A natural frontier between Peru and Bolivia and not far from La Paz, the enormous Lake Titicaca occupies almost 10,000 square kilometres in a huge Andean crater high in the north-western plains of the country. At its deepest, the lake is 283 metres.
Lake Titicaca with its clear blue waters has more than thirty (mostly uninhabited) islands. Lake Titicaca is also the world’s highest navigable lake and the birthplace of countless Bolivian legends. Three of its main islands; Amantani, Isla de la Luna (the island of the moon), and Isla del Sol (the island of the sun) figure richly in archaic Andean myths and ruins of enigmatic temples are scattered throughout the hilly islands. The Sun Island is one of the most sacred places in Bolivia. To visit the Sun island you arrive by boat and then have to walk up a few hundred Inca steps to reach the main part of the town.
Lake Titicaca is sacred to Quechua and Aymara people and the story goes that if someone drowns in the lake, they become an offering to the earth goddess Pachamama. While the ice cold waters of the lake do not lend themselves to swimming, it is worth taking a boat trip across the waters to have a look at the islands of the lake. It is easy and relaxing to spend a day and a night on the Sun Island, wandering along the paths, or pay a visit to the floating islands of the Uru-Iruitos community to learn about their sustainable tourism project.
There is also the town of Copacabana to explore with its impressive Moorish-style cathedral. Copacabana is the main Bolivian town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, from where boats leave for the sacred Inca island, Isla del Sol (Sun Island). More…
Inca Mythology…. More...
Where to stay? We recommend the following properties:
Posada del Inca is a small and peaceful place to stay for the night on Sun Island. The lodge has seventeen rooms. More…
The Inca Utama Hotel & Spa found on the shores of Lake Titicaca is not just a hotel. It is a place to learn about local traditional skills. More…
