THE ISLAND OF THE SUN IN THE LAKE TITICACA

On the shared border between two South American countries, Peru and Bolivia, there is a lake, named Titicaca, which is located in the central Andes, in the Collao Plateau, and which becomes the highest navigable area in ​​the world. Among others, the largest island of 14km² stands out in the lake, the Island of the Sun (la “Isla del Sol” in Spanish), which was formerly called Titicaca, as is the current name of the lake, acquired a posteriori, that means “the stone puma”. It is a wonderful natural place that you should not miss, if you come to visit the municipality of Copacabana in Bolivia.

HOW TO GET TO THE ISLAND

I started my trip through Latin America in Cuzco, in Peru, where as I have already told you in my previous articles visited the Humantay Lagoon and Machu Picchu. If you come to Bolivia from Cuzco as my case was, the best option is to take a night bus that will bring you the next day in the morning to the city of Copacabana, situated next to Titicaca Lake. The bus route includes the border crossing between the two South American countries. It may take a while, since you will have to go through Peruvian customs first and then Bolivian customs, and you know that administrative matters usually take some time… The trip on the bus was very comfortable, I would like to highlight that buses in South America are truly pleasent with bed or semi-bed seats options. Also, during the night you have the possibility to obtain a pillow and blanket, and the journey passes quickly. Except for a small problem we had, something went wrong with the bus and we had to wait an hour for the problem to be resolved. I’m not sure if it was my luck last year, but it wasn’t the first time that year that my bus broke down. The first was on my way to Sahara.

When you arrive in Copacabana, a small town, it is possible to find accommodation right there and the next day to leave for the island by boat that usually leaves in the morning. There are also hotels on Island of the Sun itself, and although I stayed in Copacabana, I recommend the experience of spending the night on a beautiful and quiet island, where you hardly hear any noise. It is a perfect option to get closer to nature and local culture. The boats leave in the morning for the island and return at sunset. Maybe in the high season you should buy your ticket in advance in order to not to run out of the available site.

MY TOUR TO ISLAND OF THE MOON AND THE ISLAND OF THE SUN

I decided to visit the Island of the Sun with a kind of organized tour. Actually, I was going on my own, although I had insured transportation. The ship took me first to the Island of the Moon and later to the Island of the Sun. The Island of the Moon is a small place that according to Inca mythology corresponded to the place where the deity of creation, Viracocha, had ordered the Moon rising above the sky, hence its name. The highlight of this place is the Iñakuyu Temple, dedicated to Mama Quilla, the lunar goddess and the wife of the most significant god of Inca mythology, Inti, the god of the Sun. The temple consisted of 55 rooms, made of rough stone, except for one of them, built with well-carved stone. The Temple was dedicated to the virgins who learned in it the different tasks, including weaving. Even today you have the possibility to buy the precious scarves woven by indigenous women in these lands.

• 

• 

The boat then took me to my main destination, the Island of the Sun, where it is said that the Inca Empire was born. Normally, for some years due to a conflict, the boat usually leaves you in the southern part of the island, called Yumani and pick you up a few hours later so that you have the possibility of taking a short walk to get to know the island, enjoy the incredible landscapes and relax surrounded by nature. I recommend you go up to the Palla Khasa Viewpoint, although the journey up may seem somewhat hard, due to the altitudes that make breathing more difficult. However, little by little and resting it is possible to do it, and the views from the top of the hill are really beautiful and you should not miss them, especially at sunset if you decide to stay a night on the island.

Another attraction in this part of the island are also the Inca Stairs that you have the possibility to climb on the way back to the ship. The Stairs are reminiscent of pre-Hispanic times and they are quite steep, so be very careful going up or down as they are almost 4000 meters above sea level. By the way, in the south there is also the Fountain of the Three Waters, which the colonizers believed to be the fountain of eternal youth and the natives affirm that its waters have healing properties. Also, the Yumani area has some restaurants, where you can try delicious traditional dishes. In fact, many of the restaurants are homes of the island’s inhabitants who serve food in their gardens, which makes this experience even more comforting. Be sure to try fresh fish from the river, such as trout accompanied by quinoa and vegetables. My favorite!

TIPS:

• If you have enough time, spend a night or to on the Island.
• Buy the boat tickets in advance, since they run out. There are plenty of travel agencies in Copacabana that sell them.
• On the Island of the Sun do not leave the perimeter that tourists are allowed to visit, the Yumani area. Doing so you could get in unnecessary troubles.
• Try some typical dishes, especially the fresh fish from the lake. I really enjoyed them.