Isla del Sol

Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Ever the popular tourist destination, Lake Titicaca is known as the highest navigable lake in the world (meaning that at 3800m above sea level, and extremely deep in some parts, large vessels can navigate the lake). It’s also become quite the popular tourist destination in recent years. It can be visited from both the Peruvian side and the Bolivian side. From Puno, Peru, there are hoards of tour companies offering day (or multi-day) trips to the Uros Islands (islands that are constructed from the reeds in the lakes) as well as Isla Taquile and Isla Amantani. Home stays can be done on the latter two islands as well. Though there is much hype about the Uros Islands, Mac & I had heard that they are really quite touristy and we decided to avoid that. Instead, we crossed the border into Bolivia and ventured to Isla del Sol from Copacabana instead!

Isla del Sol is one of the biggest islands on Lake Titicaca. Similar to Little Corn Island, there are no roads (paved or otherwise), no ATMs, and extremely limited WiFi on the island. Not similar to Little Corn Island however, is the abundance of insanely steep hills, rocky terrain, and frigid evening temperatures. Despite all of that though, we managed to have an amazing time during the course of our 2 nights on the island.

The first day for us on the island involved finding a hostel and getting settled. After a quick nap (1 hour boat rides can be so exhausting), we set out on a little hike to attempt to find the ruins (Pilcocaina) we had seen on the boat ride over. A slight navigational error resulted in us ending up wayyyy up the hill from where we needed to be so we just admired the views from afar (while simultaneously trying not to get run over by roaming sheep, donkeys and mules).

On our 2nd day, we decided to hike the trail that semi-circumnavigates the island. There are two main ports on Isla del Sol, the south (Yumani – where we boated to & from, as well as stayed in a hostel there), and the north (Challa Pampa). For travelers only doing a single day trip, a popular option is to boat to the north, then hike down to the south and catch the afternoon boat back to Copacabana. Since we had the luxury of time, we were able to do both routes connecting the two sides.

During the course of what would eventually become a close to 7 hour hike, we trekked through all sorts of different terrain. It was incredible to see the differences as we walked: lush forests, barren & rocky slopes, coastal beaches, distant mountains, and so on. Throughout the entire hike we continued to be blown away by the beauty of the island!

The approximate halfway mark of the loop is at the very northern tip of the island and it just so happens to be the location of several Incan ruins. What’s really interesting is that the birthplace of the Incan culture is believed to have been born from Isla del Sol. It’s said that Viracocha – the creator god – had his children (Manco Kapac & Mama Ocllo) erupt from Lake Titicaca to settle Cusco and the Incan culture. To commemorate this, there is a labyrinth Chincana (which is actually really confusing!), as well as a sacred stone overlooking the water.

Due to some lack of planning on our part, we hoofed it from the ruins and into Challa Pampa for a MUCH needed lunch. I don’t think either of us were talking to each other at this point – all we could think about was getting some food. Luckily we found a decent restaurant that overlooked the bay and all peace was restored. After lunch, we made our way back to Yumani. The terrain continued to amaze as we scaled hills, and descended valleys seemingly every other kilometre.

We arrived back in Yumani just in time to grab a spot on the “patio” of one restaurant that offered amazing views of the sunset. We enjoyed our food (and the views!) until the sun set over the horizon and it got too cold for us to handle so we retired inside to try and get warm.

Around the time we wandered back to the hostel, the stars were out in full force and we just stopped and sat on the side of the road to admire the views above. It was interesting seeing the stars in the southern hemisphere as they’re totally different from what we’re used to at home! We spotted the Southern Cross right away, as well as the huge expanse of the Milky Way. We even saw the Big Dipper, but it was upside down! We were truly treated to some amazing views during our stay on Isla del Sol!

For our third day, we had a quick breakfast before packing up and making our way down, down, down the endless amounts of stairs to the port where we caught a boat back to Copacabana. For anyone looking to experience Lake Titicaca, I’d highly recommend checking out Isla del Sol. Obviously I’m biased, but it’s hard to compete with the complete lack of crowds, endless breathtaking landscapes, hardly ever a cloud in the endless blue sky and a true escape from reality for a little while.

Practical Information

The boats leave Copacabana everyday at 8:30am, and 12:30pm. The cost is 20bs per person, each way. The boat drivers will try and charge you 25bs at first, but be firm and make sure you get the correct price.

The ride is about an hour and you’ll be taken to either Yumani (Porte Sur) or Chalapamam** (Porte Norte) – make sure it specifies where you’re going on your ticket. If going to Yumani, you’ll be required to pay a fee of 5bs to enter the island. I’m not sure what the situation is like on the north side, but I’d expect it to be similar.

As for accommodation on the island, there’s no need to book in advance as the island is teeming with hostels, hotels, & hospedajes. Mac and I stayed at Hostel Chosa del Inca which is almost at the very top of the hill away from the port, and towards the town. Be prepared to climb a LOT of steps!

For the loop hike, you’ll have to pay a fee of 15bs per person to enter the different communities. The fee goes right back into the communities and helps with the upkeep of the trail.

From Yumani, boats leave every day at 10:00am, and 4:00pm. Again, the fee is 20bs, but it says so right on the ticket booth so you’re less likely to be ripped off.