A trip to Isla del Sol is an absolute must for anyone visiting Bolivia. This beautiful island lies in the waters on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca, and is home to Inca ruins, local villages and spectacular views.
I’ve already shared a guide on visiting Isla del Sol, so if you’ve found this page, you’re likely looking at hiking on the island. Good choice! With no roads or motorised vehicles, hiking on Isla del Sol is the perfect way to explore the island and get a feel for local life.
There are a couple of short hikes on Isla del Sol, but I recommend doing the full island hike, which is what I’ve spoken about below. This 11-mile (18 km) hike takes you clockwise around the island, partly following a traditional Inca path and stone walls to Chincana, the island’s most famous Inca ruins. From here, you walk back along beaches and through local villages.
Isla del Sol is very important in Inca mythology, and this hike is a great way to get a feel for the island and its spiritual side. It’s certainly one of the best things to do on your trip to Bolivia.
A recap of the hike
This post assumes you are staying in Yumani. If you happen to be starting in Challapampa, you have the option to hike clockwise or anti-clockwise. Anti-clockwise will get you to the Chincana ruins quickly, but you then have a long hike ahead of you. With this in mind, I’d suggest going clockwise.
Section 1: Along to Chincana
The first section of the hike was one of my favourites. The path takes you out of Yumani along a ridge towards the island’s north end. You’ll pass through small villages, a forest and walk along a traditional Inca path.
To begin the hike from Yumani, walk up to the top of the Inca Steps. You should see signs for Camino Al Norte, which is the path you want to take. If you’re following Google, walk towards Palla Khasa Ecolodge and continue past on the same path.
As the guest houses and hotels start to disappear, you should see epic views of the beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Titicaca and a tease of the scenery to come.
You’ll soon come to a fork in the path, and you can go left or right. I recommend sticking to the left and returning via the path on the right. This makes it a clockwise route and offers the best views (although it does require some steep uphill walking).
The path and steps continue past several Inca ruins and through a small forest. This is where I was confronted by a woman asking me for money and insisting it was an entry fee to the area. My accommodation had warned me of this, so when I refused, she started begging for money to look after her family. She started to follow me, and as I was by myself, I gave her a small amount of money. I don’t necessarily advise this as it encourages this behaviour, but I didn’t feel comfortable walking away.
If you continue following the path, you’ll eventually see the Chincana Inca site in the distance, and you can begin your descent. It took me about two hours to reach the ruins from Yumani. It’s very up and down with a few steep sections and some steep steps.
The Chincana Ruins
You’ll need to pay 10 Bs to enter Chincana, a beautiful Inca labyrinth of Inca ruins. A few locals were also selling drinks here, so it’s a good place to stock up.
Entering the Chincana Ruins is entirely optional, but I would recommend it. While it might not be as impressive as Machu Picchu, it’s an interesting area to explore. Just beyond the ruins, you can climb a very steep hill with incredible panoramic views. It’s quite slippery but worth it if you have the energy.
I spent about 40 minutes at the ruins, including hiking up the hill.
Down to Challapampa
The next section of the hike is the easiest one, as you meander down to the town of Challapampa. This is the other big village on Isla del Sol and is home to several guesthouses and restaurants. It took me about an hour to get to the village from the ruins (and it’s mostly downhill).
There’s not a whole lot to do in the town itself, but it’s nice to have a walk along the beach and grab some lunch. I ate lunch at Restaurante Challapampa; it was quick, tasty, and cheap.
This will be the last opportunity to buy water or food on the hike, so grab any last-minute supplies.
Back to Yumani
The hike back to Yumani takes two or three hours. It’s completely different from the hike so far, as it takes you along cliff edges, through local villages, and up a very steep staircase.
The first hour or so is spent walking along the cliff edges on a dirt path and scrambling over some rocks. You’ll soon walk down into a local village and along a white-sand beach. This was one of my favourite parts of the hike. It was so interesting to see a local village without any tourists and get an insight into local life.
After walking along the beach, the hard work begins again. To get back up to Yumani, you’ll need to climb a long, steep staircase. The steps felt neverending, but it was reassuring to see locals also struggling. I suggest keeping an eye on your maps here, as it’s easy to get a bit lost in the village.
After leaving the village behind, the path continues uphill and you soon meet the original path (where you turned left at the start). From here, it’s about a thirty-minute walk back to Yumani.
I suggest stopping at one of the restaurants to grab a beer and make the most of the views – you’ve earned it!
In total, the hike took me about six hours (plus a stop for lunch).
Tips for hiking on Isla del Sol
- Take cash: Cash is often the only form of payment on Isla del Sol. You’ll need money to pay for entry to Chincana and to buy any water or food you need.
- Make sure you have enough time: There are only a few boats between Copacabana and Isla del Sol. As this hike takes around 5 or 6 hours, I think you’ll struggle to do this in one day without staying at least one night on the island (ideally, plan two).
- Have sun protection: The hike around the island is very exposed, with little protection from the sun. As you’re almost 4,000 metres above sea level, the sun is much more powerful. With this in mind, make sure to wear sun protection and carry some extra with you.
- Carry enough water: The hike takes most people about six or seven hours, including stops to explore Chincana and grab lunch. You’ll be able to top up your water at the ruins and in Challapampa, but make sure you carry enough for the first two or three hours.
- You can take a boat: If hiking the full length of the island and back again seems too much, you can take a boat between Yumani and Challapampa. I think it makes more sense to take the boat first and walk back, this way, you won’t need to worry about getting back in time for the boat.
- Local conflict: There was a recent feud between the north and south of the island, and tourists were not allowed to pass between the two. Thankfully, this has now been resolved (although some articles online still say it’s impossible to do the hike).
- Locals asking for money: As I mentioned in the recap above, a local woman approached me and begged for money. When I said no, she kept following me. In the end, I gave her money to encourage her to stop. I’m not sure this was the right thing to do, but in the moment, it felt like the most sensible option.
- Safety: Aside from being approached by the woman, I felt safe hiking alone. I regularly saw other people and the locals in the villages were always very friendly. As with most places in Bolivia, the main safety concern is the dogs. They seemed to be a bit calmer on Isla del Sol, but it’s still something to be aware of.
- Stay for two nights: If you plan to do the hike, I suggest spending two nights on Isla del Sol. This means you’ll have a full day dedicated to the hike, and don’t need to worry about rushing back for the last boat.
- Offline maps: Mobile coverage isn’t always available on the hike, so I’d suggest downloading the map offline using AllTrails.
My thoughts on the hike
The Isla del Sol hike was why I spent two nights on the island. My initial plan was to spend one night there, but a friend I had met in Bolivia had just done the trip and told me I should stay for two. After changing my plans, it’s fair to say I had some high expectations for the hike. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint.
It’s a wonderful hike. It reminds me of hiking in Spain or somewhere like Menorca. While the island is on a lake rather than the ocean, the hike still gives off coastal vibes.
I can’t say the hike was life-changing, but it was one of my favourite things I did in Bolivia. I loved the diversity of the hike, exploring the Inca ruins and getting a taste of local life. The views are also exceptional, especially as you walk from the south to the north.
If you love hiking and want to explore Isla del Sol as much as possible, this hike is an absolute must.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy your hike on Isla del Sol. Remember to check out my full guide to visiting Isla del Sol.
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