Muerte en Bolivia: Field trip to La Paz to Learn About Bolivia's Folklore, Death Culture, and Sacred Coca Leaf
Field trip to Bolivia for Day of the Skulls (Dia de los Ñatitas), coca leaf and witchcraft markets, Pre-Columbian mummies and ruins, Cholita wrestling, and much more!
Monday, November 5 - Sunday, November 11, 2018
DEADLINE FOR SIGNUP: October 15, 2018
Number of attendees: 10
$2100 (Deposit of $1050 due to secure spot; will be refunded if trip cancelled because not able to get enough attendees)
INCLUDES: Hotel (single room occupancy), transportation during duration of tour, all attraction admissions, breakfasts, and one dinner
DOES NOT INCLUDE: Airfare, visas, tips. transportation to and from airport. lunches or most dinners
* We HIGHLY recommend you arrive La Paz Friday November 2 or Sat November 3 to acclimate to the altitude, which is no joke here)
*** US residents, and some others, will need to get visa; this can be done before or at airport but HIGHLY ADVISE BEFORE. More here
Email morbidanatomylibrary [at] gmail.com to sign up
This November, join Morbid Anatomy for a very special seven day trip to La Paz, Bolivia where, with a local professioanl guide, we'll explore the country's fascinating history, folklore, and death-related traditions, a unique blend of ancient native beliefs and Spanish Catholicism. We'll also learn the storied history of--and have ample opportunities to sample--the coca leaf, sacred plant of the Andes.
We'll visit La Paz's central cemetery for Day of the Skulls (Dia de los Ñatitas), in which human skulls are given offerings of coca leaves, cigarettes and flower petals; the El Alto Shaman's market and the famed witchcraft market with shops selling dried llama fetuses to bless new constructions, magical charms, and colorful figurines of devils and skeleton saints; and the coca leaf market.
Other highlights will include visits to La Paz's Museo de la Coca, the pre-Columbian ruins of Tiwanaku and the tropical Afro Bolivian town of Coroico, a visit to a studio that produces costumes and masks for La Paz's famed festivals, Cholita wrestling, a wildlife preserve, the surreal landscape of Valle de la Luna, gorgeous colonial churches and convents, and museums packed with astounding treasures.
There will also be opportunities to eat native foods, explore markets, and learn the ancient Andean art of coca leaf consumption and its history as a sacred plant. Along the way, we'll learn from our knowledgeable tour guide about the folklore and beliefs of this unique culture, past and present.
ITINERARY
Please Note: Exact itinerary might change, but all listed attractions will be included
Day 1 (Monday, November 5)
Town overview by Funicular
El Alto
Markets, shamans market
Buy coca leaves and instruction in consumption
Day 2 (Tuesday, November 6)
Museo Nacional de Arte (National Museum of Art)
San Francisco Church and San Francisco Church Museum
Witchcraft Market
Folkloric dinner (included with ticket price)
Day 3 (Wednesday, November 7):
Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna)
Coca Museum
National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore
Day 4 (Thursday, November 8)
La Paz' national cemetery for Dia de los Natitas (Day of the Skulls)
Day 5 (Friday, November 9)
Coroico: The Yungas; tropical area settled by Afro Bolivians (day trip, drive from Andes to tropical region)
Coca Market
Senda Verde Wildlife preserve
Coffee plantation
Day 6 (Saturday, November 10)
Tiwanaku pre-columbian archaeological site
Visit to masks and costume studio
Day 7 (Sunday, November 11)
Cholita Wresling
Independent city exploration; churches, markets, museums. and cemetery
Day 8: (Monday, November 12)
Check out of hotel
Flights home
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