Amazing scenery, local culture and relaxing on the shores of Lake Titicaca... and an exciting adventure to top it all off.
For those who like climbing, the Dragon Dormido, the hill that dominates the community of Santiago de Okola, features some great cliff faces from which to practice abseiling.
Santiago de Okola is a small town on the shores of Titicaca that offers many things to do and see. This charming lakeside town is famous for its sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and the Dragon Dormido, or Sleeping Dragon, the curiously shaped rocky outcrop that towers above the town and is shaped like a fantastic animal lying on the shore of the Sacred Lake.
The members of this community have created an association (ASITURSO) designed to offer travellers an authentic hospitality experience, providing accommodation for tourists in their own homes for a unique human and cultural experience, in close contact with the local people. For two days, the locals will proudly show visitors the attractions in the area, culminating with an ascent up the Dragon Dormido and an exciting rope descent along its vertical walls.
Services
- Accomodation
- Food and beverage
- Local guides
- Overland transport
Additional Info
Difficulty level
Medium.
Packing list
Personal documents, sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat or cap, bathing suit, comfortable clothes and shoes, warm clothes and woollen hat for the night, raincoat for the rainy season (December to April), camera, snacks. Personal medication for altitude sickness.
Included services
Transportation: private round-trip transportation
Accommodation: one night in a longhouse
Meals: traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner with local produce; enquire about vegetarian food
First aid kit
Equipment to carry out the activity of abseiling
Local guide
Pick up at the hotels, if located in the city centre and subject to arrangement with the operator. Elsewhere, a meeting point will be arranged possibly at extra cost.
Services not included
Breakfast on the first day
Dinner on the last day
Beverages at lunch
Boat rides and any services not agreed on
Tips
Extra charges.
Info Reservation
Minimum group: 10 people.
Minimum time to reserve: one week.
Transportation
by public transportation, by car, by mixed transportation
Day 1
From La Paz to Santiago de Okola
Duration: 1,5 days
La Paz – Santiago de Okola
We will depart early in the morning from La Paz by bus or minibus. There will be lots of things to see and do at the beautiful river town of Santiago de Okola. After lunch, we will spend the afternoon with the women of the community of Santiago de Okola learning about the local weaving tradition at the textile workshop, before visiting the surroundings of the town, its beaches and landscapes.
We will have dinner with several families from the community who will host us for the night in their homes.
Day 2
Climbing and abseiling on Dragon Dormido
Duration: 1,5 days
Santiago de Okola
After breakfast with our host family, we will begin our trek up the back of the Dragon Dormido, the Sleeping Dragon, as the rocky outcrop that dominates Santiago de Okola is called. A guided tour will allow us to learn about the medicinal plants and mines and experience the best views of the lake, before the fantastic and exciting experience of abseiling, descending a steep slope 70 meters tall, secured with ropes, from the Dragon’s head down to the beaches lapped by the lake. After lunch at Santiago de Okola we will return to La Paz.
