Tiwanaku
La Paz Department · Culture and history
Long before the Incas, Tiwanaku was the capital of an empire that ruled the Andes. You'll see the famous Gate of the Sun, monumental statues and the astonishingly precise stonework of Puma Punku. A must for understanding Andean history, an hour and a half from La Paz.
3,870 maltitude
1 dayto spend there
High altitude. Above 3,500 m, altitude sickness (soroche) is common. Arrive gradually, drink plenty and take it slow on the first day.
Things to do
- Gate of the Sun and Kalasasaya
- Akapana pyramid and the semi-subterranean temple
- The two on-site museums
- Puma Punku and its cut stones
What to eat
- ChuñoPotatoes freeze-dried in the sun, an Andean technique thousands of years old. A surprising taste, worth trying at least once.
- Sajta de polloChicken in a yellow ají amarillo chilli sauce, with chuño and potato. Typical of the Altiplano.
- Plato paceñoA typical La Paz plate: corn, broad beans, potatoes and fried cheese.
Tip. Day trip from La Paz. A local guide makes the visit much more interesting.
Also here
- UNESCO Tiwanaku: spiritual and political centre of the Tiwanaku culture
- Festivals Andean and Amazonian New YearAt the winter solstice, people wait for sunrise at Tiwanaku to receive its first rays with raised hands. A public holiday across the country.
- Crafts and markets Tiwanaku ceramics and stoneIn the village, craftsmen reproduce Tiwanaku ceramics and sculptures. Fine copies, not to be confused with ancient pieces.
- Border Desaguadero (to Puno)The most direct road between La Paz and Puno: about 3 h by bus to the border, then 3 h on the Peruvian side. A very busy market town: keep your things close.
How to get to Tiwanaku
La Paz Road (bus, car) · 1 h 30
Minibus from the La Paz cemetery area, or a tour.
Photos of Tiwanaku
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More places in this region
La PazThe world's highest seat of government, in a bowl at the foot of Illimani.
El AltoThe big Aymara city on the Altiplano, right above La Paz: a giant market, cholets and cholita wrestling.
Valle de la LunaMoon-like clay formations in the southern suburbs of La Paz.
Valle de las ÁnimasA forest of earth spires on the edge of La Paz, bigger and wilder than the Valley of the Moon.
ChacaltayaA former ski area at 5,400 m: the highest view of the Cordillera Real.
Huayna PotosíA 6,000 m peak known as one of the most accessible, with a guided 2 or 3-day climb.
Cordillera Real: CondoririGlacial lagoons and snowy peaks, two hours from La Paz.- Uru community of IruitoAn Uru community on the Desaguadero river, keepers of a very old lake culture.
Jesús de MachacaAn Aymara Altiplano village and its 1706 church, south of Lake Titicaca.
Comanche and its Puya raimondiiA forest of Puya raimondii, the world's largest bromeliad, on the Altiplano.- Viscachani hot springsWarm-water baths on the Altiplano, on the road to Oruro, about 1 h 30 from La Paz.
SorataA quiet village at the foot of Illampu, a base for treks.
Charazani and ApolobambaLand of the Kallawaya Andean healers (UNESCO), with hot springs and great treks.
Death Road (bike)The world's most famous mountain bike descent: from 4,650 m to 1,200 m in a day.
Choro trek (Inca trail)Three days on a pre-Hispanic trail, from the snows of La Cumbre down to the Yungas forest.
Takesi trek (Inca trail)Two days on one of Bolivia's best-preserved Inca trails, down to Yanacachi.
Yunga Cruz trekThe wildest pre-Hispanic trail down to the Yungas: 4 to 5 days below Illimani.
Coroico (Yungas)A hilltop village in the subtropical Yungas: coffee, waterfalls and pools with a view.
Chulumani (South Yungas)A small South Yungas town among coffee, coca and cloud forest, away from the crowds.