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Terrazas de cultivo en la ladera de la Isla del Sol frente al lago azul

Culture · Nature · Gastronomy

Full Day: one full day

La Paz – Copacabana – Island of the Sun – La Paz, in a single day.

Duration
1 day
Effort
Moderate
Departure point
La Paz

Route

  1. Bus from La Paz to Copacabana
  2. 9 more stops
  3. Arrival in La Paz
See the route

From$59 USDper adult

Check availability

Send a request, no payment. The operator confirms availability and price.

  • Escalera del Inca en Yumani, con estatuas, jardines y la fuente de agua
  • Lancha roja navegando por el lago Titicaca frente a la isla
  • Vista panorámica de la bahía de Copacabana con el pueblo y las embarcaciones

$59 USD

Check availability

What is included

  • Lunch at Hotel Paraíso with panoramic lake views and grilled trout
  • Boat trip on Lake Titicaca to the southern part of the Island of the Sun
  • Yumani, climb up the Inca Stairway and the Fountain of the Three Waters (Fountain of Youth)
  • Tour guide included on the island
See inclusions and exclusions

Who it is for

moderate level. Some climbs above 3,800 m of altitude.

How to book

  1. 1. Send a request, no payment.
  2. 2. The operator validates availability, price and payment.
  3. 3. You get confirmation and the meeting point on WhatsApp.

Your route, stop by stop

Tap any stop to see photos, rooms, menus, history and conditions.

Stop 1 of 14

Commercial detailsWhat is and is not included, policies and price by age.Go to the details

Commercial details

A full day from La Paz: bus to Copacabana crossing the Strait of Tiquina, lunch at Hotel Paraíso with panoramic lake views and grilled trout, a boat trip on Lake Titicaca to the southern part of the Island of the Sun and a guided visit to the Yumani community, the Inca Stairway and the Fountain of the Three Waters, before returning to La Paz at night.

Included

  • Lunch at Hotel Paraíso with panoramic lake views and grilled trout
  • Boat trip on Lake Titicaca to the southern part of the Island of the Sun
  • Yumani, climb up the Inca Stairway and the Fountain of the Three Waters (Fountain of Youth)
  • Tour guide included on the island

Not included

  • Personal expenses
  • Community fees on the islands (cash, in bolivianos)

Change and cancellation policy

Times are for reference and may change with the weather, the state of the lake, traffic and boat departures; the guide will confirm any change during the trip. Prices in US dollars per person.

If the weather does not cooperate

Weather and lake conditions may change sailing times; the guide will confirm any change during the trip. Bring a warm layer for the afternoon and night: on the lake and the summits the cold arrives suddenly at sunset.

Requirements and recommendations

Altitude: Copacabana is at 3,841 m and the Island of the Sun rises above 3,900 m; walk slowly, stay hydrated and drink coca tea. What to bring: sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a warm layer for the afternoon and night, comfortable shoes and cash in bolivianos for personal expenses and community fees on the islands. Documents: bring your ID card or passport; the circuit does not cross the border, but there are checkpoints on the road.

Departure point

La Paz

Upcoming departures

There are no published departures yet. Send a request and the operator will propose dates.

Ask for a date

Stories of the route

LegendTraditional story: not a proven historical fact.

The birth of the Sun

They say that after the flood the world was left in darkness and people lived in fear. One day the Sun rose in all its splendour from the cleft of the great sandstone rock in the north of the island; that is why the crag was called Titikala, the puma's rock, and the island, Island of the Sun. Another version says the Sun hid under the rock during the flood and the island was the first land to emerge when the waters went down.

Representación de Manco Kápac y Mama Ocllo en el lago TiticacaLegend

Traditional story: not a proven historical fact.

Manco Kápac and Mama Ocllo

The Sun god, taking pity on people who lived like beasts, sent his children Manco Kápac and Mama Ocllo to civilise them. He made them emerge from the sacred rock and gave them a golden staff: where it sank at the first blow they were to found their city. They walked north to the Cusco valley, where the staff disappeared into the ground, and there the empire was born. He taught men to farm and build; she taught women to spin and weave.

Fuente de las tres aguas al pie de la Escalera del Inca, Isla del SolOral tradition

Memory passed down through generations in the lake communities.

The fountain of eternal youth

The people of Yumani say the three spouts of the Inca fountain flow from a spring that has not run dry in five hundred years, and that whoever drinks from them stays young. They say each one tastes different and that drinking from all three brings health, wisdom and youth; the three spouts also recall the threefold Andean law: ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhella (do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy).

Gallery

  • Terrazas de cultivo en la ladera de la Isla del Sol frente al lago azul
  • Escalera del Inca en Yumani, con estatuas, jardines y la fuente de agua
  • Lancha roja navegando por el lago Titicaca frente a la isla
  • Vista panorámica de la bahía de Copacabana con el pueblo y las embarcaciones
  • Muelle de la isla con lanchas turísticas y terrazas de cultivo
  • Fachada del Hotel Paraíso, edificio de cuatro pisos pintado de blanco, azul y rojo, con estacionamiento al frente

Frequently asked questions

How does the altitude affect me?

Copacabana is at 3,841 m and the Island of the Sun rises above 3,900 m; the whole destination lies between 3,800 and 4,000 m. Walk slowly, stay hydrated, eat light, avoid alcohol the first nights and drink coca or muña tea. If you have heart or breathing problems, ask your doctor before travelling.

What should I bring?

Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a warm layer for the afternoon and night, comfortable shoes and cash in bolivianos for personal expenses and community fees on the islands. For the islands, a water bottle and a torch also help.

What documents do I need?

Bring your ID card or passport. The circuits do not cross the border, but there are checkpoints on the road.

Are the times fixed?

No. Times are for reference and may change with the weather, the state of the lake, traffic and boat departures; the guide will confirm any change during the trip.

What currency are prices in, and what is paid in bolivianos?

Circuit prices are in US dollars per person: USD 59 for the Full Day and USD 99 for the two-day, one-night programme. Community fees on the islands and at the sites are paid separately, in cash and in bolivianos (2025–2026 reference: Island of the Sun 5 to 20 Bs per sector or site; Island of the Moon 15 to 20 Bs). The communities set them and they may change.

How do I book?

Send a request from the circuit with your preferred date and party size. The operator confirms availability, the final price and how to pay; the request is not yet a confirmed booking.

Where do the circuits start?

Both programmes leave by bus from La Paz and return to La Paz at night. At the Strait of Tiquina passengers cross by boat while the bus crosses on a barge.

Are there ATMs and phone signal on the islands?

There are no ATMs on the islands: only cash is accepted, ideally in small notes. Copacabana has ATMs, banks and exchange offices. Signal is good in town and poor or absent on the islands.

When is the best time to travel?

The dry season, May to October, brings clear skies and a calm lake, though nights can drop below 0 °C. From November to March there are afternoon showers. During the feasts lodging sells out months in advance.

How do I visit the islands respectfully?

The sites and islands are run by Aymara communities: pay their fees willingly, ask before photographing people, do not climb walls or take stones or offerings, and carry your rubbish back.

From$59 USD

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