Private Palca Canyon Tour: An In-depth Exploration of Bolivia's High Desert Environment

Embark on a private Palca Canyon tour in Bolivia’s high desert environment. Explore rare plant and animal species, hike with an expert guide, and enjoy a delicious lunch in the canyon.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Palca Canyon - Travelers can expect a full day of hiking with a large lunch cooked in the canyon. We guide routes through the canyon that are suitable for all ability levels, but ask that you be in good enough shape to hike for at least 2-3 km. We are happy to briefly stop at Valle de las Animas on the way back to your hotel in La Paz. Dress in…
What's Included
  • Large lunch cooked in the canyon
  • Vegetarian option available
  • Beverage or beer with lunch
  • English/Spanish speaking driver/guide
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Palca Canyon may not be widely recognized, but it certainly ranks among Bolivia’s top trails for hiking. Its high desert ecosystem is a sanctuary for many unique flora and fauna including the likes of puma, pampas cat, Andean fox, northern Andean deer, viscacha, Andean condor and the vibrant red tailed hummingbird, among others. This tour offers an…

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(20 Ratings)
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Janice
Sep 24, 2019
We Chose the Right Tour Company - As Bolivia novices choosing the right tour company was a challenge. We came upon the Solace site and Caleb became our guide for three days. He is an outdoorsman and approaches his all-day tours from that perspective. As an American who adopted Bolivia as his home, he is passionately engaged with it. He offers adventure--not an air-ride suspension, “tinted window” excursion. Be aware that any Bolivian travel may be subject to public demonstrations. Guard rail-less highways may transition to gravel and city traffic may be fierce. Following local custom in the countryside, Caleb may stop and offer rides to locals. We encountered an over-80 year old bundle-bearing couple trudging up a dirt road at 14,000 feet, a woman on her way to a university orientation at a highway check point and a young mother and her four year-old daughter and infant. All provided insight into the daily lives of Bolivians. The all-day trip down to the ruins at semi-tropical Yanacachi via the Sud Yungas-Chulumani “highway” offered great variety. We first climbed over a pass and stopped near Estancia Rinconada, a crushed slate 15,000 foot moonscape with fantastic views of Mount Illimani near the mountain bikers’ starting point on the so called “Death Road.” If you have visited Tiwanaku or Machu Picchu and seen “developed” sites, this is an opportunity to see a “raw” archeological site. While there can be dust or mud depending on the season, you will get a sense of the “undiscovered” wonders of Bolivia. The day trip to Palca was really beautiful. For U.S. travelers think of Brice and Zion National Parks with Denali in the background. Caleb’s walks in the narrow canyons offer some physical activity and were really worth it. He encouraged us, but did not push us beyond our capabilities and we appreciated the experience. The full-day Lake Titicaca and Tiwanaku day was a “must do” extension to a La Paz visit. The local Tiwanaku site guide, Angela, is not only remarkably knowledgeable about this civilization, but she positioned our photos to catch the best light. The trip to the Lake was beautiful. As others have remarked, Caleb is extremely generous with his time and offers many options to stop and see more. His passion for Bolivia is more than a business for him. If your goal is to get closer to what Bolivia has to offer, book with Solace and you will not be disappointed. We are glad we did. This remarkable country and its people opened up to us through a memorable adventure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Howie2507
Jul 31, 2019
Looking for an off-the-beaten track adventure? Caleb is your man! - We did a one day tour to Palca Canyon with Caleb in June and he made sure we had an adventurous day. Palca Canyon is only a short drive away from La Paz, but it’s a completely different world. The scenery here is fantastic and the only other person we saw the whole day was a local farmer at the start of our walk. Caleb likes to bring you out of your comfort zone (if he thinks you can handle it), so our walk had us scrambling over rocks, traversing small streams and exploring slot canyons. This last activity took me too much out of my comfort zone as I’m a bit claustrophobic so I chickened out after a while. Caleb’s a fantastic tracker and would point out animal tracks along the way as well as giving us the low-down on Bolivian life. It was like trekking with Bear Grylls who throws in a historical, social and political lesson at the same time. For the ultimate boy-scout experience, we had a cook-out and beers deep in the canyon. At the end of the day Caleb brought us back to our hotel. Our bodies were tired but our heads were buzzing from everything we learned. I’m amazed that Palca Canyon doesn’t get more visitors, it’s such a beautiful place. If you’re looking to get off the beaten track, this is the place to go. If you’re up for a bit of adventure, want to really explore the canyon and also learn about Bolivian life, Caleb is the man you need to contact.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adamduncan24
May 22, 2019
THE Best and Ideal tour guide - Caleb is the man, the best tour guide I have ever had and also a great guy. Very friendly and incredibly knowledgeable on many different topics especially pertaining to Bolivian history, culture, and landscape. My group spent three days with his company and our three days consisted of some off road adventure up mountains with incredible views, a tour of the city of La Paz, a stop at the botanical garden in La Paz, a full day tour of Tiwanaku and Lake Titicaca that ended with a stop at an old Hacienda that was beautiful. Then a trip to the private Palca Canyon that was also a great time with stunning views. Overall, Caleb was great and I can't say enough about him or his business. When our time with him came to an end I felt like great friends and would certainly love to come back to Bolivia and spend some more time with him and do some more tours with him and his company one day. He was very flexible and willing to do whatever we wanted. It was also very clear that he put our needs first and was always checking on us to make sure we were happy and in good health because of how dangerous the elevation can be. I most definitely recommend Caleb as a tour guide and his company if your looking for the ultimate Bolivian experiences that will bring you out of your comfort zone a little bit and not end up regretting it one bit but instead wanting to do it all over again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meander11881680999
May 21, 2019
#1 Tour Guide. Everything You Want. - Asbolute best tour guide I've ever experienced. I went to Bolivia with a group from my university. We had a set itinerary for all 13 of us. Caleb seemed a little too crazy for us at first. But after a car ride with him, he turned out to be just what some of us wanted. Some of us wanted high adventure exploring and others just wanted laid-back sightseeing like a typical tour. Caleb managed to give the best of both worlds, and even made lunch for us one day. He had his staff give typical tours for those who wanted it, and took the few of us that wanted a little more adventure off the itinerary. He took us, the group that was more adventurous, to many gorgeous Vista points, took us off road 4-wheeling, explored various ruins, and even took us way out of the city to Palca Canyon, not on the itinerary, where we hiked and even found a cave. He managed to give us all this and still have the right balance of activities with the whole group, so the group didn't feel like two separate groups. If you are looking for the experience of a lifetime, and are willing to deviate from an itinerary to experience things you never even thought could exist, Caleb is the tour guide for you. He is very knowledgeable about Bolivia and it's history, and it seems like he knows 50% of the people within a 50 mile radius of La Paz. He will become your friend while giving you the best experience possible and, above all, keeping you comfortable. Caleb plans your experience around your desires and interests rather than a strict itinerary. He and his wife even stayed up most of one night, when a member of our group had a bad reaction to the altitude. He was worried more about getting her help than anything else and did on unpaid time. If I ever return to Bolivia, he will be the first person I will contact. Thanks Caleb for this unforgettable experience.
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Huehuetenango
May 29, 2018
Three Tours with Solace - We hired Caleb and Solace for three tours while we were in La Paz late last year. Caleb's enthusiasm and love for Bolivia was evident in discussions during our tours with him. Although US born and raised, he is Bolivian through and though. Our Spanish is rudimentary, so it was useful to get his take on Bolivian politics and society in a way that we might not have fully comprehended with a guide whose first language is not English. We did a half day trip to Palca Canyon, a full day trip of Mayan ruin exploring and death road traveling to Yanacachi, and a day trip to Tiwanaku with Armando and were guided on-site by the excellent tour guide Angela. We highly recommend Solace.
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Mjomtraveler
Dec 17, 2017
Breathtaking scenery - We joined Caleb and two others to tour the canyon. Caleb was very personable and flexible to our needs. We were still adjusting to the altitude and he make accommodations for us. The actual trails off the road are quite rugged, really more of a rock scramble. The areas that we covered were beautiful. There were also some interesting birds. Caleb made a delicious lunch that he brought and we stopped on the way to select what beverages we wanted. We went home a different road past some ancient farms still under cultivation and a small town that also were very interesting. Caleb was able to explain the indigenous culture and customs. This is a nice alternative to the city yet very close by.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louise
Nov 20, 2017
Palca Canyon tour from La Paz - A beautiful natural area close to La Paz. The canyon was spectacular with access to different slot canyons leading off from the main canyon. Interesting natural areas and very interesting and majestic rock formations. Our guide was knowledgeable about both the canyon and Bolivia in general and was very willing to answer questions. The canyons are a bit of a scramble but Caleb was very good about tailoring the walks to my 62 year old self. Felt safe all the way and enjoyed the challenge of seeing this unique natural area
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Dgh1658
Nov 11, 2017
Palca Canyon Tour - I spent a day with Armando my guide hiking the Palca Canyon in October. It was a great experience and well worth the 2 hour drive from La Paz to the canyon. Caleb who runs Solace Tours was great with communication on having Armando pick me up at my apartment and what to expect during the hike. They packed a great lunch along with a cold beer to finish off the hike. Great experience and well worth doing if you're in La Paz.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
62laurac62
Sep 18, 2022
Make an informed decision - Adventurous tour. Great destinations without crowds. Knowledgeable guide. Some nerve wracking roads. Lots of Bolivian history. Definitely not your typical tour. Read all reviews and responses to understand what you’re signing up for.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tycon2
Sep 18, 2022
Proceed with Caution - While we visited amazing locations in Bolivia that no other company offers tours to, there were some issues that detracted from the experience. Van overheated several times, tired were not fully inflated, significantly later than promised return to La Paz, and instances of road rage
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