Tiwanaku functioned as the spiritual and political nerve centre of a very advanced pre-Columbian polity; it controlled much of the southern Andes between 500 and 900 AD, well before the Inca civilisation appeared. At its highest point, the urban area held as many as 40,000 people; thanks to clever, raised-field farming methods, these structures shielded…
The Tiwanaku archaeological site sits about 72 kilometres from La Paz and is usually easiest to reach by booking a half-day guided tour. If you prefer to go independently, you can catch a public minibus, colectivo, that leaves from the Cementerio General area. It is strongly recommended to hire an English-speaking guide, since the ancient…
The Casa Nacional de la Moneda is an enormous colonial-era mint and museum that processed the staggering silver wealth pulled from the Cerro Rico mines, essentially financing the Spanish Empire for many centuries. Sitting on a whole city block, the fortress-style complex is often viewed as one of South America’s best historical museums. Entry is…
Yes, taking part in a tour of the active Cerro Rico silver mines is, in a real sense, dangerous. People on these tours deal with serious health and safety hazards like tunnels that can collapse, toxic silica dust around them, noxious gases, and even ongoing dynamite explosions. Those mines have been working more or less…
Stargazing and astrophotography tours can be booked smoothly via specialised travel agencies that are based right in Uyuni. The expeditions usually leave in the middle of the night, so you can get to the heart of the pitch-black salt flats before the sky starts to brighten. Since the Salar de Uyuni is at altitude and…
The Cristo de la Concordia is a huge monument dedicated to Jesus Christ, perched up on San Pedro Hill in Cochabamba. It rises 34.2 metres tall, and it edges past Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer to claim the second-tallest statue of Jesus worldwide. Built and finished in 1994, the site works as a giant…
Yes, Sajama National Park is where you find pristine naturally heated volcanic hot springs, Termas de Sajama. They keep the bathing temperature near 35°C (95°F), so you can soak while you still get an uninterrupted sightline to the tall Nevado Sajama. Meanwhile, compared with the crowded pools in Uyuni, the thermal baths around Sajama feel…
Nevado Sajama is a huge, extinct stratovolcano and also the tallest summit in Bolivia, rising up to 6,542 metres (21,463 feet) over the western Altiplano. With its perfectly conical summit, it stands out over the land near the Chilean border, making it a very technical climbing target. On the routes, climbers must deal with deep…
Independent travellers can reach Sajama by taking a highway bus to the junction town of Patacamaya, then catching the only daily local minibus to the park. Alternatively, booking a private 2-day or 3-day 4×4 tour out of La Paz deals with all the fiddly logistics. As Bolivia’s oldest national park, Sajama doesn’t have broad tourist…
For certified and non-scratchy 100% baby alpaca wool, visitors should head to upscale, fair-trade boutiques that are in central La Paz. For cheaper, colourful synthetic blends, the street stalls along Calle Sagárnaga provide endless budget-friendly possibilities. To really spot true alpaca wool, you need real attention to detail. Authentic garments tend to feel exceptionally soft;…