Pico Austria, the most beautiful mountain in Bolivia
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Pico Austria is one of the most beautiful mountains in Bolivia. It is located only a couple of hours from La Paz and can be climbed in a day. The drive to the start of the trek is a scenic one and you will get to see many view of the Cordillera Real mountain range. When you arrive at the start of the climb, the area is still relatively flat. The first part of the walk is easy and takes you through some amazing landscapes. One of the most beautiful parts of the trek is the lake in front of Pico Austria. From here on it gets harder as the terrain gets rougher and the slope becomes steeper. This is also the point where the altitude start to get more noticeable. If you are well acclimatized the climb is quite doable, but if you are not it gets significantly harder and you will have to stop regularly to catch your breath. Once you get closer to the top the views get better. It is possible to see some of the glaciers on the nearby mountains and get some expansive views of the surrounding area.
This day trip is best done with a guide as getting to Pico Austria on your own is quite difficult. The tour is not that popular with tourists, but several tour operators in La Paz can book the tour for you. Because of the altitude and a relative slow pace, it is recommended to bring some extra clothing and enough to drink as you loose a lot of fluid because of heavy breathing. A visit to Pico Austria allows you to see some of the best mountain scenery of South America. |
Pico Austria travel photo gallery
Cordillera real mountains.
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Cordillera real mountain range.
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Road leading to the mountain.
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Road through the landscape.
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Path along a small river.
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Mountains and a lake with clear water.
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Llama's grazing near the lake.
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Some of Bolivia's best scenery.
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Amazing view of the Cordillera Real.
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Green part of the surroundings.
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Scenery seen along the way up.
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The track up the mountain.
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Rocks seen on the way up.
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The Pico Austria mountain with on top its glacier.
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Boulders in the landscape.
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The view down the valley.
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The steep path up the mountain.
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Glacier in the Cordillera Real.
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More hills in beautiful Bolivia.
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The steep slope of the mountain.
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View down the other side.
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The mountain covered by a glacier.
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Internet sites with information about Pico Austria
Suggested photo albums on Mad Planet Earth
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