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Description

Bolivia will literally take your breath away. The most remote country in South America, Bolivia's landscapes includes Andean peaks and Amazonian rainforests. With over 40 indigenous ethnic groups, Bolivian culture is as rich and varied as its geography. Unrelenting in its beauty and complexity, this country demands a commitment from those who wish to know it. As inaccessible landscapes unfold before us and we get to know this country and its people, we begin to understand Bolivia's rich history and current issues. The cradle of Inca and Tiahuanaco civilizations, Bolivia, which retains a majority indigenous population, provides a glimpse through history and into the contemporary complexities of development.

Our trip begins, unforgettably, as we step off the plane in La Paz, greeted by the gleaming snowcapped peaks of the Cordillera Real, the heart of the Bolivian Andes. While acclimatizing in lofty La Paz, which sits at 12,000 feet, the highest capital in the world, we explore its sprawling markets and dive into Bolivian history and politics with the help of university professors and local politicians. Our bodies accustomed to the altitude, we move on and up to Lake Titicaca, legendary birthplace of Incan civilization.

In Coacollu, we stay with indigenous families and participate in community projects. Under the guidance of our hosts, we participate in the cycles of daily life that have gone unchanged for centuries, learning to fish, harvest and build adobe bricks. International archeological teams working on the peninsula will provide us with further insight into the history of the local Aymara culture. From here we again move up, this time into the heart of the Andes. A week-long trek through the Cordillera Real will take us over passes and past glaciers, along trails that predate the arrival of the Spanish. A deserved rest waits for us in beautiful Sorata, where we again are welcomed into homes with local families and learn about the complexities of local development issues from NGOs while volunteering at the local school.

Finally, we descend into the humid heart of the Amazon Basin, one of the most biologically diverse and unspoiled areas on the planet. Awaiting us there is an astounding diversity of flora and fauna, waterfalls, and rivers. Indescribably lush, the Amazon basin is a world away from the arid highlands. The remote Cordillera Apolobamba is the setting of our next mountain adventure, which will take us over 16,000 foot passes on the same trails still used by the Kallawaya medicine men. With every step, we learn more about this ancient land and reach new heights of understanding as to the complexities of modern Bolivia. Having circumnavigated and passed through some of Bolivia's most remote and beautiful mountain ranges, we finish the trip by climbing a peak in the majestic Cordillera Real.

Dragons Bolivia is a physically and mentally demanding trip, providing total immersion and asking active participation from the students. The return on this investment is equally impressive. From breathless mountain vistas to the most unlikely and rewarding of friendships, we will experience the complexities and contradictions of this incredible country.

Highlights

Rugged Travel: 5 stars
Remote homestays with limited/no amenities. Foot, bus, and river travel. Extensive camping.

Trekking: 5 stars
Extensive trekking in remote Cordillera Real and Cordillera Apolombaba, including very high altitude; Jungle trek including river travel; numerous day hikes.

Home Stay: 4 stars
5-6 day homestay on Lake Titicaca; 7-8 day homestay at the base of the Andes.

Survey of Development Issues: 4-5 stars
Comparative development, indigenous issues, economic development, political development,

Language Study: 2-3 stars
Spanish language lessons incorporated into daily life, few formal lessons. Participation and enthusiasm expected.

Service and ISPs: 4 stars
Several structured service projects; opportunities for self-directed service work and independent research.

Focus of Inquiry: 4-5 stars
Political and economic development; Comparative development; Natural Resource issues and Consumption behavior; Pre-Columbian history; contemporary indigenous issues; high alpine and rainforest ecology;

Travel Types

• 4th World Studies
• Archaeology
• BackPacking Abroad
• Ecology
• Environmental Studies
• Hiking
• Homestay
• Native Culture Studies
• Nature Tours
• Overland Tours
• Photography
• RainForest Tours
• Student Tours
• Tours
• Trekking
• Volunteering

Cost in US$:

6,350

Cost Include Description:

Air fare from Miami as well as all in-country cost of travel and living (aside from extra spending money).

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Bolivia

in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of Max: 12

Application Process Involves

• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

Three weeks

Where There Be Dragons's Mission Statement

Through expertly guided and honest introductions to the cultural and physical landscapes of developing Asia and Latin America, and through Experiential Education that stresses the empowerment of the student, Dragons strives to cultivate cultural awareness and sensitivity, opportunities for personal growth through physical and emotional challenges, and a commitment to the communities through which we travel, providing young adults with a richer understanding of themselves, and of the social and physical worlds around them.

Year Founded

1992