In Guaqui and its museum we will learn about the history of the region of Lake Titicaca, from the ancestral civilisation that developed here to the more recent historical developments.
In this itinerary, the marvellous landscapes of the Lake Titicaca region combine with a visit to the port town of Guaqui, which became Bolivia's most important port, in the 20th century, after it lost its access to the Pacific Ocean.
In the 1900s, the railway and port made Guaqui one of the most prosperous cities in Bolivia. Thanks to the thriving trade on the lake, imported goods arrived here by ship and then left by train to La Paz and the rest of Bolivia. At the same time, the minerals that Bolivia exported to the world travelled by train to the port in the opposite direction. The emergence and rise of new transport modes in recent decades has led to a decline in rail traffic and, eventually, to the decision to redevelop the old unused train sheds at the station to house the Guaqui Museum, one of the best in the region. The Museum was designed to showcase, in its four display rooms, the history and culture of the Lake Titicaca region and its communication systems: from the Qhapaq Ñan, the pre-Hispanic road network that criss-crossed all of South America, to the exhibition of the history of railways in the 20th century and including many other objects that tell the story of the daily life, festivals, ritual ceremonies, and much more besides, of the ancient peoples that inhabited the region.
Services
- Local guides
- Overland transport
Additional Info
Difficulty levelLow
Packing list
Personal documents, sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat or cap, bathing suit, comfortable clothes and shoes, warm clothes and woollen hat for the night, raincoat for the rainy season (December to April), camera, snacks. Personal medication for altitude sickness.
Included services
Transportation: private round-trip transportation, boat (optional), artisan train from the town
Meals: Lunch with local products; enquire about vegetarian food
First aid kit
Local guide
Tickets for museums
Pick up at the hotels, if located in the city centre and subject to arrangement with the operator. Elsewhere, a meeting point will be arranged possibly at extra cost
Services not included
Breakfast
Drinks at lunch
Activities not mentioned
Tips
Extra expenses.
Info Reservation
Minimum group: 10 people.
Minimum booking time: one week.
Where
Ciudad de La Paz
Transportation
by car, by walk
Web
Official WebsiteDay 1
From La Paz to Guaqui
Duration: 1,5 days
La Paz – Guaqui
We will leave early from La Paz to reach Guaqui in the morning, where we will visit the city museum arranged in four thematic display rooms.
Room 1: the history of pre-Hispanic cultures around Lake Titicaca, connected by the Qhapaq Ñan road network.
Room 2: the agricultural customs of the lake region.
Room 3: the folklore and traditions of the municipality of Guaqui.
Room 4: exhibition of old trains and locomotives.
After lunch we will return to La Paz.