Bolivia – Isla del Sol (The Island of the Sun)

Awesome sunsets on the north side of the island.

As happens to most travelers, my Peruvian tourist visa was approaching its end so I was left with no other option but to go on a boarder run! Based on the advice of some of my friends and coworkers I decided to hop over to the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca to explore the Island of the Sun and do some hiking… I was not disappointed.

Getting There

Getting there was actually quite easy. I went to the local bus station in Cusco and walked to every bus company I could to compare and contrast prices and services. I eventually found an overnight, direct bus to Copacabana for a super cheap price and bought it on the spot. For those who are curious, I got my ticket for S/. 40.00, or just over $14.00. The trip to the boarder took about 8 hours or so, and once on the Bolivian side it was maybe another 20 minutes before arriving.

Entering Bolivia as a Dual Citizen?!?

Entering Bolivia as a US citizen requires, among other things, a $135.00 Visa application charge; therefore, I thought I would be clever and try leaving Peru on my US passport and enter Bolivia using my Irish one. The immigration officers, however, were not pleased with my passport shenanigans and demanded that I enter using my US passport and claimed that they need to see my Peruvian exit stamp on the same passport that I enter Bolivia. Needless to say I did not win this debate and eventually accepted my fate. On a positive note, the Bolivian Visa lasts 5 years so I will not need to go through this again for some time.

Copacabana

Some people like Copacabana, others not so much… I honestly spent little time there as my mission was to go directly to the Isla del Sol, but my immediate impression is that the place is nothing special. There are a few nice plazas, some little markets with yummy street food (salteñas were my favorite), and pretty much one main street which was gringo central. The place caters mainly to backpackers wanting to check out the lake, go to the islands, people doing boarder runs and backpackers in general. Sure, the lake is beautiful, but I think that it is better appreciated from the peace and quiet of one of the islands than the mainland, so I would recommend spending as little time there as possible and instead hopping a boat to your destination of choice.

View of the north side from up on the hill.

Isla del Sol

Boats leave in the morning and afternoon and should cost about S/. 25.00, or about $9.00. The island itself is divided into north and south sides, with the south side being closer, more developed and touristy and the north side being further away, less developed and more peaceful. I opted for the north side and recommend that anyone who spends the night on the island do the same. It’s very scenic, peaceful and there are more ruins and authentic things to see than on the south side. It’s also cheaper… I stayed at a simple, but nice place right on the beach for S/. 20.00 a night, or around $7.00.

Hiking

The second I landed on the north side I found a place to stay, dropped my stuff off and took off to explore with new friends I had made on the boat ride over. The hiking on the island is pretty fantastic. The views are spectacular, as are the sunrise and sunset, and it’s possible to walk from one extreme to the other within 4 hours or so. You can opt to walk closer to the shore, in which case you pass by little villages and crops, or you can go straight to the top of the mountains and walk along enjoying 360 panoramic views of all of the lake. I, of course, did both!

The costal route from the south side towards the north side.

Also, the north side has many more ruins than the south side and I found it to be more naturally beautiful. The south side does host the Sun Temple and a few other nice sites, but is also littered with pizza restaurants and lodgings for tourists… you can’t have the good without the bad I suppose.

Isla del Sol Grade: A

I really enjoyed my quick visit to Isla del Sol. Aside from the great hiking and views, the other travelers I met on the trip were all super friendly and interesting, and we wasted no time becoming friends and in sharing the experience together. The food, too, was pretty yummy. I ate trout caught from the lake literally every day, and it only cost about $3.00-$4.00 for an enormous serving of soup, rice, veggies and trout… super cheap!

I would seriously considering going back for another couple days and highly recommend that anyone passing through check out the island, too…