High Altitude Detox in Peru and Bolivia.

Ensuring that you look and feel good is a strong part of Latin American culture. Many make use of spa treatments, exercise habitually to keep fit or simply dance away those extra kilos.

I try to visit Latin America at least once a year and as part of my most recent trip, as usual, I took advantage of the metabolising effects of high altitude, as well as visiting a couple of spa hotels and taking on a few new little challenges. I wanted to do a high altitude trek, and decided to prepare myself beforehand by keeping my exercise levels up and taking a vitamin supplement said to help me acclimatise to altitude quicker (Altivit).
When I landed in Lima, Peru’s capital, and was keen to make use of the facilities of the Westin Hotel Spa. Unfortunately, the spa treatments were fully booked so I had to make do with going for a swim in the pool and to use the gym to boost my energy and muscles working after the long journey from London.

My next stop was inland to Peru’s Sacred Valley, after a flight to Cusco and transfer to a wonderful hotel called Tambo del Inca. It is in a peaceful location with spacious gardens to practice yoga or relax for a couple of days.

This time I was lucky enough to have booked some treatments in the hotel’s spa. After a long journey, busy work meetings and the draining altitude effects, this water circuit was just heavenly. I felt so relaxed and looked much better, my skin was revitalised and completely hydrated: I felt like a whole new me after emerging from the last pool.

I was sad to leave this but my next adventure was waiting for me, one I have been preparing for quite some time.

My final stop was my native Bolivia, where I travelled to the Sajama National Park. My high altitude trek was a challenging, but certainly rewarding experience. I walked breathlessly among tiny dwarf tree in what is the world’s highest forest and reached 5,500 metres above sea level in some incredibly beautiful and little-visited scenery near Chile’s border.

Before flying home I visited a specialist in weight loss, who showed me that I had lost 3 kilos in a week. Once again I have proved that by keeping active while at high altitude I am able to lose more weight in a shorter period of time than I would have at at sea level.

I keep very active when away, walking as much as I can, adding some treks or biking. When at altitude it is important to drink lots of water and to be more moderate in intake of alcoholic drinks, helping the body to detox.

If you are looking to try something similar, visit our site and learn more about our high altitude detox, fitness and activity holidays.

I will keep you posted on my next high altitude adventures this year.

Here are some pictures of my trip. Enjoy!

Rio has its Christ, now Oruro has a Virgin

Last night we had our yearly fix of dance, Bolivian style at Friend’s of Bolivia’s carnival night in London. I was not disappointed, there was a good folkloric band, two dance groups and a disco.

As with many Catholic countries, Bolivia celebrates carnival and its does it in great style (read Gemma Bowes’ Guardian article on her visit).

Bolivia’s biggest carnival is held in the small mining town of Oruro, which comes to life once a year when more than 30,000 people dance in procession through the streets. Dancers in fantastically elaborate costumes are accompanied by brass bands and perform in front of Bolivians and the odd foreign visitor to honour the Virgin of el Socavon. (La Virgen Morena).

This year to kick of the Carnival celebrations President Evo Morales, himself a musician in the carnival in his youth, was part of the inauguration of the newly erected Virgen of Sovacon statue. It stands 45 metres high, seven metres higher than Rio’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue and just a bit shorter than New York’s Statue of Liberty.

It certainly adds something new to the place, I can’t wait to get back home to see it. If you want to see for yourself, HighLives can help arrange a fantastic stay at next year’s Oruro carnival, or indeed a visit at any time of year.

The collective spirit of the Tiwanaku people- our review

BBC 4 programme
Available on iplayer - click here to watch this programme.

Review 
I enjoyed the programme very much, I expected it to be educational and even though I already knew something about these ancient peoples of my country there was plenty that I learned about them.

What I really liked was that Dr Cooper started the programme explaining about how the civilization began, from a very small group of communities and into massive collective community that spans several modern-day countries. While it was a very sophisticated society, there were some shocking aspects- such as human sacrifice and the forced-shaping of their skulls to give their nobility their distinctive elongated heads. My husband seemed quite happy to find out how important the production of beer was to the Tiwanaku.

While watching the episode I realised how many traditions have been kept intact from this old civilisation in the region of Lake Titicaca and across the Aymara-speaking region.

There is still plenty to see at the site of Tiwanku in Bolivia today and I have fond memories of my school trips to the site. Though I must admit I didn’t enjoy my last visit to the September Solstice festival over 10 years ago: it was extremely cold and too much drinking among people for my liking- though this has been a tradition that has been part of the region for so long.

I prefer to visit the site during the day and combine it with a trip to Lake Titicaca. I have tried to replicate that in a HighLives experience we have now introduced that works as a two-day extension if you are visiting Bolivia in the future. This tour is unique to HighLives and we have put it together to allow the ancient culture of the area to be seen up close. Learn more about our new extension here.

If you have not seen the programme yet I encourage you to do so for another few days on BBC iplayer. I am looking forward to the next episode on Colombia.

Finally, I must share with you one more legacy from the Tiwanaku people that is still a big part of Bolivian life: a good party, with plenty of food, drinks and dancing. The biggest fiesta each year in the country is the Oruro Carnival, which is only a few weeks away.  The Guardian newspaper recently wrote about this festival here.
HighLives will be assisting with the yearly fundraiser that the charity Friends of Bolivia puts together in London, to celebrate Carnival, Bolivia-style. You are very welcome to join us.

Review: BBC2 TV series featuring Bolivia's most dangerous roads

Last night I watched Bolivia’s episode of a BBC2 TV series featuring the world’s most dangerous roads.

I was not too sure what to expect after the BBC car show Top Gear did a typically brash version a few years ago, which offended many Bolivians in the UK.

But I think this show did Bolivia justice in so many ways without glossing over some of the problems in what is still a very poor country. It was clear that a good amount of research had gone into it yet it still packed a good mix of fun and adventure in.

My favourite moments of the programme were:

• A moving interview with the volunteer rescue team about their work dealing with car accidents along Bolivia’s ‘death road’.
•  The view of the clouds rising up from the forest as the presenters’ car ascended steeply towards the mountains.
• Highlighting a unique and successful approach to road safety in La Paz, where crossing guards are dressed in zebra costumes.
• The presenters’ clear awe at approaching and driving over the vast salt flats.
• A glimpse of true Bolivian hospitality when a family of llama farmers performed camp-side singalong for their guests.
• The brightest blue blue skies and sunshine, just as I remember.

I would urge UK viewers not to miss the show, it is available online on iplayer for another 7 days. Please feel free to send me your comments.

World's Most Dangerous Roads - Series 3, Bolivia.


13-day Bolivian Odyssey

Uyuni Salt Flats Safari