Copacabana & Isla del Sol day trip: Temple & Inca ruins

Boat across Lake Titicaca to walk among Inca stone and sacred water

A private full-day tour from La Paz to Copacabana and Isla del Sol includes a bilingual guide, lunch, transport and entry fees. You visit the Temple of Copacabana, then take a 1½-hour boat ride to Isla del Sol to walk the Inca steps, drink from the Inca's Fountain, and hike to the Temple of the Sun ruins overlooking the lake. The return to La Paz arrives around 10 p.m. Minimum age is 18; the hike to Pilcocaina is moderately strenuous with steep terrain.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Copacabana and Isla del Sol

• Visit the Temple of Copacabana
• Have lunch in Copacabana
• Boat trip to Isla del Sol
• Walk the steps of the Inca
• Drink from the Inca's Fountain
• Walk to Ruins of Pilcocaina
• Enjoy views of Lake Titikaka
• Return to Copacabana by boat
• Travel to La Paz city
• Arrive at La Paz bus station

The Experience

The day starts early from La Paz and runs 14 to 15 hours total, so you're committed to the full arc. Your private guide speaks English and Spanish and handles the logistics—transport, entry to both sites, and lunch—so you move between Copacabana and the lake without arranging it yourself. The Temple of Copacabana comes first, a colonial-era sanctuary on the shore where pilgrims have gathered for centuries.

After lunch, the boat carries you across Lake Titicaca for 1½ hours to Isla del Sol. The crossing itself is the point: you're on the water where the Inca believed the sun rose, and the scale of the lake and the altitude—you're at 12,500 feet—settle in as you cross. Once ashore, you walk the Inca steps that climb the island, stop at the Inca's Fountain (a natural spring the Inca channeled), and continue uphill to the Ruins of Pilcocaina, the Temple of the Sun. The walk is described as a little tiring, and the views of the lake and its islands spread below you as you climb.

The boat returns you to Copacabana, then the drive back to La Paz ends at the main bus station around 10 p.m. You'll have been moving most of the day—water, altitude, walking uphill—so this is not a leisurely pace. The payoff is that you see two major sites and cross the sacred lake in a single trip, which would take much longer to arrange on your own.

What’s included

• Private transportation from La Paz.
• bilingual guide in English or Spanish.
• lunch.
• boat transport across Lake Titicaca.
• entry fees to the Temple of Copacabana and Isla del Sol sites.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

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Is this one for you?The hike to Pilcocaina climbs steeply at altitude and takes sustained effort, so this tour suits travelers with moderate fitness who are ready for an active day rather than a relaxed one. The 14-hour commitment and evening return mean you'll spend most of the day in motion—water, walking, altitude—which is what makes the two major sites and the lake crossing fit into one trip.

Top questions

What is the Temple of Copacabana and why do people visit it?

The Temple of Copacabana is a colonial-era sanctuary on the shore of Lake Titicaca that has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. It's the first stop on the tour and marks the beginning of the day before you head out to Isla del Sol.

How long is the boat ride to Isla del Sol and what happens once we get there?

The boat ride takes 1½ hours across Lake Titicaca. Once you arrive, you walk the Inca steps, visit the Inca's Fountain (a natural spring the Inca engineered), and hike to the Ruins of Pilcocaina, the Temple of the Sun, which overlooks the lake and its islands.

What's included in the price of this tour?

The tour includes private transportation from La Paz, a bilingual guide in English or Spanish, lunch, boat transport across Lake Titicaca, and entry fees to both Copacabana and Isla del Sol.

What time do we return to La Paz?

The tour arrives back at the main bus station in La Paz around 10 p.m., making this a full-day commitment of 14 to 15 hours from start to finish.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The hike to the Temple of the Sun ruins on Isla del Sol is described as a little tiring and involves walking uphill at high altitude (12,500 feet). You should have at least moderate physical fitness. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, cardiovascular concerns, or pregnancy.