Think high cities are just tiny villages? Quito, Ecuador—at 9,350 feet (2,850 meters)—is a capital city with 2 million people who casually walk up hills that would flatten a marathon runner. Locals call it “the face of God” because you’re that close to heaven. Or maybe because you’ll be praying for a taxi.
And don’t forget Bogotá, Colombia, at 8,660 feet (2,640 meters). It’s the highest major city in the world, and it has a booming nightlife. The joke is that Bogotanos dance so fast because they’re trying to generate oxygen through movement. The real surprise? The altitude actually makes you lose your appetite, which is cruel in a country famous for its empanadas.
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Why Do People Even Live Up There?
You might ask: why would anyone build a city at 16,000 feet? Well, gold, silver, and a weird love for vertical living. In La Rinconada, it’s economic desperation; in Lhasa, it’s cultural devotion. And in El Alto, it’s because someone said, “Hey, the view from here is cheap real estate!”
But here’s the scientific twist: people who live at high altitudes develop larger lungs and more red blood cells. They’re basically superheroes with chronic headaches. Meanwhile, if you show up from sea level, you’ll feel like a dying goldfish.
