Climbing Condoriri: meeting the condor in Bolivia's Cordillera Real

Someone once told me that all great climbing depends on a mix of good planning, good company and good fortune! On my first visit to Bolivia, these three came together beautifully as I set out on my journey to "learn the ropes" of high Andean mountaineering.

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For me personally, it's impossible to choose my favourite mountain. In some ways, I find questions like these absurd. In what way do we mere mortals have the right to categorise and rank these majestic, billion year old beings?! If forced, however, I'd have to admit that Condoriri, in Bolivia's stunning Cordillera Real, holds a special place in my heart.

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Easily accessible from Bolivia's biggest city, La Paz, Condoriri is a central massif of three high peaks which together form the huge head and wingspan of the creature from which these mountains gain their name: the condor.

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The head - La Cabeza del Condor - is the central peak, standing at a sizeable 5,648m (18,530ft), and flanked by the two further peaks that make up the left and right wings of this hugely important Andean symbol. Beyond the three peaks, there are a further 14 summits that together make up the entire Condoriri massif.

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As a young climber travelling through Bolivia, I was told about this set of mountains by a friend and I was immediately drawn by three things. Firstly, this place is a bewilderingly beautiful place, whether for hiking, climbing and spotting the majestic local wildlife. Secondly, it is easy to get to (I mean, relatively, and by Bolivian standards) for those visiting Bolivia but short on time. Finally, this is because it's a much less visited set of mountains compared with Bolivia's more famous and more commonly climbed peaks.

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Remembering the place, as well as the climb itself still brings a broad smile to my face, and I climbed it (together with a local guide) with a youthful sense of adventure but also with a head old enough to care little for the triumph of summiting. I was there for the experience and the place, and wasn't too bothered about whether we made it to the top or not.

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When I first set eyes on the mountain's fortress-looking summit, I remember thinking "how the bloody hell do we get up there", but I was fit and acclimatised, and if there's one thing I've learned about mountains it's that difficult routes can become immeasurably easier when you're happy, confident and have the unique mix of good planning, good company and good fortune.

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For (near beginners) and experienced alpinists alike, I couldn't recommend climbing Cordoriri more, and for hikers and nature-lovers too, I highly recommend visiting this stunning place. The climbing is hugely various, with mixed ice and rock gullies, knife-edge ridges and giant glaciers, and no one leaves this mountain wishing they’d had more variety from the experience.

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As with all mountains, this place is special and the sacredness of these places runs deeply through Bolivian culture. Tread with care, kindness and an openness to learn from these places, their cultures and the people who call these places home, and you will be rewarded with exceptional, possibly life-changing experiences.

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