Tupac Katari Mirador

La Paz


For a great view of La Paz, head in a taxi to the Tupac Katari Mirador, situated right on the edge of the rim that plunges down the valley to La Paz. It was – and is – a sacred Inca site and ritual altar where Tupac Katari is believed to have been drawn and quartered by colonialists.

The colonialists constructed and interred a statue of Christ on the same site, but that didn’t stop locals from performing spiritual rituals here. Around the mirador (lookout) is a long line of small identical blue booths. These house curanderos (healers) or yatiris, who provide sage advice. Note: the counsel of a yatiri is taken extremely seriously – both photos and tourist appointments are considered inappropriate.