For the past few years, tourism has dropped on Isla Del Sol due to the blockade on the northern side of the island. While drastically reducing the amount of land to explore, do not cancel it yet! Give Isla Del Sol a chance and visit it on a self-guided day-tour. These are our recommendations for 5 incredible short walks which will make your journey unforgettable.

A brief history of Isla Del Sol: Inca Legends

According to the legends of the Inca dynasty, the region of Lake Titicaca dropped into darkness after a great flood. A few days later, Viracocha, the supreme God of the Incas, arose from the deep waters of the lake to create the God of the sun, Inti, and ordered the ascent of the sun. There are more than 80 ruins and sacred spaces related to this event on the island.

But Isla Del Sol is much more. In fact, when Viracocha saw that humans lived in caves and had no tools to hunt, he sent to Earth his son Monca Capa and his daughter Mama Ocllo. These two came out of Lake Titicaca and travelled towards the Andes, teaching humans how to build houses and hunt for food. They are the founders of the Inca Empire and the capital Cusco (Peru), making Isla Del Sol and Lake Titicaca the cradle of the Inca civilisation.

NEWS! The northern side of Isla del Sol closed to tourism

Isla del Sol is a small island situated in Lake Titicaca, a few kilometres from Copacabana. It is one of the main attractions of Bolivia. Unfortunately, since February 2017, the Northern side of the island is closed to the public which means that only 20% of the island can now be visited.

The current conflict on Isla del Sol

In the past, it was usual to get a ferry to Challapampa, on the northern side, and hike to Yumani in the south to spend the night before heading back to Copacabana the next day. However, these days, the hikes are limited and with it, the access to what makes Isla Del Sol so important and interesting for visitors: the access to Inca temples and sacred sanctuaries.

Now, the conflict between the two communities on the island has been ongoing for more than two years. No solution has been found and the lake blockade that has restricted the passage to tourists is still in place. This doesn’t mean that tourists shouldn’t go… It, however, means the experience as of today will be different than what your friends might have told you about! But be reassured, the island is absolutely gorgeous and we believe it would be a shame to give it a miss.

As far as we are concerned we decided to not spend the night on the island and to only visit the southern side as part of a self-guided day-tour. We would recommend this to anyone passing by Copacabana, but if you wish to spend a night, you probably won’t be disappointed as long as you know there might not be much to fill up 2 days on the island.

Taking the ferry from Copacabana to Isla del Sol

There are a few ferry companies offering the crossing from Copacabana. They all leave at more or less the same time: 8:30 am and 1:30 pm. It is probably better to buy return tickets directly on the pier for 30 Bs. Make sure they are an “open” ticket so you can come back whenever you want.

If you prefer to buy a one-way ticket from Copacabana, no worries, there will be someone at the Pier in Yumani selling tickets before the ferry leaves the island. The ferry is about 1h30 one-way from Copacabana to the south of the Isla del Sol. Once you arrive at the pier of Isla Del Sol, you will immediately be asked to pay an entrance fee of 10 Bs to the community. It is mandatory and should be the only one fee requested by locals during your stay on the island. If somebody else asks you to pay more money, show them the ticket you have been given and you will be fine.

Note: If you wish to visit Isla De La Luna as well, the ferry will first go to Isla Del Sol. It will drop you off at the Isla de la Luna after and will wait for about an hour. Then, the ferry will head back to Isla Del Sol before sailing back to Copacabana.

It is not recommended to do this if you only have a day. This trip represents a lot of back and forth which will make you spend most of your day on the ferry and won’t have the time to visit both islands.

hiking the Southern part of Isla Del Sol

Now you know more about the situation on the island and how to get there, let’s look at what you can do once there! Here is a guide of 5 short walks from/to Yumani village.

Ferry to Yumani village & the Inca Steps

From the dock, there is no other choice than hiking up the Yumani steps to reach the village. It is a very tiring walk even if the steps don’t look that impressive. Wel, do not forget you are at 4,000 masl and any exercise is a massive pain!

Pack light, even if you spend the night here. Why not leave your big packpack in your hostel in Copacabana? If you cannot leave your bag behind, take it easy or rent a donkey to bring your bag to your accommodation on the island.

Walk to Cerro Queñuani

The walk to Cerro Queñuani takes you onto a little forest (the only one on the island) which then opens to a beautiful 360° view of the southern side. From here you can see the small island “Chelleca and the peninsula of Copacabana. The trail stops at a mausoleum made of rocks where locals come to pray or practice ceremonies.

As we were taking a break to catch our breath (this altitude is killing us!) a Cholita walked pass us and sat in the field. Not sure if she was taking a break or was meditating but she seemed to take as much as possible of this incredible landscape. We mimicked her and sat silently for a few minutes. Peaceful.

Yumani to Cerro Queñuani – 10/15 min walk one-way. Flat – Map: trail red

Our Tip: Start walking as soon as you get on the island. Those who stay the night will be busy checking in or having breakfast. Start quick and you will have the trails and the views to yourself for a few hours.

NEXT READ: WHAT TO DO IN COPACABANA BOLIVIA?

Walk to Cerro Palla Khasa

As you come back into the village, pass by the restaurants and cornfields towards the North. You should see a few signs “Mirador”. They will lead you to Cerro Palla Khasa the highest peak in this part of the island. The path goes slightly up then gets a bit steeper which once again at this altitude makes you breathless easily.

At the top of the Cerro, there is a ruin of a house from which you can sit, relax and have your packed lunch while admiring the view. This time, you can see the entire village of Yumani, and the deep blue waters of the lake Titicaca that seems to extend forever.

Yumani to Cerro Palla Khasa – 25/30 min walk one-way. Steep – Map: trail blue

Walk to Piko Kaina

Piko Kaina is the only Inca Temple that can be seen on this part of the island. We absolutely recommend any visitor to take this beautiful walk. Not that Piko Kaina is worth the effort, but the entire walk is absolutely mindblowing. Everywhere you look the deep blue waters of the lake contrast with the dry yellow herbs of the soil. You even pass white sand beaches that are calling you for a swim…

You’ll probably have the chance to meet farmers and their Alpacas. Keep in mind that if you are seen taking pictures of the locals or of their animals, you might be asked to give a “propina” (tip)… Despite relatively low levels of begging across Bolivia, this type of request is common on the island. This really surprised us at first but we guessed that it might have to do with the proximity with Peru where this is quite frequent (certainly too much for us though).

Yumani to Piko Kaina – 1 hour walk one-way. Flat – Map: trail yellow

Walk to the Northern border

If you still have a bit of time before heading back to the ferry, take a stroll to the border of the Northside community. Be aware you won’t be allowed to pass into the Community Challa (about 80% of the island). After a 30 minute walk, you will be welcomed by a bunch of locals hanging out around a small house made of bricks.

We tried to talk to them asking why the northern side of the island was closed, but only received as an answer: “tenemos problemas” – meaning “we have some issues”… We felt at that moment really unwelcome and decided to head back to Yumani without pushing too much with more questions.

Of course, it would be quite easy to cut through fields but let’s be clear, this is an absolutely TERRIBLE idea which might put you in a bad (probably dangerous) situation. First of all, you will be spotted quickly and second of all… you really don’t want to mess with Bolivians!

Yumani to Border with Northside – 25 min walk one-way. Steep – Map: trail gray

So there it is. While the charm of visiting Isla del Sol is slightly diminished with its limited access. The island is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring and taking in incredible views. Visiting Isla del Sol was part of our two-day stopover in Copacabana on our way to Peru. Check out our post on Copacabana here.

Where to Stay in Copacabana?

– Hostal La Academia – 60 Bs (€7.60) – Private Room
There are a lot of offers in Copacabana, but they fill up very quickly. So if like us, you can’t book in advance and find out every only decent place is fully booked, make your way down the main avenue (6 de Agosto), and visit the few hotels. You will easily find a cheap double bedroom. Don’t forget to ask to see the room and if they can keep your luggage when you are visiting Isla del Sol. They more than likely won’t have a kitchen.

– Joshua Hostel – 80 Bs (€10) – 4 bunk beds
If you are looking for a place with a kitchen, you need to know those babies are not that easy to find in Bolivia. But it is ok, it is cheap to eat out. Your best bet will be to check out hostels, but during our visit, they were all fully booked. So if you know when you are going to Copacabana we would recommend booking ahead. The Joshua Hostel seems to be the preferred one for budget backpackers for it comfort, location, great staff and kitchen.

– La Cupula – 175 Bs (€22) – Private room
If you book in advance you can have an amazing price for this gorgeous place. If there was only one to choose from, we would recommend this place. Located on the edge of the Cerro El Calvario, the view of the lake is impressive and the rooms so beautiful and comfy. The architecture is inspired by the Arabic style with Pre-Colombian touch. We loved this place but it was unfortunately fully booked when we arrived. We wished we had a reservation. To not make the same mistake as us, have a look at the Cupula availability here. They have a kitchen too!

– Ecolodge Copacabana –  360 Bs (€45) – Private room
For those with a higher budget and looking for a place to get away from it all & relax, this is for you! It looks fantastic and was recommended by friends. Click here to check the prices.

*Note: this article may include affiliate links to hostels or products we recommend. This will be of no extra cost to you but will help us continue running this blog.