My sights had been set on Bolivia for a long time. Ever since my trip to Peru, the majestic allure of the Andes was calling me back. One evening while researching the Bolivian mountains, a particular group of indigenous women known as Cholitas Escaladores caught my attention. Their brightly colored dresses were a beacon of resilience against the stark backdrop of rolling hills and snowy glacial peaks. The fascinating thing was, they were a group of indigenous women who wore these colorful dresses WHILE climbing some of Bolivias most iconic peaks, including the highest mountain outside La Laz, Huayna Potosi ( 19,974 feet above sea level). I had to meet these inspiring ladies.

Entering La Paz, a city that already stood at around 11,975 feet of elevation, I felt as if my  lungs would burst, and I hadn’t even climbed anything yet! Performing magic and meeting locals, I soon found myself in Condoriri, the base camp for the Condoriri mountain, as they say, “that resembles the condor”, ( which, legend has it, is an actual condor frozen in place by an group that lived in the area many many years ago). This is where I would meet the Cholitas.

The Cholitas Escaladores were exceptionally inspiring. Their passion for climbing was as vibrant as the attire they wore. In fact, sometimes they wore four or five dresses together, creating a flower peddle-like symmetry, representative of the many different indigenous communities within the Cholitas group. So, if you are wondering how they stay warm, consider the 5 layers of tough fabric and alpaca fur! As they say, ” their goal is to reach the highest mountain in the world, proud to represent Aymara women, and never leaving their traditional dresses behind,” –  their strong bond to their heritage. They strive to show that, although primarily seen as caretakers of children and responsible for mundane chores, they are much more than that. They indeed can accomplish what men have proven in the mountains. Their smiles are as wide as the ranges, peaks, and valleys that span across Bolivias magical landscape, while their spirits and goals are as grand as the highest plateaus. This expedition led me from Condoriri to the oldest glacier on Huayna Potosi to the Infamous “Death Road” that leads from the mountains down into the Amazon Jungle.