Chacaltaya Ski Resort

Near La Paz City, Bolivia

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Chacaltaya Ski Resort, located near La Paz, Bolivia, was once the world's highest lift-served ski area, situated at about 17,519 feet (5,300 meters) above sea level, higher than the North Base Camp of Mount Everest. Opened in the 1930s, it was Bolivia’s only ski resort and featured a rope tow installed in 1939, which was the first mechanical lift in South America.

The resort attracted middle- and upper-class visitors from La Paz and operated mainly on weekends during the snowy winter months. Its lodge included what is recognized as the highest restaurant in the world. However, the ski resort was built on the Chacaltaya glacier, which began shrinking rapidly due to climate change. Scientific measurements starting in the 1990s forecasted that the glacier would disappear by 2015, but it actually melted completely by 2009.

Following the glacier’s disappearance, the ski resort lost most of its snow, leading to the cessation of skiing activities and effectively turning it into a ghost town. Today, the resort remains largely abandoned, with only occasional snow patches. Two brothers who worked there continue to maintain the nearby refuge where visitors can still find a hot meal, preserving its claim as home to the world's highest restaurant.

The site is now more a symbol of climate change impacts than a skiing destination but still offers stunning panoramic views from its high altitude location near La Paz. Some adventurous visitors hike the mountain or explore the now-snowless slopes.