Private Tiwanaku and Titicaca Day Trip from La Paz
Description
Shrouded in mystery until quite recently, the ancient city of Tiwanaku is still far from being completely excavated and surveyed. Evidence suggests the area around the site was inhabited as early as 1500 BCE. As the settlement grew to city size it began to influence surrounding areas. As a city-state, it blossomed between 300CE and 1000CE, after which it declined due to changing weather patterns which resulted in less rainfall. Although much of the site was disturbed by looting, which began soon after Tiwanaku’s decline, it is possible to observe the high level of sophistication and skilled stone working, that were characteristic of Tiwanaku during its height. Join this 8-hour tour and discover Tiwanaku and Titicaca in one day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Tour departs after hotel pick-up or meet up between 8 and 8:30am.
After arriving at Tiwanaku, the group begins a professionally guided tour through the site, which lasts approximately 45 minutes. After that time the group may explore the site on their own or visit the nearby museums in which artifacts found at the site are displayed. After visiting the museums the tour departs for an excursion to nearby Lake Titicaca and shoreline communities
Stopping to take lunch at the lake, and at several points of interest along the way before returning to La Paz.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please provide hotel information when booking. Hotel pickups in Zona Sur will be charged an additional $20USD. Zona Sur pickups should expect a reduced itinerary to account for an additional 1.5 hours of driving. We recommend booking hotels in central La Paz if you intend to take this tour. (P.S. we pick-up travelers at all hotels, but the TripAdvisor extranet forces me to pick at least one hotel that lists with them. I picked Hostal Ananay because it is the best location, timewise, for taking the tour. -Caleb)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A moderate amount of walking is involved please wear comfortable walking shoes
- Tour is at altitude!
Reviews(62)
TripAdvisor This tour was about 7 hours of driving and 12+ hours overall. Several of those driving hours were on bumpy unpaved roads. The driver did a good job navigating the hazards. The vehicle is typical in Bolivia, but far below the comfort level of roadtrips elsewhere in the world. The tour guide shared numerous interesting stories about life in Bolivia. When we arrived in Tiwanaku, he delegated us to a local tour guide who is a beginner with speaking English. The museums and site are worthwhile but the guide’s explanations only helped to a minimal degree. Our visit to Lake Titicaca was dampened by light rain. The sights there aren’t particularly interesting. In retrospect, we should have skipped this part of the tour.
A couple of things to consider. One, the tour is described as being 11-12 hours in the description, as delivered. Two, maybe you hadn't noticed, but Tiwanaku was fairly empty, the economy here is ruined (ironically, in part because of your government) and why would I trade the opportunity to put money into a local person's hand to listen to American politics? I realize that Lake Titicaca is boring to some people. Sometimes I still get highly intelligent and interesting people who have a thirst for exploration.
A great tour with an informative guide that customized the trip to our liking, I definitely recommend this tour for anyone visiting Bolivia.
We had a great time with Caleb and William. Caleb was an exceptional guide during our short time in La Paz. We saw so much and had insightful conversations about life in Bolivia. In addition we felt very safe given William’s capable driving skills. Thank you both!
It was a great tour and the guide was very inteligent and were full of information. The information were not only related to the tour but were multiple areas such as economy, politics, history etc,.
We enjoyed that this tour offered a unique way to see Tiwanaku and Lake Titicaca in the same day with a ~12 hour tour. This tour definitely felt off the beaten tourist path, we didn’t see any other tourists other than a few at Tiwanaku. At Tiwanaku we spent 2.5 hours with a local guide, which was interesting though a little longer than we needed and we needed to tip the local guide separately. We also visited a deserted hacienda which was interesting, a few viewpoints of the countryside, and a few local spots along Lake Titicaca on the Taraco peninsula, one of which offered a short boat ride on the lake with a sweet local driver. Lunch was at a family run restaurant in Tiwanaku. We enjoyed the sights of the tour and the American guide was very informative with Bolivian history and current culture. We only docked some stars from the rating because the guide and driver consumed multiple bags of coca leaves and stopped for smoking breaks, they seemed somewhat under the influence. We didn’t necessarily feel unsafe riding in the car but it was a little unsettling at times.
I gave you my number. If you need any help while in Bolivia feel free to give a call. As an American I will do anything to ensure the safety of my fellow countrymen. Try working a 13-14 hour day driving people out to lake Titicaca, at altitude yourself sometime. This is Bolivia, we chew coca, I am sick to death of Americans who believe every country should display the exact same behavior as the United States. If you have a problem with indigenous Bolivians, who all chew coca, don't come here. This is not the United States... (thank God) Kind regards, Caleb Every bad review I have received in the last 12 years has come from an American. Is it that you feel entitled because I am another American? BS
Awesome tour! Caleb and Carlos were amazing. We really enjoyed the tour and the conversation. We learned a lot of history while seeing the sites. Highly recommend.
Our guide Caleb & driver William were flexible and easy going. We enjoyed all aspects of our day! Caleb was very knowledgeable & friendly.
Horrible. Everything all around horrible and stupid. Driver drove like a maniac. The guide drank the whole time (morning to sundown) and chewed cocoa leaves with baking powder. It doesn't make you a "local" it makes you a crackhead. Didn't feel very safe many times.
I tried to find a Roger M. in my bookings over the course of the last several months. I could not. I'll have a beer with my clients during lunch. But what you are saying is a lie, and you are a liar trying to negatively affect my business. I might remind you that slander with the intent to negatively affect someone's business is a crime in most countries. The only explanation I can think of is that you are an uptight American who didn't agree with something I said and decided it was your "duty" to "cancel" me. -Caleb
Thank you. Caleb! The trips were amazing. We took first Titicaca, Copacabana/Sampaya, second city tour. We arrived in the moment when political tension took place in Bolivia and the consequence were total lack of fuel in La Paz on gas stations. Therefore our tour was similar to Mad Max atmosphere, with searching of fuel for the trip and loading the bus with gasoline from Coca Cola bottles of resellers. But it only gave additional drive. I think many were not so lucky to go to Titicaca these days as we were, thanks to Caleb, who was smart to get fuel. He is real professional , trying to catch what is more interesting for the client and adopt his program for the request. If you thought to have a trip along part of Deaf Road, you will as bonus receive that feeling during part of trip to Sampaya, driving in half meter of the break of the cliff. Best regards Caleb from Russia.
excellent trip. Super interesting visit to highlights but also unique, off the beaten path locations- great perspectives on Bolivia and the region. Very well worth it
