Serranías del Valle De Las Animas — Attraction in La Paz

As a solo female traveler, I was a little hesitant to do the hike alone. But I decided to do it anyway.

Went on a Sunday and it was totally worthed. I took the bus at Plaza Camacho to Chasquipampa (2.50 bolivianos), it took 1 hour and they run until 10 pm, got off at the last bus station in calle 63 and walk till the flowing block then, took a left on a bumpy road. (10 min walk) at the entrance, there's a sign that states it's private property, so they charge 5 bolivianos.

They were volunteers picking up trash, so I decided to join (asked for a bad and promised I would pick up trash on my way out, and I did) PLEASE TAKE A TRASH BAG OR PICK UP TRASH TO HELP PRESERVE THIS GEM, unfortunately, there's lots of trash on the way and any help is appreciated.

The hike is a total of 10km round-trip is pretty steep and difficult if you are not used to altitude. It took me 5 hours with stops (breathing exercises, drinking water, and having snacks). There's no signs, but road is pretty clear, they're many trails, but I followed the main one. If you have a 4x4, you can drive.

During the morning, I didn't see many people, maybe 10 max, but the afternoon was pretty busy.

Beautiful scenario. I felt safe. They were cows, dunkyes, and flowers a long the way, being able to connect and enjoy such a stunning place made me feel pretty fortunate. Don't miss it, if you...

The area is beautiful and the formations are impressive. However, when you arrive, locals aggressively demand money to enter the valley.

A lady with a toddler this morning ran after us, and when we made clear that we wanted to carry on as the valley is a public area, she picked up a stick from the ground and threatened to beat us with it if we made one more step. She was aggressive and insistent. My boyfriend ended up paying her after it got ‘physical’, when she pushed me on the arm. She left then.

With hindsight, I would go the the Luna valley where there is a lawful entry fee to be paid.

It’s a shame, and also the first time someone physically threatens us for money in Bolivia.

Moreover, there is a bunch of street dogs, some of them are peaceful, but we came across an agressive one that barked a lot and came up to us ready to attack. We tried to get rid of it, but it kept coming closer, barking and threatening. A taxi driver gave us a metallic stick to make some noise and scare him off. Not sure what would have happened if the driver was not around.

I can’t recommend this place. You may get lucky and have a positive experience unlike us, but it can also be unsafe and you may get taken advantage of and be attacked by stray dogs.

If you do go, there is another way to access the valley, and after what happened to us, I would recommend you go to the...

The Valle de las Animas, or "Valley of the Souls" is a densely packed forest of rock formations, each stabbing toward the sky in great clusters. Formed out of mudrock and erosion over hundreds of years, the stunning valley has drawn visitors for years. When people first visited this valley, they believed the spires resembled petrified souls, which gave the area its name. In Andean legends, this was originally a fertile land, but human greed destroyed nature, angering Pachamama ( the mother of earth), so the mountains collapsed and the ground cracked, forming these strange rocks, which turned into eternal "soul statues" to warn future generations to respect nature. Because of its landforms and legends, the Valley of Souls is also known as one of the most mysterious and spiritual places in Bolivia. In fact, these stone screens and stone pillars are erosional landforms formed by wind and rain erosion, similar to the Bryce Canyon in the United States. Because of its unique scenery, it is loved by photographers and hiking enthusiasts! Bring plenty of water and snacks, windproof warm clothes come here to enjoy the beautiful sunset. Locals charge 5 BOB/ PP at the entrance, it's a good idea to bring a flashlight for...