Quillacollo Province: Culture, Nature and Traditions

Religious traditions, archaeological sites and natural attractions give Quillacollo Province a varied character. In the municipality of Quillacollo, collections, markets and several excursion destinations take centre stage; the Cascadas Gemelas de Pihusi waterfalls lie north of the municipality. When planning your trip, it is worth sorting these highlights by type: religious art and festivals appeal to different interests than a physically demanding trail or a natural area with marked hiking paths. This way, you can make your selection based on the themes that matter to you, rather than treating all the places as similar stops.

Religious Art and Local Traditions

The Museo de la Virgen de Urqupiña houses paintings that are more than 300 years old. These include a crucified Christ and an image of the Virgin. The museum also preserves more than 50 mantles gifted to the Virgin, which she wore at different times of the year. The paintings and mantles offer different insights: the paintings depict religious themes, while the mantles are gifts associated with the Virgin and their seasonal use.

The Fiesta de la Virgen de Urcupiña is celebrated every year in August. The popular markets in the city of Quillacollo sell handmade ceramic household items. The festival and market therefore offer different cultural points of interest: an annual religious tradition and handmade household goods. If you are interested in local products, ceramics take centre stage at the markets.

Archaeology and Orientation

The archaeological site of Sierra Mokho lies north of Quillacollo and covers just under 1.5 hectares. The approximate area gives a sense of the site’s scale, while its northern location helps you place it geographically. Together with the Museo de la Virgen de Urqupiña, it forms a cultural focus with different perspectives: at Sierra Mokho, the archaeological site itself takes centre stage; at the museum, the focus is on a collection of religious paintings and mantles.

Lagoon and Habitats

Municipal Ordinance No. 98/2009 declares Laguna Cotapachi part of Quillacollo’s natural and ecological heritage and designates it as municipal property in the public domain. The lagoon’s official designation and status as public property therefore shape its distinctive character. Agroflori, a wildlife sanctuary, is located in Iquircollo. There, the vegetation creates a microclimate and includes native and endemic species such as the Kewiña. The landscape, municipal designation and habitat thus offer different perspectives on the municipality’s natural attractions.

Outings from a Bathing Centre to Hiking Trails

Liriuni is a natural bathing centre in the Cordillera Tunari, in the northeast of the municipality of Quillacollo. Its designation as a bathing centre gives it a different connection to nature than Agroflori’s habitats or the cultural collections.

The Cascadas Gemelas de Pihusi waterfalls lie north of the municipality of Quillacollo. Activities include trekking, rappelling, ecological hiking, photo and video tours, excursions and climbing. The trail is uneven and physically demanding; bear this in mind when planning if you intend to explore it on foot.

Parque Ecoturístico Comunal Chocaya offers marked hiking trails, camping and barbecue areas, viewpoints, and areas for mountain biking. The natural area is home to Andean foxes and Andean cats. The two excursion options differ in terms of the information provided about physical activity: at Pihusi, the challenging trail is an important factor in deciding whether to visit, while Chocaya combines designated areas for hiking, camping, barbecuing, sightseeing and mountain biking.

Fair, Llamas and Local Products

In June, the Feria de la llama y derivados includes a walk where visitors can see llamas in their enclosures. The fair offers traditional dishes such as Charque, Fricasé and Chicharrón. Handicrafts include ponchos made from llama wool. The fair therefore brings together animals, food and textiles. Its offerings differ from those at the markets in the city of Quillacollo, which sell handmade ceramic household items: the fair focuses on llamas, dishes and ponchos, while the markets feature ceramic crafts.

Discover more destinations: Tiquipaya, Cercado, Tiraque.

Return to the main travel overview: Cochabamba.