YouTuber Tyler Oliveria visited La Rinconada so he could spend time in the “closest town to space” but the high altitude and lack of oxygen meant he had to risk his life to see it through
A daredevil YouTuber, Tyler Oliveira, risked his life to explore what’s dubbed the “most inhumane place on Earth”.
La Rinconada in Peru, sitting at a dizzying 5,100 metres above sea level and nestled atop a frozen glacier, is reputed to be the world’s highest permanent settlement, right next to a gold mine.
Also known as the “Devil’s Paradise”, Tyler embarked on his journey there from Texas only to be greeted by the harsh reality of -3C temperatures. A local miner didn’t mince words when he described the conditions as “extremely difficult” adding that “La Rinconada is designed for the strongest of men and brave women”.
Tyler’s ordeal began almost immediately as his body rebelled against the high altitude, forcing him to cut his mission short. In a candid moment caught on camera, he expressed his distress: “I think the blood levels are too low… I think I’m dying. My head is bursting with pain, my hands are like red, yellow and blue right now.”
Recognising the signs of hypoxia, Tyler made the swift decision to descend with his crew, stating: “So my (oximeter) levels hit 59, dangerously low. I definitely have a massive headache right now and I feel extremely dizzy.
“We all wanted to come up here and have perfect acclimation – that would have been the dream but unfortunately that’s just not smart and I want to live until 40 so I’m going back down.”
An oximeter reading of 59 indicates a severe lack of oxygen in the body, necessitating immediate medical attention. Consequently, Tyler and his crew retreated to a town situated at 12,000ft before he dared to make the climb again the next day – his cameraman, however, was too ill to join him.
During his stay, a local woman shared tales of rampant crime in the town, including frequent assaults, pimps, prostitution, and robberies. One resident even cautioned Tyler about the risk of kidnapping and advised him to be careful with his camera, as many locals were not fond of being filmed.
This account echoes that of travel YouTuber Yes Theory, who described it as “by far the sketchiest place I’ve ever been to” and admitted to feeling extremely anxious while filming.
Previous reports have highlighted the town’s violent history, with stories of miners being murdered in tunnels, women trafficked into brothels, and regular brawls. The town also suffers from significant pollution due to plastics, and the scarcity of plumbing facilities means there are only three showers for up to 30,000 residents.
It is believed that 25 percent of the population suffer from hypoxia due to the low air pressure. Despite these challenges, Tyler persevered and was invited into the home of a miner who shared stories of people risking their lives in search of gold within the rocks using mercury.
The gold mine, run by Corporación Ananea, demands workers toil for 30 days without pay before they get a single day to mine for their own gain, with the chance of finding 50g of gold and earning up to £2,900. Women are barred from the mines, left to comb through discarded debris in hopes of striking it lucky.
Tyler praised the town’s 30,000 inhabitants for their bravery in the conditions. After reaching the summit on his second day, he remarked: “I don’t think (cameraman) could have made it up here without dying. He’s experiencing altitude sickness down there and I can’t blame him, that was me yesterday.”
The cameraman himself felt his head was about to “explode”, prompting Tyler to decide it was time to leave before they “kill ourselves”.
He added: “I have to give kudos to every person who lives and works in La Rinconada. Our health right now is testament to the insane adaptation these people have, not only do they live up there but they are working in the mines for up to 10 to12 hours and we right now are dying. Our resting heart rate is far higher than it should be, our oxygen levels are extremely variable.
“These people don’t have to be here and the desire for gold is so strong that people don’t even have to work in the mines. They come from all over Peru in the hopes and dreams of getting riches.
“It is hard manual destructive labour on a daily basis. They are working every single day and they are not even getting paid. And at the moment I feel like I’m dying.”
You can watch the full video of Tyler’s visit here.