Ultimate Isla del Sol (Bolivia) Travel Guide: Best Sights, Accommodation & Food 2026

Bolivia’s landscapes are spellbinding and Isla del Sol is no exception. Sat in the middle of the highest lake in the world, this island is packed with Incan myth, legend and uniquely beautiful sunsets you’ll never forget.

If that sounds pretty irresistible to you too, then this is the blog for you. Having spent the night on Isla del Sol twice I’m sharing all my tried and tested advice for the perfect trip to this mystical island including the must-see spots, best accommodation and tastiest restaurants.

Use the options below to jump to the sections you’re most interested in or read from the top for all the details.

1. Where is Isla del Sol?
2. Is Isla del Sol worth visiting?
3. When to visit & how long to stay
4. How to get there
5. Best things to do on Isla del Sol
6. Best places to stay
7. Best places to eat & drink
8. What to pack for your trip
9. How much a trip to Isla del Sol costs

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Isla del Sol at a glance:

• Best day trip to the island: Bolivia Hop
• My favourite candle-lit restaurant: Las Velas
• My favourite place to stay: Jacha Inti

Where is Isla del Sol?

Before we get into the detail, you might be wondering exactly where Isla del Sol is. As you can see from the map below – the tiny island is sat in the middle of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, the highest navigable body of crystal clear water in the world. Lake Titicaca is 3,812m above sea level and the island has a dizzy altitude of 3,976m. So you really are on top of the world here (or South America at least)!

Lake Titicaca is split between Peru and Bolivia but Isla del Sol is on the Bolivian side so you won’t need to cross any borders to get there if you’re coming from La Paz or other Bolivian cities. But more on that next!

The island itself is mostly steep and rocky and as a result there are no paved roads or cars on the island – the 800 families who live there mostly move things by foot, cart or horses and donkeys. Meaning it’s probably one of the most peaceful places you’ll ever travel!

Is Isla del Sol worth visiting?

In one word – yes! Isla del Sol (and Lake Titicaca) is one of the most unique places you’ll ever visit. While you don’t need long to explore this small island, you’ll treasure the memories you make. Here’s why…

Incredible natural beauty

Firstly, a small rocky island might not sound that beautiful but trust me, the sunsets here are like nothing else. Think 360 degree unobstructed views across the lake and pink and orange candy skies. That coupled with crystal clear blue water, white sand beaches and sweeping views across the rest of the island make for some pretty special sights.

History & spirituality

For such a small place, Isla del Sol also has a lot of history and strong meaning for the local population. The Incas believed that the sun god, Inti was born on the island and the moon god on neighbouring Isla de la Luna. There are over 80 ruins on the island that link to this Incan belief and others from different time periods as far back as 2200 BC. So it really is a special place with lots of incredible legends, stories and beliefs.

Escape the crowds

Lastly, like much of Bolivia I generally found the numbers of tourists to be lower. Especially compared with neighbours like Chile and Peru – expect to see fewer crowds and even less who make the crossing to Isla del Sol. Which is perhaps another reason this island is so peaceful and beautifully quiet with just the sounds of donkeys braying and local Bolivian women chatting in the sunshine.

More Bolivia travel guides:

• Ultimate itinerary for 3 days in La Paz, Bolivia
• 8 of the best coffee shops in La Paz, Bolivia

When to visit & how long to stay

As I’ve mentioned, as this is such a small island, you really don’t need long to get a feel for it. You can visit Isla del Sol on a day trip from La Paz (find my recommended GetYourGuide day tour here) for a couple of hours exploring, or to really soak up the magic, spend the night there. I personally would recommend spending one night on the island as once the boats leave for the day, you’ll find even fewer tourists spend the night and it’s a much more authentic experience. Plus, you can settle in to watch sunset with a beer and tasty pizza (more on that later!).

So, all you need to decide now, is when to go. As you can see from the table below – the average high and low temperatures don’t really fluctuate much throughout the year. You can generally expect mild days and cold nights. The thing that does change is the rain – for this reason the best time to visit is between May and October as this is the dry season. Outside of this you’ll see up to half of the month is rainy which doesn’t make for good exploring.

Month	Average High	Average Low	Average No. Days of Rain
January	14°C	4°C	15
February	14°C	4°C	13
March	14°C	4°C	11
April	14°C	4°C	6
May	14°C	3°C	2
June	13°C	2°C	2
July	13°C	2°C	1
August	13°C	3°C	3
September	14°C	3°C	4
October	15°C	4°C	6
November	15°C	4°C	7
December	15°C	4°C	12

How to get there

Now you know when you’re planning to visit and how long to stay, let’s look at how to get there. The boats to Isla del Sol all leave from Copacabana in Bolivia and take around 1.5 to 2 hours to get to the south side of the island where most of the accommodation and restaurants are. This is called Yumani port.

You can buy tickets in Copacabana for the boat which is usually about 30 Bolivianos (£3.50). They depart twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon – it’s best to ask at the port for the latest departure times as they can change a little with weather conditions. You’ll then be able to book your return trip back from Isla del Sol too, either coming back on the same day afternoon service or the next day depending on whether you spend the night on the island.

To get to Copacabana to pick up the boat, whether you’re coming from Puno, other parts of Peru, La Paz or other parts of Bolivia, you’ll need to take a bus. For this you have two choices – taking a public bus or private hop-on-hop-off bus. Of course the public buses are cheaper but they are likely to take longer as they have to make more stops outside of the main tourist spots, the quality can vary a lot more and you’ll need to find the right bus stations to travel from.

For ease, I’d recommend choosing a private bus service like Bolivia Hop and/or Peru Hop. They’re both part of the same company, they just switch over on the border outside Puno. This is how I travelled across Bolivia and Peru and the service was fantastic. While I love authentic travel experiences like spending the night on Isla del Sol, I don’t like making travel harder than it has to be by hunting down local buses and lugging my bags further than needed. So to maximise your exploration time and take the stress, hassle and honestly some of the danger out of travel in this area, I’d go with the experts.

Plus, your boat trip to Isla del Sol is included in the cost of your ticket if you’re making the stop at Copacabana and they organise the boat for you so it’s ready to sail when you arrive. Not to mention, the seats on the bus are super comfortable, the local guides are incredibly helpful and you’ll meet other travellers along the way.

Bus prices

Bolivia Hop day trip from La Paz to Isla del Sol and back (including boat) = $39

Bolivia Hop trip from La Paz to Puno, Peru via Isla del Sol (including boat) = $30 (you could then pick up Peru Hop to travel on to Cusco or Lima)

Best things to do on Isla del Sol

Now let’s look at how you’ll spend your time on the island. There are a few main sights I’d recommend definitely seeing and then a few extra bonus spots if you have the time.

Climb the Inca stairs

Firstly, almost a rite of passage when you arrive on the island is climbing the famous Inca stairs. The reconstructed path takes you from Yumani dock where the boat arrives (and where you’ll pay your 10 Bolivianos entry – about £1.20) up into the centre of the island where lots of the accommodation and restaurants are. There are statues of the Incan version of Adam and Eve at the start and stop to admire the Incan spring, said to be the fountain of youth at the top.

Just be warned, the stairs are steeper than they look! They gain 200m elevation in under 1km so take it easy as you’ll be feeling the effects of that altitude.

Hike across the island for incredible views

After that, the best way to see the island is hiking. There’s a trail that runs over the spine of the island from the Chincana ruins in the north to Yumani in the south (or back the other way) called the Willa Thaki (Sacred Route of the Enternal Sun) which will give you incredible panoramic views of the island.

Or, you can take the path that runs closer along the east coast via the village of Cha’llapampa for better beach views and slightly lower altitude. Either route will take you about three hours each way so it’s best to take a boat up to the north to start and walk back towards Yumani. If you’d rather take on a shorter walk, there are plenty of trails you can follow – or even start the Willa Thaki path and just turn around when you’re ready. The views are stunning regardless of the distance you travel.

Just be prepared to pay a small fee at the checkpoint between north and south of the island.

Explore the historic ruins

As I mentioned above, for such a small island there are a lot of ruins and historic sites to explore, you’ll just need to pay a small fee to access most of them. Here are some of the top spots…

Rock of the Puma: this rock formation also known as Tiki Kharka is said to be where the sun was born after the Incas saw it emerge from behind the puma-shaped crag. It became a place of worth where offerings including gold, silver, beer and more were made. This is also where Lake Titicaca got its name.

Chincana Labyrinth: this is one of the island’s most impressive ruins in the north meaning ‘where one gets lost’. It marks the place the first Incan man and women were supposedly born and the building was used as housing for the women who protected the monument. It features a maze of stone walls, rooms and little passages as well as a small well delivering drinking water the Incas believed would bring good health. From here you can also enjoy sweeping views of the bay.

Mesa Ceremonica: this Incan ceremonial table was carved from stone and used to make animal and human sacrifices to the gods. Today, it’s often still used for religious rituals or displaying handicrafts but thankfully no sacrifice!

Pillkukayna: in the south of the island, you’ll find the incredibly well preserved two story temple built into the side of the cliff. You can still see and explore some of the passageways in the building which is pretty special.

Relax on the beach

There are stretches of sand all along the coast of the island but some of the best beaches are closer to the north as it’s more sheltered it gets a little warmer, the perfect sun trap.

While you can swim in the lake, be aware it is very cold and there is some pollution so bear this in mind before you take the plunge.

Go stargazing

Once the sun sets, as there’s so little light pollution you can see an incredible amount of stars. So don’t forget to head out and take a look during your overnight stay!

Visit Isla de la Luna

If you have the time, you can also visit the neighbouring island – Isla de la Luna. This is an even smaller island (just 1km square) with around 20 families and some historical sights including the Temple of the Virgins which served as a kind of monastery in the Incan empire.

There are two hostels on the island (you can find them here) so if you want to spend a night on there too, you can. To get there, you have two main options. You can choose a boat to Isla del Sol that stops over for an hour on Isla de la Luna, or take a boat directly from Isla del Sol. To get a boat directly from Isla del Sol, you’ll need to check on the island when the next boat goes or charter your own. Just don’t forget the small entrance fee to this island too – 10 Bolivianos which is about £1.20.

There’s a great blog with more information on Isla de la Luna here.

Best places to stay

For such a small island, there are actually lots of hostels and guest houses to choose from. My top advice would just be to consider how far from Yumani port (where your boat will arrive) the accommodation is. From the port the terrain gets very steep very quickly and at altitude just breathing is hard, let alone carrying your luggage so I’d recommend staying as close to the port as you can to give yourself the chance to acclimatise!

With that said, these are my top picks of the best accommodation on the island for different budgets…

Budget: Hostel Palacio del Inca (from £17 per night)

This is a really well established fresh and clean hostel offering fantastic value single bed rooms which include breakfast! Plus, it’s pretty close to the port, easy to get to and if you’re travelling solo, you’ve got good opportunities to meet people here.

Mid-range: Jacha Inti (from £23 per night)

Just above Yumani port is the lovely, cosy and friendly Jacha Inti. This is where I stayed while visiting the island and the owner was so friendly, kind and welcoming. She brought us cups of English Breakfast tea when we arrived which for a Brit is basically all you’re longing for the whole time you’re travelling 😂

The room was super clean, there’s a fantastic terrace that has views of the mountains and you can order coffee to drink and soak up the view. The breakfast was also perfect – tasty and fresh selection of eggs, breads, jams and ham served in the adjoining little dining area.

Luxury: Inti Illimani Lodge (from £67 per night)

Choose from four or five person rooms at this super spacious lodge with incredible panoramic windows. You get almost 180 degree views across Lake Titicaca which makes for beautiful sunrises and stargazing at night. Just be prepared to walk a little to get there!

Best places to eat & drink

As the island is pretty small, there’s not a massive range of restaurants but definitely enough choice to find the perfect spot for you. It’s also worth noting all of these restaurants are essentially along the same path so you could easily go for a wander to have a look at each of them before deciding where you want to go. Here are my top picks…

Las Velas $

If you can only pick one restaurant for dinner, make it Las Velas – literally called ‘the candles’. As there’s no electricity in the restaurant, their delicious vegetarian pizza and pasta dishes are cooked in traditional fire fed ovens and as the sun sets, the tables are lit with candles.

And the food is only half of the appeal, the other is THE VIEW. Seriously, this is one of the best dinner views I’ve ever seen! The sun sets directly in front of the restaurant casting golden light across the bay and rest of the island. Plus, there’s often some donkeys roaming around that add to how lovely this experience was as you can see above.

Just be sure to bring a torch to find your way back in the dark – the restaurant is perched on the top of the hill in a little clearing in some woodlands.

Waliki Lodge $

This restaurant is attached to the Waliki Lodge accommodation where they serve a tasty three course meal of soup, fresh caught trout and then ice cream for dessert. The owners are super friendly and it’s a comfortable spot that’s excellent value.

Pachamama $

Pachamama has a fantastic terrace and indoor dining area with views of the other side of the island. They also offer a set three course meal for lunch and dinner which is great value.

Restaurante Uñtasiwi $

Another great option that serves pizza as well as traditional trout dishes and soup is Uñtasiwi which is just slightly further along the path from Pachamama. Again, they have fantastic views of sunset and outdoor seating options to soak it up.

What to pack for your trip

On the whole, as you’ll only be here a short time, I’d recommend travelling as light as you can. It will make exploring at altitude and getting to your accommodation a whole lot easier! But here are some essentials I wouldn’t travel to Isla del Sol without…

Sun cream, sunglasses & sun hat: The island is often sunny and even when it’s not, as you’re much higher up the UV rays are stronger here so make sure you slap on the SPF and keep your head protected. Without proper sun protection you will get burned pretty quickly!

Jacket & layers: As the island is so exposed (and high up – did I mention that yet! 😂), it does get chilly – especially in the evenings. So pack lots of light layers and a decent jacket so you can wrap up when the sun sets or the wind picks up.

Altitude sickness remedies or medicine (Diamox): Now I’m sure you’ve got the gist by now but the altitude genuinely does make it hard to breathe. There’s less oxygen in the air which can make walking and just existing a bit more tricky. It’s nothing to be scared of but just something to prepare for to avoid any altitude sickness. One way to do that is by drinking a lot of water – hydration is key which we’ll come onto next. You can also chew cocoa leaves or drink them in a tea which is a local remedy that’s supposed to help. For me, I took altitude sickness medication to help my body out. I bought Diamox from my local travel clinic at home ready for the trip. Of course just check with a medical professional before taking anything (Disclaimer – I am in no way a medical professional and this is not medical advice).

Water: As I mentioned, you want to drink a good amount of water while at altitude as you’ll dehydrate quicker. So bring some with you and then top up with bottles from local shops and stalls on the island.

Snacks: While there are small shops and stalls on the island, the range of products they stock is more limited compared to La Paz or other cities so if there are particular snacks you like, bring them with you. Plus, they tend to be a little more expensive on the island as they have to be shipped over.

Cash! Lastly, don’t forget some change to pay for your entry onto the island and access to certain other parts. This helps with development and support of the local community so make your trip seamless with a little cash to hand.

How much a trip to Isla del Sol costs

Like the rest of the country, Isla del Sol is a much more affordable place to travel. You can generally find great quality accommodation, food and experiences for fantastic value and a trip to Isla del Sol is no different. One night on the island including accommodation, food and small entry fees could cost as little as £25-£30 for one person. Just add on your chosen transport costs for your full budget.

There we have it – that’s my complete tried and tested guide to exploring the mystical Isla del Sol. I hope you enjoy your trip here as much as I did! It’s such a unique and beautiful place – I’d love to hear your favourite parts or tips for future visits, please let me know in the comments. Happy travelling!

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