6 tips for a visit to the Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Veröffentlicht: 16. Juli 2022, 21:08 Uhr

Aktualisiert: 09. Juni 2025, 23:04 Uhr

Von: wom87

If your trip to Bolivia is similar, you need a place where you can get to breath and recover. Visiting Isla del Sol is the perfect answer

Like most global tours, our happiness, which was not a large yellow ball, was also a color. At one end there are lively and rising red tones: Mount Yasur and the Salar de Uyunis of the trip. At the other end there are gray and brown: the 32-hour bus ride from Guayaquil to Lima, the insurance damage for broken electronics. And in the middle, big swaths of green and blue: the days that are not breathtaking or life -affirming, but still pleasant and funny.

Our visit to the Isla del Sol was in Bolivia (if I can emphasize the metaphor) in the green-blue: not inevitable, but definitely worth a visit. This mythical place of birth of the sun god is located on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca and houses a collection of 80 ruins and a small population of 800 families. It offers a calm that we rarely find on the South American mainland, and despite one or the other swallowing we left refreshed and were ready again for the many moods of Bolivia. Here are our tips that help you do the same.

1. Please note the north-south gradient

It is likely that her hostel is either in Yumani in the south or in Challapampa in the north. Make sure that your ticket for the boat transfer includes a stop at the correct end of the island. We booked a hostel in the south and almost bought a ticket that was only valid for the north. There are no vehicles on the island, so it would have been very difficult to get over.

also make the crew clear where you have to go and check proactively where you have stopped. Our boat put on Yumani only a few seconds and drove without announcement. We had to hurry outside to check our location and turn the boat and return ashore.

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2. Take tablets against travel sickness

Our trip to Isla del Sol was slow and bumpy. Our return journey, even slower and rougher. In addition, there were gasoline vapors that were difficult enough to mix up strong stomachs themselves. If you are susceptible to travel sickness, take a preventive pill to keep them in chess.

3. When arriving, pay attention to the steep hike

if possible, leave your big bags in a hostel on the mainland and only take what you need for a stay of two nights. There are no vehicles on the island and depending on your location of your hostel, you may have to expect a long, steep hike (especially in Yumani). The Isla del Sol lies at the foot at 3,800 m and at the summit at 4,100 m, so that you also have to cope with the height. Peter traveled on his back with 20 kg, so I couldn't wear my bag at the top. Without the help of a local boy, I would not have made it to our hostel.

4. Keep change for "toll fees"

You have to pay 15 Bolivianos ($ 2.15) to enter the island community. There is no official station where you can do this, so you will probably pay an apparently random stranger on the promenade. Make sure you receive a ticket / receipt as proof of payment because you need it for the Cross Island walk (which we highly recommend). If you do the hike, take your ticket and an additional 15 Bolivianos with you, which you have to pay at the toll point for the second community on the island. If you come back (instead of leaving the island from the other side), simply show your tickets at the tolls. It is also worthwhile to keep some change for toilet breaks.

5. Manage your expectations of the ruins

Isla del Sol has 80 ruins, most of whom come from the time of the Incas. It is definitely worth visiting some of them (see "Essentials" below), but be warned that you are not the greatest people you will ever see, especially if you come from Peru. Approach the Isla del Sol to relax, hike and enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Titicaca and the Andes.

6. Be prepared for the cold

Cold shower. Cold hostels. Cold restaurants.

okay, maybe that's unfair. We got a hot shower before the pipelines add. In all other countries we were able to alleviate a cold shower with a little sun, coffee in a warm restaurant or the snuggling into a cozy bed. In large parts of Bolivia, however, it was cold continuously for days, and the Isla del Sol was no exception. Be warned that it will not be warm just because it is South America.

The essentials

Was: Two nights on the Isla del Sol, Bolivia, perfect for hiking and relaxing. With regard to the Inca ruins, you should visit the Puma rocks, the Inca table and the traces of the sun in the north as well as the Inca levels and the fountain in the south.

Where: Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. We stayed in the Hotel Imperio del Sol. Our room was comfortable and had a great view, but we found that $ 35 a night was too high for the very simple amenities (toilet with broken flushing!). We heard good things about the Hostal Jacha Inti, but be warned that the standard can be lower on the whole island than the prices suggest.

When: The best travel time for the Titicaca area is the dry season from May to September. The average temperatures are between 16 and 17 ° C (60 to 63 ° f).

like: take a boat from Copacabana to Isla del Sol. The boats take off at 8:30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. and cost 30 Bolivianos ($ 4.30) and 20 Bolivianos back ($ 2.15). Tickets can be bought from agencies along the main road. You can buy a return trip for 40 Bolivianos ($ 5.80) if you return on the same day, but we recommend staying a few nights.

Make sure that your ticket goes to the right harbor (Yumani in the south or Challapampa in the north, depending on your accommodation) and make it clear to the crew where you have to leave.

If you are planning a hike, it is definitely worth taking a card with you. The Bolivia adventure map of National Geographic covers the Isla del Sol together with the rest of the country. The card is printed on durable synthetic paper, which is waterproof and tear -resistant - ideal to withstand the hardships of international trips.

Bolivia's only international airport is located in La Paz. Book flights via skyscanner.net.

The Lonely Planet Guide to Bolivia covers the Isla del Sol in detail and explains how to visit the largest salt desert in the world, hiking in Cordillera Real and visiting the lively city of La Paz.