Andean Ancestral Ritual in La Paz

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"Table" to Pachamama — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Bruges Market in La Paz — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Discover the hidden mysteries of Andean culture by participating in an ancestral offering ritual to Pachamama. This ritual has been passed down through generations and has remained a living tradition to this day.

First, you will visit the Witches' Market, where you will purchase the ingredients for the ritual. There, you will meet the "chifleras," wise women and healers who prepare the offerings for Pachamama.

Afterward, you will dine on a traditional "Apthapi" banquet of meat (charque) and different types of potatoes, a tradition in the Andes region.

Finally, you will participate in the ceremony in which you will prepare a "mesa" (sweet offering) for Pachamama and place it on the fire for the ritual. You will pray for health and fortune until the flames of the fire turn the offering to ashes. To close the ritual, you will receive the smudging of incense.

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At a glance

Duration: 4 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–5
Guide: English, Spanish
Operated by: Carmen Valdivia Escobar

Ages: Youth (14–17 years) · Adults (18–60 years) · Seniors (61–80 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Alcoholic Beverages
Included: Public transportation (bus, subway, cable car, etc.): Public transportation
Included: Dinner
Included: Supplies for Andean ritual

Not included

Not included: Souvenirs and/or gifts
Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Mercado de Las Brujas

one hour

The guide will accompany you on a tour of the Witches' Market. He will tell you about Andean traditions and explain how to purchase a traditional "mesa" (offering) for the Andean ritual to Pachamama.

The guide will show you the shop of a renowned "chiflera" (Andean healer) where you can purchase the "mesa" for the ritual.

At the Witches' Market, you can also purchase handicrafts if you wish.
Stop 2

2 hours

The guide will take you by shuttle to the southern part of the city, where you will dine an Apthapi (a traditional feast from the Andes region) at the guide's home.

Apthapi is prepared with charque (dried beef), a variety of potatoes, cheeses, corn, and llajua (hot sauce).

The guide will also serve you a hot drink called Té con Té. This is a sweet drink containing a distilled Bolivian liquor known as Singani.

The guide will tell you all about this traditional feast and its importance as part of the Andean ritual of offering to Pachamama.
Stop 3

one hour

The guide will lead you to the patio of the house in Los Rosales neighborhood to perform the ceremony of offering the table to Pachamama.

The guide will explain all the steps to follow to prepare the table, from selecting sacred leaves and placing sugar and cinnamon on top to pouring alcohol over the table.

Once it's ready, with the help of the guide, you can place the table on firewood to light the fire.

As the fire consumes the offering, the guide will tell you stories of how his mother and grandmother passed on their ritual knowledge to him and will explain the importance of each new generation preserving and passing on this ancestral knowledge.

You will conclude the ceremony by receiving a smudging of incense from the guide.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

I will wait for the travelers at the Witches' Market, on Santa Cruz street, corner C. Linares

End point

The tour ends in the same place where we will make the offering to Pachamama. Travelers can request an Uber to return to their hotel.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.