Private Tour: Tiwanaku Archeological Site from La Paz

Your morning or afternoon tour starts with hotel pickup by your private guide for the 1-hour drive to Tiwanaku, about 40 miles (64 km) west of La Paz near the southern tip of Lake Titicaca. When you arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ruins, begin your 2-hour tour with your guide, who will provide commentary about the site’s long history and the culture of the Tiwanaku people.

One of the most important civilizations in the Americas prior to the Inca, Tiwanaku dates back to around 200 BC and was a political and spiritual center until about 1000 AD, archeologists believe. Learn about its long reach across parts of what are now Chile, Peru and Argentina, and hear about the mysteries surrounding the civilization’s disappearance.

You’ll see the city’s main adobe structures — the Puerta del Sol (Gateway of the Sun), Kalasasaya temple, Akapana pyramid and the Pumapunku stepped platform — and admire stone stelae, carved stone faces and anthropomorphic relics. Your tour ends with the return drive to La Paz and drop-off at your hotel.