Tiwanaku & Lake Titicaca day tour from La Paz: Totora boats

Ancient ruins and a reed boat on the world's highest lake

A full-day tour from La Paz combines the archaeological site of Tiwanaku (where you walk among monoliths and stone gates built by an ancient empire) with Lake Titicaca, where you board a traditional totora boat in the town of Huatajata. A local guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese leads the route. Hotel pickup and lunch are included, with return to La Paz by 4pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tiwanaku ruins and Lake Titicaca visit

• Pick up from La Paz hotel at 8:00 am
• Visit Tiwanaku ruins with local guide
• Explore Monoliths and Puerta del Sol
• Visit Archaeological Museum in Tiwanaku
• Enjoy typical local lunch
• Travel to Huatajata town by Lake Titicaca
• Meet totora boat builders
• Ride totora boat on Lake Titicaca
• Visit nearby towns and museums
• Return to La Paz hotel by 4:00 pm

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your La Paz hotel at 8am and a drive to Tiwanaku, an archaeological site about an hour away. Once there, your guide walks you through the ruins, explaining the monoliths, the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), the Puerta de la Luna (Gate of the Moon), and the Templete of Kalasasaya. The site sits on the Altiplano at high altitude, so the guide's knowledge of the place and its history anchors what you're seeing. You'll also visit the on-site Archaeological Museum before lunch, a typical local meal served in town.

After eating, the tour continues to Huatajata, a settlement on the shores of Lake Titicaca. This is where the day shifts: you meet the people who build totora boats, traditional reed vessels, and you ride one across the water yourself. Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake, and the boat ride gives you time to photograph the landscape and visit small surrounding towns and local museums in the area. The experience is unhurried. There's no rushing through the stops.

The return journey to La Paz takes place in the same air-conditioned vehicle with your guide. You arrive back at your hotel around 4pm, ending a day that covers two of the region's most significant sites without requiring you to arrange transport or navigate between them on your own.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in La Paz.
• lunch in Tiwanaku (typical local food).
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• local guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• a ride on a traditional totora boat on Lake Titicaca.
• access to Tiwanaku's Archaeological Museum and surrounding towns.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 10:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (7 to 89 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Joker Expedition, Bolivia.

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese, so choose the language that matches your comfort level. The fixed 8am start and 4pm return fit a single day in La Paz without requiring you to arrange separate transport or coordinate between two distant sites.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What exactly are the ruins at Tiwanaku that I'll see?

Tiwanaku is an ancient archaeological site featuring monoliths and stone structures built by a pre-Inca empire. The main attractions include the Puerta del Sol and Puerta de la Luna (two carved stone gates), the Templete of Kalasasaya (a sunken temple), and various other monoliths. An on-site museum explains the site's history and artifacts.

Will I actually get on a totora boat, or just look at them?

You ride on a totora boat across Lake Titicaca. Totora boats are traditional reed vessels built by local people in Huatajata. You'll meet the builders and then experience the boat yourself on the water.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is it?

Lunch is included and consists of typical local food served in Tiwanaku town. The meal is part of the full-day package.

What time does the tour end and how do I get back to my hotel?

The tour returns to La Paz around 4pm. Your guide drops you at your hotel in the same air-conditioned vehicle that picked you up in the morning.

How high is Lake Titicaca, and why does that matter?

Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake, sitting on the Altiplano at significant elevation. The altitude is part of what makes the landscape and the experience distinctive. Your guide will be aware of how the elevation affects the day.