Visiting just recently the museum in Tiwanaku I noticed all skulls were removed from the display windows. It is sad because those one revealed all the talent of Tiwanaku primite surgeons to cure soldiers after battles or the traditional practice of deforming heads.

Close to Titicaca lake. The "Puerta del Sol" is impressive. We used a tour from La Paz with a English tourist guide, so that was great because almost all the information is in Spanish. We paid $75 per person and it was worth it. Glad we did this tour, it was very interesting

We did this with turisbus and neme their English speaking guide. He took us round the museum and explained things which was great as there is no bilingual info available. The artefacts were some of the best we've seen in south America. Especially given that the civilisation is 1000 years older than the inca's.

The giant monolith bennetto pachamama was exquisite, and the 2 smaller ones and the sun gateway were just brilliant. It was nice to see something with such detail, something inca ruins lack.

The guide we had was brilliant, explaining everything and answering all our questions, even about unrelated topics. They also stopped for us to take pics at viewpoints On the way back.

We recently did a tour of Tiwanaku, Copacabana and Titicaca with our guide Gery (whom we found through another user on Trip Advisor - thanks Mikey). We learned so much more than I have ever learned on past visits and even educated my extended family (who are all native Bolivians!) Below you'll see the itinerary we followed. Can't say enough about Gery - he speaks great English (a must because my husband doesn't speak Spanish), he's a Bolivian archeologist turned tour guide and he was super flexible and accomodating. He picked us up from my aunt's house and dropped us back there after the trip right on time. He also runs trips all over Bolivia including one to Uyuni that we plan to do for sure when we return to Bolivia. I should also mention that his price for this trip was very reasonable and MUCH more affordable than any other tour company we contacted. You can contact Gery at gerytourguide@gmail.com and let him know that Gabby and Jarrett say Hola!

Here's the itinerary we followed:
Tour Code: ALB/08-VIP 02 US/2D-1N-TW,CPSI
D1.- We meet at 08:30 AM in Pax. House located at Av. 14 de Septiembre N: 5256 , as we start the tour we gain altitude from 3200 Mts, a.s.l (About 10000feet) up to 4000Mts (about 13000 feet) which is our average travel altitude, on the way we pass though the city of “El Alto” and learn about it,s story, then we follow the road and make our first stop in the small village of “Laja” (1) where we see the Church (2) and learn about the Foundation of the “Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Paz” (3) and its fast moving to the valley where we know it now. After this stop we follow on the road to get to “llloco lloco” a very nice Andean range viewer and a ceremonial spot located at an altitude of 4023 mts (about 13100 feet) where we will be shown maps and lake Titikaka in the distance, plus be told about some Andean ceremonies still practiced nowadays. 20 minutes more and we reach “Tiwanakau” where after we make our entrance payments start our visits to ; The Old museum(4), The new museum(5), then have a good lunch and then we visit the Archaeological site of “Kalasasaya” (6)and the second site which is “Pumapunku” featuring solid granite pieces of up to 132 Tons, as we finish we start our road journey to Copacabana with stops on the way, the first stop is made after 1 hr. drive to visit Mr. Paulino Esteban, famous reed boats builder, such as Matarangui and khontiki, embarkations which have been over the sea for long time periods and journeys to some countries like: Tahiti, Morocco, Egypt, etc with expeditioners such as Thor Hayerdhal (Norway) and Kitin Muñoz (Spain). Following we have a stop at a nice viewer and then we get to Tiquina strait, where we must leave the jeep to cross the strait (982 Mts long) in small motored boats, once in the other side we meet our jeep again and follow on the road to Copacabana. Upon arrival, we check in our hotel and then we have free time for dinner OV.Htl 4* Las Olas (this place was AMAZING!) – Copacabana (chosen and paid by pax)

Day 2.- After Breakfast in Hotel and aprox. about 08:00 AM we board the motored boat which will take us to the Sun Island, after 90 minutes aprox. of navigation , then we will discover the beautiful “Sun Island” and start seeing its interesting attractives (5 archaeological sites such as : Yumani (7), the Inca Stairs, The Inca Bath (8) and the Incas Terraces (9)once we get to the viewer and the Ecological coplex, and after we take some good pictures we start going back to the dock and then our navigation back to Copacabana, on the way back we have the last stop to Visit the Impressive “Pilkokaina” Temple (10), upon arrival to Copacabana we have lunch and after a visit to the “Dark Virgins Cathedral” and hear its interesting story (11) then we head back to La Paz, with an estimated arrival time of aprox. 06:00PM