Isla del Sol

Information

It is an island in Lake Titicaca that lies entirely on the Bolivian side and belongs to the department of La Paz. With a surface area of about 14 km², it is the largest island in the lake, and its southern end is only 1 km from the shore. It is inhabited by Quechua and Aymara communities.

There are places to eat and accommodation on both the southern and northern sides, although there are more on the southern part. It has trails and several attractions such as temples and viewpoints, so it is advisable to stay on the island and dedicate at least two days to visit everything. As it is located above 3800 metres above sea level, it is always recommended to hike at a slow pace, carrying plenty of water and wearing sunscreen and a hat. A fact to mention is that there are no cars or any other type of land vehicle.

To get to this island, boats leave from the locality of Copacabana every day, whose tickets can be bought at different agencies in the downtown area or directly at the port. The trip lasts approximately 2 hours, the boats can leave at the northern or southern end of the island, and to enter the island you have to pay an additional ticket. For reference, the main port in the north is near its museo de Oro de la Ciudad Sumergida (a museum), and the one in the south is near its so-called Escalera del Inca (Inca Stairway). There is the option of going there and back in a day, or else pay one way and stay overnight in one of the island's accommodations.

An excellent option is to go down in the southern part of the island, stay one night in one of the lodgings, and the next day make the long trekking along the path that goes from the southern end to the northern end, to finally take the boat back from the northern port. Or do the reverse, arrive from the north, spend the night there, walk the trail north-south and return from the southern harbour.