A high-altitude clean-up in Bolivia’s Valley

In Bolivia’s Valley of the Souls, razor sharp rock formations pierce the blue sky above the nearby highland city of La Paz, from where urban sprawl over years has left the picturesque spot littered with plastic waste and construction rubble.

Now the rocky canyon is getting a clean up amid a wider push to spruce up the South American country’s scenic spots and waterways, with hundreds of volunteers, aided by heavy machinery, shifting over 15 tons of debris in the last week.

The Valley of the Souls, which is just outside administrative capital La Paz in Bolivia’s mountainous Andean region, is a draw for tourists. Located 3,965 meters (13,000 ft)above sea level, it is cherished for its unusual geological formations.

But as the city has spread, it has become littered with trash and construction waste.