Valle de la Luna La Paz Bolivia — formaciones de arcilla y yeso erosionadas a 3.400m con el paisaje urbano de La Paz al fondo

← La Paz·3.400m · 10km del centro

Valley of the Moon,
La Paz.

10km from central La Paz, a labyrinth of clay needles and towers eroded by water over millennia. The most accessible and visually striking natural excursion in the city's surroundings.

The trails ↓La Paz guide →Gallery ↓

From city centre

10km

Total visit time

2.5–3h

Entry fee

~30 Bs adults

Hours

9am–5pm daily

Short trail

30–40 min

Long trail

75–90 min

— Trails & geology

Two paths through the clay labyrinth.

The short trail gives the essential. The long trail gives solitude, the city viewpoint and complete geological understanding.

Recommended for all30–40 minutes

Short Trail (Sendero Principal)

The essential Valle de la Luna circuit

The main trail is a circular route of approximately 1.5km passing through the most dramatic formations of the Valle de la Luna — towering clay needles, eroded gullies, terraced layers of different-colored earth and the floor of the former valley now exposed. The trail is well-marked and paved in sections, making it accessible even without trekking boots. Three viewpoints along the route give perspectives over the entire formation from different heights.

Tip

Walk the short trail first to get your bearings, then decide whether to do the long trail. The best photography is from the second viewpoint, approximately 15 minutes in — the formations here have the most dramatic vertical scale. Sunrise and late afternoon give the most textured light; midday (12–14h) produces flat, harsh light.

Full experience75–90 minutes

Long Trail (Sendero Largo)

The valley's quieter western zones and summit mirador

The long trail (approximately 3.5km) extends the main circuit into the less-visited western and upper zones of the Valle de la Luna. This section is more rugged and less maintained — proper footwear is recommended. The trail climbs to a high point offering panoramic views over the entire valley, La Paz city in the distance, and the Cordillera Real mountains to the east. Few other visitors make it to this section, giving a more solitary and contemplative experience.

Tip

The long trail adds the city panorama that many visitors miss — on a clear morning (before 11am) you can see the full horizon of the Cordillera Real with its snow-capped peaks including Illimani (6,438m). The long trail can be slippery when wet. Sturdy footwear is strongly recommended. Bring water — 2L is not excessive even for a 90-minute walk at 3,400m.

UnderstandingContext

The Geology of the Valley

Why this landscape looks like the Moon

The Valle de la Luna was formed over thousands of years by rain and river erosion on a particularly soft mix of clay, sand and gypsum — the former bed of a prehistoric lake. The hard top layers eroded faster in some places, leaving resistant pillars while the surrounding soil washed away. The result is a "hoodoo" landscape of pinnacles, fins and narrow channels. The different horizontal layers visible in the valley walls show distinct geological periods — the orange layers are iron-rich sediments, the white layers are calcium carbonate (gypsum) deposits.

Tip

The green plant material you see covering some sections of the valley is actually a cyanobacterium (blue-green algae) that has adapted to the extreme conditions — extreme UV, thin soil, temperature swings. It gives the formations their distinctive green-orange-white colour palette. Photography tip: the orange-gypsum contrast is most saturated in early morning and late afternoon when the sun angle is low.

— How to get there

10km from the centre.

Valle de la Luna is in the Mallasa district, in the Achumani river canyon — a noticeably warmer and drier microclimate than central La Paz.

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Taxi (recommended)

From central La Paz: 30–45 Bs (20–30 min). From Miraflores or San Miguel: 20–30 Bs (15–20 min). Ask the driver for "Valle de la Luna, urbanización Mallasa, carretera a La Florida". Most drivers know it. For the return: many drivers wait for an agreed fare (~20 Bs extra), or arrange a return pickup.

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Minibus (budget)

Line 11 or 273 from Plaza San Francisco (centre) or Av. Arce/Sopocachi towards Mallasa. Price: 2.50–3 Bs. Journey 30–40 min. Get off at the Mallasa entrance and walk ~10 minutes downhill to the Valle de la Luna. Return: take the same minibus from the same stop.

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Own car or tour

By car: from central La Paz south on Av. Ballivián, then to Calacoto and the Mallasa turnoff. Valle de la Luna has parking at the entrance. City tour operators in La Paz often include Valle de la Luna in a half-day "La Paz city tour" package combined with the Teleférico.

— Gallery