Boliva: Tiwanaku

Everybody knows about Machu Pichu and the Inca Empire in Peru, but hardly anybody heard about Tiwanaku archaeological site in Bolivia and the ore-Inca civilization that lived here. About an hour drive northwest from La Paz, Tiwanaku is a sprawling archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage. The site, and the whole civilization (that Bolivians are extremely proud of) prospered in 8-10th centuries AD, with stone structures somewhat similar in style to the Inca that followed. Overall, Tiwanaku seems overly restored, with several stone squares, low pyramids, and the most famous – two elaborately carved stone stellar and two stone gates arches (Gate of the Moon and Gate of the Sun). There are also several subterranean structures and sweeping views of the Antiplano all around.