Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CHACALTAYA
Tours
There's no public transport to Chacaltaya, though many
tour agencies
in La Paz run
trips for around Bs70 return, sometimes combined with the Valle de la Luna.
ACCOMMODATION
Refuge
A well-insulated refuge offers overnight accommodation in a choice of dormitory
or en-suite private rooms. For reservations contact Alfredo Martinez ( 7325 8841), fo
rmer
chief o
f Club Andino, the main organization that used to run ski trips to Chacaltaya.
Bs30/
person
EATING
Restaurant
The ski refuge has a small restaurant where you can get basic meals and hot
drinks: many consider coca tea essential at this altitude, though others favour the delicious
hot chocolate with rum.
Tiwanaku
Daily 8am-5pm (last entry 4pm) • Bs80 • You can hire guides outside the museum for about Bs15/hour
Set on the Altiplano 71km west of La Paz, the ancient ruined city of
TIWANAKU
(also
spelt
Tiahuanaco
) is one of the most monumental and intriguing archeological sites in South
America. Founded some three millennia ago, Tiwanaku became the capital of a massive em-
pire that lasted almost a thousand years, developing into a sophisticated urban
ceremonial
complex
that at its peak was home to some fifty thousand people whose great pyramids and
opulent palaces were painted in bright colours and inlaid with gold. The city was in many
ways the cradle of Andean civilization, making an enormous cultural impact throughout the
region and providing the fundamental inspiration for the better-known Inca empire. Though
the city of Tiwanaku originally covered several square kilometres, only a fraction of the site
has been excavated, and the main
ruins
occupy a fairly small area which can easily be visited
in half a day - the only other major site that has been excavated is
Puma Punku
,
a pyramid
complex a couple of kilometres to the north. The main ruins cover the area that was once the
ceremonial centre of the city, a jumble of tumbled pyramids and ruined palaces and temples
made from megalithic stone blocks. A couple of
museums
by the entrance house many of
the smaller archeological finds. In view of recent bids to
finance restoration
here, there's the
possibility that the site may close temporarily so it's worth checking with the tourist office in
La Paz before heading out there.
