Laguna Charquini (also known as Laguna Esmeralda) is a small high‑altitude glacial lake located in the Cordillera Real of the Andes, near the town of Milluni in the La Paz Department of Bolivia.

The lagoon sits at just over 5,000 meters (16,500 feet) above sea level, nestled at the foot of Nevado Charquini (about 5,390 m) and close to the peaks Huayna Potosí and Chacaltaya, giving it a dramatic mountain backdrop.

After a bit of research last night, I decided that hiking to this lagoon would be a great way to spend my last day in the La Paz area. I joined a small tour group that provided transportation to the trailhead about 900 feet below the lagoon. Trust me when I say, this was a difficult hike given the altitude and my lack of acclimatization. Before starting the trail, I took a full panoramic of the range (click on the photo above and see if you can spot the lake) and progressively closer shots of the lake. This put me thirty minutes behind my group, but allowed me to get these photos before the clouds started to obscure the peaks.

It has been a while since I hiked at high altitude, and I was grateful that my body held up. I made the entire ascent in one continuous effort with no stops. I breathed only through my nose and adjusted my stride to keep my heart rate constant. At some points, I was advancing one foot only 6 inches in front of the other. While hiking, virtually everyone else passed me, but when they stopped to rest, I just trudged on by. This approach to high altitude climbing has served me well. When I got to the top, I hydrated and got a few selfies before turning right around to find thicker air.

Our driver was very skilled and inspired confidence as we traversed small streams that were often one with the road and passed trucks with a sheer drop off on our side. We made a couple of stops, including a reservoir and an ancient cemetery that were just as lovely as the lagoon.

Tomorrow I depart for Uyuni, and I do not know if I will have access to the internet. If not, it may be a week or so before I can post again.