Safari to Sajama

superb altiplano scenery with prominent snow-capped volcanoes

At 1002 square kilometres (386 square miles), Sajama National Park is a relatively small but scenic conservation area, set in the west of Bolivia.

The reserve is contiguous with the much larger Lauca Biosphere Reserve across the border in Chile.

Both areas contain essentially the same superb altiplano scenery, with the landscapes here in Sajama starting around 4200m (13,780’) and climbing to the summit of the picture-perfect eponymous volcano at 6542m (23,463’), the highest point in Bolivia.

The snow-melt from this and other vast snow-capped volcanoes feeds a series of streams and lakes, which sustain the wildlife and domestic animals in these otherwise completely arid landscapes.

Although Sajama is home to the same range of animals as Lauca, including vicuñas, vizcachas, lesser rheas and various flamingos, on this side of the border the wildlife viewing is nowhere near as strong.

The reserve is populated by the Aymara people, who have been in the area for thousands of years and who still largely adhere to their traditional culture. Visiting the various remote villages and archaeological sites is a major highlight.

The Sajama area attracts relatively few travellers. We usually visit by means of a private guided overland safari, usually fitting it in between La Paz or Lago Titicaca to the north and Salar de Uyuni to the south. We usually prefer to visit in combination with Lauca, to provide the best combination of landscapes, wildlife and culture.

The best time to visit Sajama is generally considered to be during the Oct-Apr warm dry summer season.

Sajama has a cold desert climate, with two clearly defined seasons.

During the Oct-Apr summer conditions are usually relatively warm and very dry, with lots of sunshine. Average daytime temperatures usually reach around 19C/66F, with nighttime lows holding up around 1C/34F. Average sunshine is up around 9 hours per day, peaking in Nov-Dec.

During the May-Sep winter the weather is usually cold and very dry. Average daytime temperatures usually manage to reach around 14C/57F, with nighttime lows plunging to around -11C/12F, with regular frosts and snow cover at all altitudes.

Average sunshine remains high at around 8 hours per day.

Getting there

Getting to Sajama can be a little complicated.

We most commonly include it in trips as part of a private guided overland safari between La Paz in Bolivia and Santiago in Chile.

From La Paz we first route south to Sajama, crossing the border to Lauca in Chile, then crossing back into Bolivia to continue on to the salt flats at Uyuni, down through Eduardo Avaloa, before crossing back into Chile to end at San Pedro de Atacama, flying on to Santiago.

The route is a really fascinating exploration of some lovely, remote and little-visited mountain areas. The fact that vehicles cannot usually cross the border between Bolivia and Chile may complicate the logistics, but nothing we can’t handle.

This type of expertly-guided overland trip is almost certainly the best way to explore the region and something we strongly recommend if you are up for the adventure.

Where to stay

If you are planning to visit Sajama and not Lauca, then it’s usual to spend two nights here.

If you are planning to combine Sajama and Lauca, then it’s usually best to spend a night in each location. If you have a third night available, then that would usually be deployed in the Lauca area.

There is one standout accommodation option in Sajama, namely the simple but excellent community-operated Tomarapi Lodge.

usually best visited in combination with the Lauca area