Sajama altitude
6,542m
Protected area
1,000km²
Bolivia's oldest park
1939
Queñua forests
5,200m
From La Paz
245km
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6,542m · Bolivia's highest
Nevado Sajama is Bolivia's highest peak — surpassing Chearoco and Chaupiurco. Stratified volcano with permanent snow summit visible 100km away.
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Queñua forests at 5,200m
The Polylepis tarapacana (queñua) forests of Sajama are the world's highest. A unique ecosystem with microhabitats for endemic altiplano birds.
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Natural hot springs
Sajama's thermal springs emerge near the river, at the foot of the snowfield. A 35°C bath with the 6,542m snowy cone behind — one of Bolivia's most special landscapes.
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Vicuñas and suri
Vicuña herds in the bofedales, suri (Andean rhea) on the slopes, condors on the nevado's thermals. Bolivia's most complete altiplano fauna.
The park that defines the Bolivian altiplano
1939: Bolivia's first. Nearly 90 years protecting the roof of the world.
1939
Bolivia's oldest national park
Sajama National Park was created on 2 August 1939 during the government of Germán Busch — Bolivia's first national park. Nearly 90 years later, it protects 1,002km² of the western altiplano and contains the country's highest peak.
20th–21st c.
The Aymara community of Sajama
The village of Sajama has coexisted with the park since before the concept of protected areas existed. Today its inhabitants manage local tourism — guides, accommodation, hot spring access — and maintain agricultural and pastoral practices at 4,200m dating back centuries.
5,200m
World's highest forests
The Polylepis tarapacana (queñua) forests of Sajama grow between 4,500 and 5,200m — the world's highest forest ecosystem. The queñua has reddish bark that peels in papery layers and can live for several centuries, withstanding frost, extreme UV radiation and dryness.
6,542m
The Nevado: volcano and Andean reference
Nevado Sajama is Bolivia's highest volcano and the second highest in the southern Andes after Ojos del Salado (Chile). The ascent is technical — ice and rock, crampons, certified guide required. It is considered the entry-level 6,000m peak of Bolivian high-altitude mountaineering.
A fact that is hard to grasp until you are there: the queñua forests of Sajama grow higher than any tree in Europe, Asia or North America. They are the only trees on the planet that survive above 5,000m — and they have been doing so for centuries, in silence, at the foot of a 6,542m snowfield.
Practical information
How to get there
- La Paz → Sajama: 245km, 3.5-4h on paved road to the turn-off
- Bus La Paz → Tambo Quemado (turn-off km 240) + taxi (~Bs 20)
- Own car: most comfortable and flexible option
- Organised tour from La Paz: ~$80-120/person all-in
What to do
- Trekking through queñua forests (1-2 days, local guide)
- Hot springs bath (free access)
- Nevado Sajama ascent: 2 days, certified guide required
- Fauna observation in bofedales (sunrise)
- Visit to Sajama Aymara community
When to go
- Dry season (May-Sept): best for climbing and trekking
- Avoid December-February: frequent rain
- The park is accessible year-round but experience varies
- Festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria: 2 February (Sajama village)
FAQ
Ready to visit Sajama?
We design your Sajama National Park itinerary — from La Paz or in a circuit with Uyuni and Coipasa.
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