Sunday, December 8, 2024

Gastronomic tourism on the highest navigable lake in the world shores

Climate change has had a negative impact on the communities near Titicaca Lake's agricultural production and biodiversity. Faced with this situation, the Santiago de Huata families have chosen to diversify their income sources through biocultural and gastronomic tourism. With the "KOA", restaurant & lake cabins community project, they seek to increase their resilience to the global warming effects.

On the Titicaca Lake shores, the highest navigable lake in the world, is the biocultural and gastronomic tourism venture called “KOA” restaurant & lake cabins. This project receives visitors in order to learn about food and environmental preservation.

In its menu, dishes prepared with Andean zone traditional products stand out, such as chairo – a soup made with chuno (dried potato), wheat, corn, and potato; fish soup or wallake, and other dishes prepared with fish such as trout, ispi or silverside accompanied by potatoes, chuno and fava bean mote.

In addition to the impressive views offered by the lake, tourists have the opportunity to learn local gastronomy ecological practices and knowledge, linked to the communities’ cultural identity at this area of Bolivia, at the La Paz department.

This enterprise is developed in the Tajocachi community and benefits more than 200 families in the Huata municipality region.

Travel services:

  • Restaurant with capacity for up to 40 people
  • Two cabins with private bathroom, hot water, and heating:

Mutu Mutu Cabin: Capacity for four people, with a double bed (king size) and a cabin with two single bunk beds.
Ispi Cabin: Capacity for three people, with a double bed (king size) and a sofa bed for two people.

•    Full day package

Offers a unique gastronomic experience with a heritage identity, followed by guided visits to unmissable tourist places such as Sunata Island and the Santiago de Huata main square. During the tour, visitors have the opportunity to explore the iconic Tata Santiago church and admire the Chiripa culture impressive Illas or monoliths.

Location:

  • 78 kilometers from the La Paz city, in the Tajocachi community, Kalaque canton, in the Santiago
    de Huata municipality.
  • See location: http://bit.ly/3lVFnJs

Best time to visit:

•      All year
Way to get there:

Foto: Archivo La Región/ Andrés Claros Roncal
  • If you are traveling in your own vehicle, you can follow this route from La Paz: From the city,
    head towards San Roque toll square on the road to Copacabana. Then, continue to Huarina,
    Achacachi, Pucuro (Santiago de Huata), Tajocachi and finally Koa.
  • To return to La Paz, you can take the route through the Janko Amaya Community, exiting
    towards the road that leads to Copacabana. Then, go through Huatajata, San Roque and finally
    the La Paz city.
  • In Public transport: The minibus leaves from the El Alto Interprovincial Terminal, with a Bs 12
    (equivalent to 2 dollars) cost. The journey lasts approximately two hours and when you reach
    the community main square, you must walk for 30 minutes to Koa. Along the way, the cultivated
    fields, the majestic Titicaca Lake, and the imposing snow-capped Illampu can be appreciated,
    among other impressive landscapes.
  • Another alternative is to contact this enterprise managers, who can arrange a taxi for Bs 10 per
    person (equivalent to 1.5 dollars). This way, the visitor arrives comfortably and quickly.

Essential clothing and accessories:

  • Comfortable hiking shoes
  • Wide-brimmed hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Warm clothes
  • Towel in case you want to enter in the lake
  • Water Bottle.

Food:

  • Lunch or Dinner: Wallake or chairo soups.

o   Main dish: Trout, ispi or silverside accompanied by potatoes, chuno and fava bean mote.

o   Barley drink

o   Koa or eucalyptus tea

  • Price: Bs 35 ($us 5)
  • A la carte dishes are also prepared.

Lodging:

  • Price per person: Bs 150 ($us 21.5)

Includes:

  • One lodging night
  • Andean breakfast
  • Lunch or dinner

o   Children under 5 years of age do not pay, they share services with their parents

Contact:

Benedicto Bautista:  +(591) 67074656

Paula Arias Loza+(591)  70585952

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Este contenido es parte de la guía verificada de Soy Bolivia, elaborada en abril de 2023 con información (datos y fotos) proporcionada por organizaciones y comunidades involucradas, y revisada anualmente para garantizar su actualización. Si deseas sugerir un emprendimiento de turismo comunitario, sin costo, puedes enviar un mensaje al WhatsApp al número (591) 70079347.


Advertencia. Las imágenes de esta guía fueron proporcionadas por representantes de las comunidades involucradas, quienes aseguraron que usan estas fotografías para las respectivas promociones de sus emprendimientos.