Bolivia’s Isla Del Sol is a bucolic, pastoral haven with pigs on the beach, donkeys on the stepped terraces and a slow, relaxed pace of life for the residents. You can expect beautiful, secluded beaches and impressive views of Lake Titicaca. Isla Del Sol is said to be the birthplace of the Incan Sun god, Inti, meaning that the island is dotted with the archaeological remains of temples, stepped terraces and relics from the Incan era.
To visit Isla Del Sol, you must get a boat from the small town of Copacabana. On the shores of Titicaca, Copacabana is a pleasant place with several sites that are worth checking out in their own right. With easy transport links from La Paz or the Peruvian city of Puno, Copacabana is an essential stop on any Bolivia itinerary. We chose to take a trip from La Paz – below is an ideal itinerary based on our own experiences!
Isla Del Sol is a rugged island covered in typical Incan stepped terraces
From La Paz, you can catch the early morning bus to Copacabana. This bus journey involves a short ferry crossing of Lake Titicaca at San Pablo De Tiquina – you will need to disembark the bus and buy a ticket for the passenger ferry at San Pablo de Tiquina, and then reboard the bus at the other side of the crossing. Don’t worry, the ferry ticket is very cheap and the bus ticket to Copacabana is valid on both sides of the crossing.
Arrive into Copacabana around midday and head straight for the dock (Puerto Copacabana). There are two stands at the waterfront where you can buy boat tickets to Isla del Sol. You can either get the boat to the northern (Challapampa) or southern (Yumani) ports of the island. I recommend Yumani as there are more lodgings, restaurants and infrastructure. Challapampa is a smaller, more quiet settlement however there are also a few hostels and at least one restaurant there. There are also hostels and lodgings located a little further away from the two main settlements if you prefer to stay in a more secluded spot.
After arriving into Copacabana, take the next boat to arrive at Isla del Sol mid-afternoon and head to your hostel or hotel. I really recommend spending at least one night on Isla del Sol – we didn’t do this and had to rush to pack everything into one day. Make sure you pre-book accommodation if possible as options on the island are very limited and you don’t want to be turned away at the inn and have to drag yourself up the hill to further away accommodation. There are also no ATMs on the island so make sure you bring enough cash with you to last through your stay.
If arriving at Yumani, you can trek to the nearby Templo del Sol for the sunset if you time it just right. Templo del Sol is the remains of an Incan sun temple – the site is now in a state of ruin but is an atmospheric spot overlooking the lake. Incan mythology states that Isla del Sol was the place that the founder of the Incan Empire, Manco Cápac, arrived on earth after being sent by his father, the sun god Inti.
Trekking through the landscapes
Next day, wake up early to hike across the island. There are hiking trails (sort-of) although we somehow managed to veer off the trail and ended up taking a very steep detour. Make sure you know the departure time of the boat back to Copacabana and give yourself plenty of wiggle room to get back in time. It is possible to hike the whole route from Yumani to Challapampa and back again in one day if you set off early enough, or you can get a boat from Challapampa back to Yumani before taking the afternoon boat back to the mainland.
As well as the fantastic views and peaceful, other-worldly feel of the island, don’t miss the Roca Sagrada and the associated ruins at the northern end near Challapampa. Roca Sagrada is a focal point of the island – both the Incas and the prior Tiwanaku culture believed that this particular spot was the birthplace of the sun god, and performed rituals including sacrifices here. There is a small entrance fee to access this area.
Ruins near Roca Sagrada
Make sure you leave yourself enough time to get to the correct port before the last boat crossing, you don’t want to be stuck on the wrong side of the island with no way of getting back. We missed the last boat at Challapampa and had to resort to bargaining with a confused local to give us a lift back to Yumani on his boat. We felt like a broke version of James Bond with a private speedboat all to ourselves, however you might not be so lucky. We’d resigned ourselves to spending a night on the island unplanned, however thankfully that wasn’t to be.
After returning from Isla del Sol, spend the night in Copacabana and take the bus back to La Paz the following afternoon. While in Copacabana there are several sites that are worth checking out. Cerro Calvario is a viewpoint (mirador) which provides great 360 views of Lake Titicaca on a clear day. The way up is marked by 14 Stations of the Cross, and locals can sometimes be seen praying or performing rituals along the route or at the top. There’s no admission fee but be warned, it’s quite a steep climb – you’ll definitely be out of breath at the top!
The view from Cerro Calvario
Within Copacabana, don’t miss the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. This ornate 17th-century Catholic church is not only a striking building in the centre of town, it also serves as a focal point for the ‘Bendición de Movilidades’, or Bolivian car blessing ritual. In a blend of Catholic and traditional beliefs, locals bring their cars to Copacabana to be ‘blessed’, which often involves the vehicle being covered with garlands of flowers, sprayed with beer and firecrackers being set off for good measure. This is said to bring good luck and ward off the possibility of car accidents – probably a good thing considering the often-wild Bolivian driving!
Another spot to check out in Copacabana is La Horca del Inca (Mirador del Inca). Another mirador with great views over Lake Titicaca, this site also features some ancient rock formations which were said to have been used for astrological purposes by the Incas. There is a small entrance fee to reach the highest point of this mirador with the rock formations.
All of these activities can easily be completed in the morning before you return to La Paz.
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