Isla del Sol and Copacabana

Isla Del Sol, The Sacred Island Of The Inca, Where Legend Says The Sun Was Born From A Rock, With Ruins Such As The Sacred Rock And Pilkokaina, Terraced Hillsides And Car Free Villages. Copacabana Town Is A Pilgrimage Centre With The Basilica Of The Virgin Of Copacabana (Dark Virgin), On Lake Titicaca At 3,810 M. · Copacabana, La Paz

Isla del Sol is a car-free island in Lake Titicaca at about 4,000 m, and in Inca belief it is where the sun was born. Viracocha is said to have made the sun and moon here. The usual base is Copacabana, a lakeside pilgrimage town at about 3,810 m, roughly 3.5 to 4 hours from La Paz by tourist bus, including a small ferry crossing at the Strait of Tiquina. Copacabana has a white Moorish-style basilica that holds the Dark Virgin, carved in 1583, and a hill for sunset. Boats take 1.5 to 2 hours to the island, where stone paths link three communities, Inca ruins, terraces, llamas and wide views of the Cordillera Real. The honest picture is steep walking at altitude, cold nights, strong sun and basic rooms. Each community charges its own entry fee, and local disputes have at times closed the north, so ask before you go. Plan one night on the island at least, bring cash and layers, and go slowly while you adjust to the thin air. Peru's side of the lake, with Puno, is across the border and is a separate trip, so plan it apart.

Pilgrimage town of Copacabana on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca, about 155 km from La Paz, with boats to Isla del Sol, the Inca birthplace island, about 2 hours away, Copacabana, La Paz, Bolivia

The island and the town are open every day of the year, and the lake and paths are never gated. Boats run in daylight, less often in the low season and in bad weather. The basilica opens daily outside services. Community ticket points are staffed in the day. Most shops close early. Confirm boats and entry rules locally.

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