Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area

The Cotapata Integrated Management Natural Area is a 400 km² protected reserve east of La Paz, established in 1993 to safeguard one of Bolivia's most dramatic ecological transitions: the steep descent from Andean altiplano above 5,000 metres down into the lush Yungas cloud forests below 1,000 metres. This compressed altitude gradient supports an extraordinary density of bird species, orchids, and mist-shrouded river valleys within a compact area. The park is bisected by the Choro Trek, a pre-Columbian Inca trail descending from La Cumbre that ranks among South America's most celebrated multi-day hikes. Administered by Bolivia's national park service SERNAP, the area offers raw wilderness access with minimal tourist infrastructure — rewarding self-sufficient trekkers and birding enthusiasts above all.