Date of trip: End of July 2025
Introduction
Codo de los Andes is an impressive trekking destination in the beautiful mountain surroundings of the eastern Andes in Bolivia. Its name means ‘elbow of the Andes’ — a reference to the characteristic bend of the range that creates stunning panoramas here. We chose this trek for its good accessibility from the main route and its relatively moderate difficulty. Photos from the internet promised beautiful views.
Access and route
We set out for the trek during our drive from Santa Cruz toward Samaipata. After passing the village of Cuevas (about 1.5 km beyond it) there is a left turn onto an unpaved road called Camino RN7-Palermo.
This dusty route climbs for about 5.5 km up to the parking area at the saddle where the trek begins. There are fords and steeper sections on the road, so we recommend using a 4×4 vehicle.
There are toilets and makeshift accommodation at the parking area. There is an entrance fee for the trek.
The trek itself
The Codo de los Andes trek is considered moderately difficult to challenging, especially if you want to complete the entire route including the section towards the Cuevas waterfalls. We only completed the initial section to the closest viewpoints due to lack of time.
The route was relatively easy to follow, though it is essentially unmarked, so it’s recommended to use an offline map (e.g. maps.me or Mapy.cz). The terrain was also ideal for Iba. Although a few steeper sections appeared on the route, he handled them with ease.
After just a few minutes of ascent, magnificent panoramas of the surrounding landscape opened up to us – green hills, valleys and endless distant views. During our entire walk we met only one group of hikers with a guide (and also with a dog). Overall the place felt very peaceful, with minimal tourists.
Wind
The weather surprised us a bit here. Despite pleasant temperatures and basically clear skies, a strong to extreme wind made the whole trip unpleasant. The place offers beautiful views suitable for capturing with a drone, but the wind was so strong that we didn’t even attempt to take off.
Conclusion
Codo de los Andes is a beautiful and dramatic trek that offers impressive views, a peaceful setting and the chance to see the landscape of the eastern Andes in all its beauty. Although we only completed part of the route due to lack of time, it was an experience we won’t forget — especially for nature lovers and photographers this area is a true paradise.