Central Highlands - Bolivia - page 424

POTOLO
The village of Potolo has some typically stunning weaving going on in the workshops and
also has a museum of traditional medicine, which demonstrates vernacular healing prac-
tices and other aspects of the culture. There are three cabañas here, a store and a campsite.
Camiones run infrequently to Potolo from Av Juana Azurduy de Padilla in Sucre via
Chaunaca and Chataquila. They return to Sucre from Potolo when full.
QUILA QUILA
Another worthwhile destination is the beautiful village of Quila Quila, three hours south
of Maragua by foot. It's a formerly deserted village of largely mud buildings that is being
slowly repopulated. The tower of the elegant colonial church dominates the skyline and
adjacent to it are buried the remains of the revered 18th-century indigenous leader Tomás
Katari, who was murdered at the chapel in Chataquila in 1781. In 1777 Katari walked to
Buenos Aires to confront colonial leaders and claim rights for the Aymará and returned
triumphantly with a document signed by the viceroy ceding to his demands and recogniz-
ing him as cacique (chieftain). Upon his return to Bolivia he was imprisoned, sparking a
widespread uprising that eventually led to his death. A kilometer away are the Marca
Runi monoliths with pictographs. The area is rich in pre-Columbian archaeological arti-
facts.
Daily camiones to Talula via Quila Quila (B$8, three to four hours) depart at 6:30am
from Calle Osvaldo Molina in Sucre, returning the afternoon of the same day. Alternat-
ively negotiate with a taxi driver. In recent times some visitors have reported an unpleas-
ant reception by villagers and it is strongly recommended that you check the current situ-
ation before setting out or, even better, go with a guide.
Tours
To get the most out of the region it is essential to visit with a guide. Several Sucre travel
agencies offer quick jaunts into the Cordillera - for example, a two-day circuit from
Chataquila to Incamachay and Chaunaca. It's important to go with a responsible operator
committed to giving something to the region. Exploitative day trips have created an atmo-
sphere of hostility towards visitors in some communities and it is up to you to ensure that
your visit does not exacerbate the problem.
Private guides can usually be arranged through the tourist offices in Sucre or one of the
agencies, but if possible pick one that is local, has links to the communities and gives
something back to them. Avoid guides who do not spend money locally or bring all their
supplies from Sucre. Local guide Pablo Ávila-Cruz ( 7-711-4517; from B$200 per