Side Trips

Tiwanaku

A visit to Tiwanaku will take you back in time to an impressive city built by an extremely technologically advanced pre-Inca society. The Tiwanaku culture is believed to have lasted for 28 centuries, from 1600 B.C. to A.D. 1200. In this time, they created some of the most impressive stone monoliths in the world, developed a sophisticated irrigation system, and gained an advanced understanding of astronomy and the workings of the sun. Their territory spread from northern Argentina and Chile through Bolivia to the south of Peru. These people never came into contact with the Incas. By the time the Incas made it to Peru, a 100-year drought had ravaged the Titicaca area. The Tiwanaku people had long ago left the region in small groups and moved to different areas in the Altiplano or valleys.

Stop in at the museum before you visit the site. The Incas and the Spaniards destroyed the site while searching for gold and silver and even the most respected archaeologists disagree on the meanings of the monoliths and the sun gate. But when you actually see these impressive structures firsthand, you can't help but stand in awe and wonderment of the amazing achievements of this pre-Columbian society. You gain a deep insight into the daily life and rituals of the people who inhabited this area for thousands of years. Highlights of the site include the Semi-Underground Temple, the Kalassaya and the Akapana (pyramid). The museum and the archaeological site are open daily from 9am to 4:30pm. Admission is Bs15 ($1.90/95p).

Getting There -- Tiwanaku is located 1 1/2 hours outside La Paz. I strongly recommend coming here on a guided tour. Diana Tours, Sagárnaga 326 (tel. 0102/2350-252), organizes English-speaking tours to Tiwanaku for only Bs70 ($8.80/£4.50), not including the Bs15 ($1.90/95p) site admission fee. Crillon Tours, Av. Camacho 1233 (tel. 0102/2337-533), also arranges tours to the area. If you prefer to visit on your own, Trans Tours Tiwanaku, Calle José Aliaga, operates buses that stop at Tiwanaku. The buses leave from the Cementerio District every half-hour from 8am to 4:30pm. The ride costs Bs7 (90¢/45p).

The Best of Los Yungas: Coroico

Coroico makes a popular side trip for visitors to La Paz, but you'll probably remember the journey better than the destination. The road to Coroico narrows to one unpaved lane twisting down through the mountains. To one side is the mountain, to the other, a sheer drop of often hundreds of feet to the lush valley below. There will be times when the passage is tight and your vehicle is only an inch or two from the edge; there will be other times when you round a blind curve and your driver, confronted by oncoming traffic, has to slam on the brakes.

When the ride is over and your heart rate has returned to normal, you may be surprised at the tranquility of Coroico. The views of the surrounding hills are lovely, the nearby hiking trails are picturesque, the bars and restaurants in town are pleasant, and there are some worthwhile excursions; but there's really nothing here to take your breath away. Nonetheless, Coroico makes a wonderful contrast to La Paz. Here in this tropical town, you'll find fruit orchards, twittering birds, coca fields, endless greenery, oxygen-rich air, warm weather, and friendly locals. The climate here seems to put everyone in a better mood.

The town of Coroico itself isn't anything special, but it's a lot of fun to explore the lush, colorful surrounding area. You can take a half-day tour of Tocaña, a small Afro-Bolivian community located about 7km (4 1/3 miles) downhill from Coroico. It feels as if not much has changed over the past few hundred years in this farming village, where the locals survive mainly by growing coca. Also nearby are the Vagante River Springs. Here you can swim under a waterfall and in beautiful pools of water. Vagantes Ecoaventuras, located at the kiosk in the Coroico main plaza, provides guides (not always English-speaking) and jeeps to Tocaña and Vagante River Springs. Note that the jeeps are open and the roads aren't paved, so you will get extremely dirty.

It's surprising that in a town like Coroico, which is set high up in the mountains, there aren't many hiking trails. Perhaps this is because most of the land in the area is farmland. The most popular hike is the 6km (3 3/4-mile) trek to the waterfalls (las cascadas). It's not really a hike, but more of a long walk on a dusty road. The waterfalls are pleasant, but you can't swim in them, and to be honest, I'm not sure they are worth the long walk. However, the mountains and the valleys on the road are breathtaking. For more information about this and other walks in the area, contact the tourist information office on Coroico's main plaza.

In the dry season, the rivers in the Coroico area become low and unsuitable for rafting. However, in January through March, the Coroico River runs wild. River levels range from Class III to Class V. Vagantes Ecoaventuras (at the kiosk in Coroico's main plaza, on the corner of Heroes del Chaco) organizes rafting and kayaking tours in the area.

Getting There -- Buses for Coroico leave La Paz on a frequent schedule from the Villa Fátima neighborhood, which is about 15 minutes by taxi from the center of La Paz. (It costs about Bs9/$1.15/60p.) Most of the bus companies are located on Calle Yanacachi. One of the best is Yungueña (tel. 0102/2213-513; call ahead for the schedule); the ride costs Bs15 ($1.90/95p) each way. I recommend leaving around 10am -- this way, you'll arrive in Coroico for lunch and then have the rest of the afternoon to walk around town or hang out by a pool. Buses depart less frequently in the afternoon (the last one leaves at about 4pm), but it's much nicer to travel during daylight and enjoy the view. Tip: Try to get a seat on the left side of the bus for the best views.