After the La Paz Marathon: Valle de la Luna

The Route: La Paz hotel → Mallasa → Valle de la Luna → La Paz hotel Logistics: A taxi or a hotel car. The marathon finishes on the Mallasa cycle path in Aranjuez, so the valley is on the same side of the city as the finish line. Marathon Month: March Duration: Day trip

La Paz hotel ──(taxi or hotel car)──> Mallasa ──> Valle de la Luna (short walks) ──> La Paz hotel

The last kilometre of the race runs along the Mallasa cycle path, which means you have already finished in the direction of this valley. Most runners who come back do it by car a day or two later, with legs that have stopped complaining about stairs.

March in La Paz is the wet season. The municipal tourism office recommends April to October as the drier months for the Valle de la Luna, so a March visit means wet ground in places and a chance of rain. The formations are eroded clay and earth, and wet clay is slippery. Pick a morning, wear shoes with grip and take a light waterproof.

The same office lists the valley as open daily from 09:00 to 18:00, with foreign visitors paying 15 bolivianos at the last published figure. Hours and prices change, so check the current details with the tourism office before you set off. There is no verified public service on race weekend, so a taxi or a hotel car is the sensible choice. Agree a return fare with the driver before you start, or ask the driver to wait.

What the walk asks of your legs

The paths wind between pinnacles and ridges and include uneven ground and some slopes. Assume loose earth underfoot and ask at the entrance how long the shortest circuit is. Take it in short sections. Altitude still matters here, since the valley is within La Paz's high basin and not at sea level, so go slowly and drink water.

Keep the day short. An hour or two on the paths and a lunch back in the city is enough.

Eating

Eat back in the city. Terra Restaurant at the Stannum hotel on Avenida Arce in San Jorge serves à-la-carte bistro dishes with seasonal products. Ring ahead for its hours on the day you go.

Getting back

The taxi returns you to your hotel. The Bolivian airport for La Paz is El Alto International Airport (LPB), a separate city above La Paz. If you fly the same evening, leave the valley by early afternoon and confirm the transfer time with your hotel.