AWQANI – CONCHAMARCA – MURMUNTANI CANYON

Stone forests • A lost Tiwanaku fortress • A canyon carved by time

Southeast of La Paz, away from the crowded tourist routes, there is a hidden corner of the Andes where the earth itself seems to have been sculpted by giants. Here, enormous stone blocks rise from the ground like sleeping monuments. Here, a pre-Columbian fortress still watches over valleys unchanged for centuries. Here, a canyon winds between towering walls of rock, water, and sky.

This is the Awqani–Conchamarca–Murmuntani circuit—a two-day journey into a landscape of legend, silence, and extraordinary beauty. It is not a trek for conquering peaks. It is a trek for wandering slowly through geology and history, with the feeling that you have stumbled into a secret.

Difficulty is low to medium. The walking is gentle. The wonder is immense.

Day 1: La Paz to Yaco – The Baroque Church and the Stone Forest

The morning drive takes us southeast, leaving the sprawl of La Paz behind. The altiplano opens around us—wide, windswept, golden under the Andean sun. Small farming villages appear and disappear. Llamas graze near stone fences.

By mid-morning, we arrive in Yaco, a picturesque town that seems to have been patiently waiting for us. At its heart stands a beautiful baroque-mestizo church—a colonial treasure of carved stone and weathered adobe. The facade is a symphony of indigenous and Spanish influences, all made by hands that worked centuries ago.

We walk through the town slowly. The plaza is peaceful. Old men sit on benches. This is not a museum piece—it is a living town, and the church is its soul.

After lunch, we leave Yaco and drive deeper into the hidden landscape.

The road narrows. The fields give way to rocky outcrops. And then, without warning, we enter Awkani.

This place feels otherworldly. Enormous stone blocks— rise from the earth at strange angles, shaped by wind and rain into caverns, arches, and smooth curves. The colors shift: deep reds, warm ochres, pale grays. Moss clings to shaded crevices. Small birds dart between the formations.

We walk among them slowly, touching the cool rock, peering into shadowed hollows. The silence here is deep—only the wind moving through narrow passages.

You feel, in Awkani, that you have stepped into a place that exists outside of normal time. It is not quite a canyon, not quite anything you have seen before. It is simply Awkani—and it will stay with you long after you leave.

As the sun begins to lower, we make our way to our overnight accommodation near the community of Conchamarca. The evening is simple: a warm meal, stories by lamplight, and the immense silence of the Andean night pressing against the windows.

You fall asleep to the sound of nothing at all.

Day 2: Conchamarca Fortress – Murmuntani Canyon – Return to La Paz

Morning comes slowly in the valley. The sun touches the highest rocks first, then creeps down the canyon walls. Breakfast is simple—coffee, bread, maybe some fresh cheese—and then we set out toward Conchamarca fortress.

The trail rises gently, following an ancient path that locals have known for centuries. The landscape opens around us: rolling hills, distant peaks, and the sense that we are walking into the past.

Then, we see it.

Perched on a strategic ridge, overlooking the surrounding valleys, stand the ruins of Conchamarca—a pre-Columbian fortress linked to the Tiwanaku civilization, which flourished centuries before the Incas. The stone walls are low now, worn by weather and time, but their purpose is still clear: this was a place of defense, of ceremony, of watching.

We walk among the foundations. Your guide explains: the Tiwanaku people built this as a lookout point, a ceremonial center, perhaps a refuge. From here, they could see approaching travelers or enemies for miles. The wind carries the same views today: patchwork fields, winding rivers, the long spine of the Andes fading into blue.

You close your eyes and imagine the chants, the fires, the eyes scanning the horizon. History feels very near.

After time to explore and photograph, we begin the descent—and the last great wonder of the circuit.

Murmuntani Canyon opens before us like a door into the earth’s own memory.

The path drops between towering rock walls that rise on either side, layered with centuries of sediment in stripes of red, brown, and gold. The canyon winds gracefully, each bend revealing a new composition of light and shadow. A stream—sometimes a trickle, sometimes a rush—follows the same path it has carved for millennia.

We walk slowly. There is no hurry. The canyon asks for attention, not speed. The walls narrow in places, then widen to reveal patches of sky. Moss drapes from shaded overhangs. Small birds call from hidden ledges. The sound of water echoes softly.

This is the heart of the trek: a landscape of rock, sky, and flowing water, shaped by forces beyond human measure. You feel small here—but in the best way.

By early afternoon, the canyon opens onto gentler terrain. We arrive in Junthuta, a small settlement where our vehicle waits. Cold drinks. Stretching legs. Quiet smiles of satisfaction.

Then, the drive back to La Paz. The road climbs out of the canyon, crosses the high plains, and by evening brings us home—tired, dusty, and full of images that will not fade: the baroque church of Yaco, the stone giants of Awkani, the ancient fortress of Conchamarca, and the winding silence of Murmuntani Canyon.

Two days. Three worlds. One unforgettable journey.

Why This Trek Stays With You

This is not a trek of extreme altitudes or punishing distances. It is a trek of discovery—of hidden places, forgotten histories, and rock formations that feel like they belong to a dream.

You will remember:

• The baroque-mestizo church of Yaco, where indigenous hands carved saints into stone

• The surreal stone forest of Awkani, where caverns and arches create an otherworldly silence

• The ancient fortress of Conchamarca, standing sentinel over valleys unchanged for a thousand years

• The winding depths of Murmuntani Canyon, where water and time have carved a path through the earth

• The feeling of being far from everything, wrapped in rock, sky, and legend

Quick Facts

A Gentle Note on This Trek

Unlike some of our more demanding circuits (the Nevado Mine Pass at 5,200 m, the San Francisco route at 5,100 m amd others), this trek is accessible to most travelers in good health. The altitude peaks around 4,200 meters—manageable for those who have acclimatized in La Paz for a day or two. The walking is moderate, the paths are clear, and the rewards are cultural and geological rather than athletic.

That said, the sun is strong, the air is dry, and nights can be cool. Pack layers, sunscreen, and a spirit of curiosity. The rest will take care of itself.

Why Choose AHE for This Circuit?

We offer this route because it is different—not a high-mountain epic, not a salt-flat spectacle, but a quiet masterpiece of history and nature. Most travelers pass through Yaco without stopping. Most never find Awkani. Most never walk the ramparts of Conchamarca or lose themselves in Murmuntani Canyon.

With AHE, you will.

Your guide carries not just the trail but the stories: of the church builders of Yaco, of the Tiwanaku watchmen, of the families who still farm these valleys. You sleep in tents inside a community prepared area, eat local food, and walk at a pace that allows you to feel the place.

This is slow travel. Deep travel. The way the Andes deserve to be experienced.