Tiwanaku: history, monuments and how to visit from La Paz

In front of the Templete Semisubterráneo, in a sunken courtyard, dozens of stone heads peer out of the walls, each with a different face. Nobody knows for certain who they represent, but the variety is one of the things that most surprises first-time visitors.

Tiwanaku is no ordinary ruin. It is what remains of a state that dominated part of the Andean altiplano centuries before the Incas, and one of the most important archaeological sites in South America. Here is its history, what you will see and how to organize the visit.

What Tiwanaku was

Tiwanaku lies on the altiplano, about 21 km from Lake Titicaca and about 70 km from La Paz by road. Recent radiocarbon dating places the start of the city around AD 110; from the 6th century it expanded and reached its peak between the 7th and 10th centuries. Its decline took place between the years 1000 and 1200.

It was a political and religious center with influence over a good part of the Andean region. Its economy relied on agriculture adapted to the altiplano, with raised fields beside Lake Titicaca, and on the exchange of goods between regions. Among the causes of the decline, prolonged droughts and internal conflict are mentioned. UNESCO inscribed the site in 2000 as the “Spiritual and Political Center of the Tiwanaku Culture”.

How they lived: farming and power

Tiwanaku thrived in a place that seems hostile: a cold, windy altiplano at almost 3,900 m. The key was farming adapted to the climate, with raised fields built beside the lake that protected crops from frost and made use of the water. That output supported a large population and an elite that built the ceremonial center. Trade in goods with other regions of the Andes (warm valleys, the coast, the altiplano) strengthened its influence further.

Stone architecture and monumental sculpture expressed that power: enormous blocks, precise cuts, reliefs with figures that recur in ceramics and textiles across a wide Andean area. When the system fell into crisis, around the 11th and 12th centuries, the state fragmented into regional Aymara kingdoms, which the Incas later absorbed.

The monuments you will see

About the Bennett monolith: it was moved to La Paz in 1933, spent decades in a city square and returned to its place of origin in 2002, to the Museo Lítico. That is why the visit starts best in the museum: you grasp the scale of the pieces before seeing them in the field.

The visit, step by step

The order a guided excursion follows is also the one that works best on your own, because the history is understood from small to large:

In all it is about 3 km of walking on flat ground. The museum lets you rest from the sun; the Puma Punku stretch is the most exposed. If you are going with children or with reduced mobility, ask about the real time before deciding.

How to get there from La Paz

Tiwanaku is about 70 km from La Paz. The road crosses El Alto and emerges onto the open altiplano; the journey takes about 1 h 15 min.

1. La Paz3,640 m08:00 departure
2. El Altomore than 4,000 myou cross the city
3. Tiwanaku3,850 to 3,885 marrival around 09:15

There are three ways to go:

1. Full-day guided excursion. It includes transfer, entry, guide and lunch in the village: Tiwanaku leaves at 08:00 and lasts 8 hours, with about 3 km of flat walking. It requires 24 hours of prior acclimatization in La Paz.
2. Public bus or minibus. They leave La Paz throughout the day, usually from the Cementerio area; confirm the exact spot with your lodging. They are cheaper, but waiting and the return depend on the vehicle filling up.
3. Taxi or private driver for the day. Agree on price, schedule and waiting time before setting out.

When to go

You can visit all year. From May to October there are more clear days, but nights and mornings are cold. From December to March it rains more and the ground can turn muddy. The site has little shade, so the sun punishes at any temperature.

One special day is 21 June, when the Andean Amazonian New Year is celebrated with a ceremony at dawn on the site. It is a very crowded moment: if it interests you, book ahead and arrive before sunrise.

Altitude and health

Tiwanaku is above 3,800 m, that is, about 200 m higher than La Paz. If you arrive from low-lying areas, spend at least one night in La Paz before the excursion; two if you have felt unwell. The walk is flat and at an easy pace, but the sun and the altitude are tiring. More details in our general guide to La Paz and, if you want to go higher, in the Chacaltaya guide.

What to pack

• A hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen.
• A light windproof jacket: the altiplano is breezy.
• Comfortable footwear: you will walk on uneven ground.
• Water and something to eat.
• Cash in bolivianos.

Tiwanaku and Lake Titicaca

The site is about 21 km from Titicaca, and the relationship with the lake was key: its water tempered the climate, irrigated the raised fields and, according to studies, the lake’s droughts contributed to the final crisis. From Tiwanaku you can link up with Copacabana and the Isla del Sol, but they are two separate days. You will find the plan in the Lake Titicaca guide, and from La Paz we also operate Copacabana and the Isla del Sol, in one or two days.

Visiting tips

1. Start with the museum to understand the scale of the pieces.
2. Hire a guide: much is not visible on the signs.
3. Do not climb on the structures or touch the reliefs: they are fragile.
4. Keep a critical eye on fantastic theories; archaeological studies explain how the site was built.
5. Combine it with a quieter day in La Paz. If you prefer a fuller visit, see how to spread out the week in the guide to what to see in La Paz and around.