obstacles but too small to be stable when stepped on. Even so, it was easier than trying to fight through the thick shrubs along the “trail”.
When I finally got into the village, I came across a little store. A woman there asked if I was going to spend the night and I said yes. She offered me a bed for the night in a large, concrete room with many beds in it. I recognized the room; I’d seen photos of it online. It’s really the only place to spend the night when hiking the trail unless you have a tent. Had it been pouring rain, I may have taken her up on the offer, but I am much happier in my tent where insects can’t get me. She pointed out a spot beside the building where I could put my tent. I bought some water and a snack from her and crawled into my sleeping bag before it got dark.
At dusk, I heard a lot of very large insects buzzing around. I don’t know what they were, but the pitch of their buzzing suggested they were huge. Once it was dark, it was silent and I never did figure out what was causing the racket.
It was another clear night but much warmer than the first. I had to get up in the night to pee and marveled yet again at the stars and Milky Way. I also saw something rather shocking – a firefly so bright and white that it looked more like an LED than an insect. I only saw the one.
I slept in again – waking when the sun started to cook me. My tent fly was really wet from condensation, inside and out, so I had to drape it over a rock wall in the sun and encourage it to dry while I had breakfast. I also used my host’s toilet in an outbuilding - I’ll just say I left it cleaner than I found it. Fortunately, they did have a sink with running water.
I bought more water, paying double to thank her for the use of her facilities. …I guess…?
I was off by 9 AM – I wanted to get back to the city before dark and judging from the day before, it would take a lot of time to cover the last 12 km.
Not far from the village, I encountered something rather shocking. And very rare, I think. And terrifying. Well… I let you decide from the video:
Not far from the village, I encountered something rather shocking. And very rare, I think. And terrifying. Well… I let you decide from the video:
I consulted the internet experts (people on reddit). It’s probably black velvet tarantula, likely an adult male searching for a mate. I… have nothing more to say about that. Other than I’ll probably never, ever see one again (probabilistically, thankfully).
I had to cross a bunch of rivers in the morning. Taking my boots off and putting them back on got tedious, so I tried walking in my sandals for a while, but that was awkward too. The guys with the pack mules make the trek in flip flops and move at twice my pace, so I’m obviously a wimp. But they see that river valley all the time – I was seeing it for the first time and I was rather distracted by the beauty. It was so pretty and sadly impossible to photograph.
There was one small uphill part of my trek. I think it was only 300 meters or so and it didn’t take long to climb. I still think it was the most efficient path through the mountains. The Incans knew what they were doing.
The final descent was incredible. There were creeks and waterfalls on both sides. The path was dramatic, and the view was insane. I kept finding myself stopped and gawking at my surroundings. Sometimes it was hard to tell myself to keep moving. My legs were tired and I did stumble a couple of times, but I kept pushing forward, always captivated by the landscape.
I had to cross a bunch of rivers in the morning. Taking my boots off and putting them back on got tedious, so I tried walking in my sandals for a while, but that was awkward too. The guys with the pack mules make the trek in flip flops and move at twice my pace, so I’m obviously a wimp. But they see that river valley all the time – I was seeing it for the first time and I was rather distracted by the beauty. It was so pretty and sadly impossible to photograph.
There was one small uphill part of my trek. I think it was only 300 meters or so and it didn’t take long to climb. I still think it was the most efficient path through the mountains. The Incans knew what they were doing.
The final descent was incredible. There were creeks and waterfalls on both sides. The path was dramatic, and the view was insane. I kept finding myself stopped and gawking at my surroundings. Sometimes it was hard to tell myself to keep moving. My legs were tired and I did stumble a couple of times, but I kept pushing forward, always captivated by the landscape.
Eventually, I hit the end of the Inca trail and walked along a hill to get to the end of the trek. Near the end, I stumbled upon a family gathering. I said “hi” and meekly walked by, trying not to intrude. But they called for me to stop, wanting to know where I’d come from, if I was alone and how I knew about the trail. I told them about my route and said I’d spent two nights camping along the trail. That seemed to impress a few of the women. Or confuse them. Or frighten them. The shuddering motions probably convey the same meaning regardless of language.
The family wanted me to sit and share their meal. I tried to decline but they were insistent. They gave me a plate with a mix of grilled meats, potatoes and tomatoes and salsa. I couldn’t eat very much, but it really was delicious and probably helped me a lot in covering the last couple of kilometers. The Coca-Cola was extremely refreshing. Meat and vegetables kept coming off the grill, but I was already full.
They generously offered to take me back to the city too, later in the evening. But I was hoping to be back sooner – showered and enjoying a beer before they planned to leave, so I said no but thanked them for their generosity. I got a photo of the family and then had to pose while they took a bunch of photos of their own. I thanked them once more, one of them showed me the best place to cross the creek (shoes on) and I waved goodbye. They were so kind and made such a nice addition to my experience.
The family wanted me to sit and share their meal. I tried to decline but they were insistent. They gave me a plate with a mix of grilled meats, potatoes and tomatoes and salsa. I couldn’t eat very much, but it really was delicious and probably helped me a lot in covering the last couple of kilometers. The Coca-Cola was extremely refreshing. Meat and vegetables kept coming off the grill, but I was already full.
They generously offered to take me back to the city too, later in the evening. But I was hoping to be back sooner – showered and enjoying a beer before they planned to leave, so I said no but thanked them for their generosity. I got a photo of the family and then had to pose while they took a bunch of photos of their own. I thanked them once more, one of them showed me the best place to cross the creek (shoes on) and I waved goodbye. They were so kind and made such a nice addition to my experience.
When I reached Pinos Sur (the town where I could catch a ride to the city), there was nothing happening. There were no people, no cars. Just 2 chickens. It was too far to continue walking to the main highway, so I called my previous taxi driver. It took 3 attempts at dialing (fiddling with the first digits – country code and whatnot), but finally the call went through – I heard it ring. But no answer. I was frustrated, but not too worried, thinking that I could always catch a ride with the generous family that fed me. I just didn’t want to wait that long. 2 minutes later, my taxi driver called back. And he instantly knew who I was. He sounded excited and told me he was on his way. I had to wait about an hour, hanging out on the highway, but he came about as fast as I could expect. While I was waiting, two more vehicles stopped to offer me a ride, though later in the evening. Honestly, the people in that town are very kind and the properties were all very nice looking.
My taxi driver seemed happy to see me. He took more photos and said “Oh my god” a bunch more times. I told him a few things about my hike, and he said that even though he was Bolivian, he’d never hiked a trail like that. But he was young, so… maybe he will be inspired to, someday.
I had beer with dinner and don’t remember the last time a beer tasted so good.
The next morning, I could confidently say one thing: Ow. My legs hurt a lot. I’d descended 1700 meters through rough terrain. But it was worth it. This trek was not only one of my favorite experiences of this trip, but it will also remain one of the most memorable in my life.
My taxi driver seemed happy to see me. He took more photos and said “Oh my god” a bunch more times. I told him a few things about my hike, and he said that even though he was Bolivian, he’d never hiked a trail like that. But he was young, so… maybe he will be inspired to, someday.
I had beer with dinner and don’t remember the last time a beer tasted so good.
The next morning, I could confidently say one thing: Ow. My legs hurt a lot. I’d descended 1700 meters through rough terrain. But it was worth it. This trek was not only one of my favorite experiences of this trip, but it will also remain one of the most memorable in my life.