About 10km down the canyon of the Río Choqueyapu from the city center, Valle de la Luna is a slightly over-hyped place, though it’s a pleasant break from urban La Paz. It could be easily visited in a morning or combined with another outing such as a hike to Muela del Diablo to fill an entire day. It isn’t a valley at all, but a bizarre, eroded hillside maze of canyons and pinnacles technically known as badlands.
Several species of cactus grow here, including the hallucinogenic choma (San Pedro cactus). Unfortunately, urban growth has caught up to the area, making it less of a viewpoint than it otherwise might be.
Note: readers have reported muggings in recent years, even while in the site’s confines.
Diana Tours offers round-trip guided trips to Valle de la Luna and Chacaltaya (B$130), with a pickup from your hotel at 8:30am. If on your own, from Av México in La Paz, which parallels the Prado, catch any form of transportation marked ‘Mallasa’ or ‘Zoológico.’ These will drop you off near the entrance. For a taxi from the center of La Paz, you’ll pay around B$80 for up to three people, and the driver may wait for an hour or so while you look around.