Bolivia's Southern Altipano

Southern Altipano

A vast country, landlocked since losing access to a seacoast during the Pacific War, it is the Andes Mountains that define the majority of Bolivia. The range is at its widest as it crosses Bolivia and consists of two parallel chains, divided by the high plain, or Altipano. This is the most densely populated area of the country, as well as one of the most historically and scenically spectacular.

Visually, Bolivia’s Southern Altipano, with its shimmering heat hazes and bizarre rock formations, is one of the most breathtaking. At night, the starscapes are magnificent, well worth the frigid conditions in which they must be viewed, and throughout, discover a landscape of majestic volcanic peaks, wide treeless wildernesses and the white emptiness of the salares, eerie salt deserts almost devoid of life.

At the southern end of the Altipano, find two of Bolivia’s finest, both of which made their mark on the world during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Potosi, thanks to its wealth of silver, stood as one of the world’s wealthiest cities in the 17th century, while neighboring Sucre was responsible for administering Potosi’s mines and served as the upscale home for the owners whose mines were in Potosi.