Description:
Tiwanaku is a pre-Inca civilization site located in the highlands of Bolivia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered by most archaeologists as one of the key development sites that led to the Inca Empire. The artistic style of Tiwanaku is quite unique, with fascinating pieces that feature exaggerated heads. Tiwanaku is more than 4000 metres above sea level, in an absolutely magnificent section of the Andes not far from Lake Titicaca, offering beautiful views and wonderful walks.
Today you will be picked up at approximately 8:30 am to be transferred to Tiwanaku, about 72 kilometers from La Paz, a 2hr drive. Along the way you will stop at Lloco Lloco, a lookout spot where you will have the opportunity to enjoy amazing views of the Altiplano and part of Lake Titicaca. Upon arrival in Tiwanaku, you will visit two handicraft museums with archaeological pieces from ancient Tiwanaku culture, the Ceramic Museum and the Lytic Museum.
Next we will visit the ruins and temples of the Tiwanaku archaeological complex. Among them, you can see the Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate), which captures the first rays of sun on the Summer Solstice to bring down all the cosmic energies from the upper world, and the Puerta de la Luna (Moon Gate). See the spectacular Semi-Subterranean Temple, which has the oldest samples of carved heads, the Kalasasaya Temple (4,070m), which was used as a ceremonial ground during the Aymara New Year, and the Akapana Pyramids. After the visit enjoy a local lunch before returning to La Paz, where you will be dropped off and this amazing cultural adventure will come to an end.
