I really enjoyed visiting Tiwanaku and our guide Grace was excellent..its a pity that the halls of the museum is being neglected...The toilets at the museum were all blocked..and smelly.Poor signage at the site itself and that that's there damaged,rusted etc.A bit of money invested here would make a world of difference...its a great and interesting site.
still cannot judge it. i have visited this site with some friends. some of them have been speechless in front of it... not me... of course it represent a very important witness of past civilitations but it hasn't impressed me a lot
Perhaps I'm a bit spoiled by Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan in Mexico, but I wasn't impressed by Tiwanaku. I'm not overlooking its historical importance: it is worth its World Heritage inscription as the most important pre-incan site in South America. Also it has some impressive monoliths, like Bennett, that was recently put back to the site but inside a museum nearby.That is the major problem with Tiwanaku: the most important places were either destroyed by the spanish or rebuilt up to questionable standards.It is still the top bolivian heritage site and so meaningful that Evo Morales will be sworn in his third presidential term in Tiwanaku and, when we visited, he was heading there to meet aymara leaders and prepare the ceremony.
Get a guide, the history behind the culture is amazing. Bring a sunblock, hat and water. Such a magnificent place.
If you happen to find yourself in Bolivia, you would be completely short-changing yourself if you didn't visit Tiwanaku, and Puma Punku (part of the same site). These natural beauties are located at an altitude that is higher than the highest mountain peak in Colorado... on the FLAT land... In July the skies are deep blue, the sun is shining, the daytime temps are in the 40's, and it is SPECTACULAR... You may have seem some of the structures at Tiwanaku on "Ancient Aliens" on the History Channel. Don't let this buffoonery keep you away from Tiwanaku! Furthermore, look closely at the stones mentioned in the show and touch them up close.. you, too, will wonder how ancient people could have done such stone work!Beyond the interesting ruins of Tiwanaku/Puma Punku is one of the most naturally beautiful places I've ever been. We walked off on the planes behind Puma Punku and found the most amazing, beautiful view. I've never been to a place so peaceful, beautiful, experience of a lifetime... JUST GO. I have attached some pictures that I took myself (Canon Kiss X5), and believe me when I tell you that these are not enhanced... it really is this beautiful.
Tiwanaku was hit by a monster earthquake and the washed over by a tsunami from the lake long before the Spanish came. The sites have not been well reconstructed, some not at all. Still, you have to go there. But, read up on all the literature about Tiwanaku and Puma Punka and the pyramid of the Akapana. Study and read before you travel there; and you will enjoy it immensely.
It was a neat place to visit and see although it's too bad they don't know more about the place! Be prepared for a lot of unknowns if you come here. I would definitely join a tour rather than try to come on your own. Should be about $10 per person for it. If you aren't into history/mysteries of this world, then I might just skip it...
I caught a minibus from the Cementerio minibusstop.Cost usd3.Took about 1 1/2 hrs to get to the Tiwanaku dropoff point. From there its a 5min taxi ride usd1.50 into town.Tickets to the site approx usd12 for foreigners.If you want the visit to be worthwhile I suggest you hire a guide. Cost usd17. My guide Eduardo gave a really interesting tour (in Spanish) You could visit the site by yourself with no guide but you wouldnt know what you are looking at. The ticket gives you entry to 2 sites and 2 museums. The ceramic museum is not that exciting but the museum containing stone monoliths has some very impressive pieces.After seeing everything i walked to the town square and had an enjoyable lunch in the Restaurant Real next to the church which was built with stones from the ruins...grr In front of the restaurant I caught a minibus back to El Alto La Paz 1 1/2hr usd 2 and then for a bit of comfort took a taxi back to La Paz centre for Usd10 although you could take a minibus for usd1 but it would take a lot longer and drop you off probably not where you want to go. During the return trip from Tiwanaku at the toll gate buy an icecream from the street vendor.Cost usd 0.20 and delicious. Tiwanaku is well worth the visit. There are lots of organised tours too.
Must see. If you are in La Paz. You can visit Tiwanaku in the morning and be back for lunch. Theres a museum and the ruins.
There are four places you visit when you go to Tiwanaku. The archeological site, puma punku, the lithical museum and the ceramics museum. I think the best part is the lithical museum, it it a really nice building, and everything is well conserved and clean. The ceramics museum wasn't good. It's way behind the other. Stuff isn't well kept. Puma punku and the archeological site are really nice and you get amazing views from there.