Copacabana & Isla del Sol day trip: Boat to Sun Temple
Raft across the Tiquina crossing, then boat to an island of Inca legend
This full-day guided tour departs La Paz at 7:00 am and reaches Copacabana by mid-morning, then continues by boat to Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca. You walk the Pilkokaina sun temple and the Yumani coast, return to Copacabana for a free hour, and arrive back in La Paz around 10:30 pm. A bilingual guide travels with the group; hotel pickup and drop-off, the boat ride to the island, and a stop at the Tiquina Mirador viewpoint are included. Entry to Isla del Sol costs 20 Bolivianos, paid on arrival.
16h
Step-by-step itinerary
Full day tour to Copacabana and Isla del Sol
- Depart La Paz at 7:00 am
- Arrive Tiquina Mirador viewpoint
- Cross Tiquina by ferry
- Arrive Copacabana at 11:30 am
- Free time for lunch in Copacabana
- Board boat to Isla del Sol at 12:30 pm
- Arrive Yumani on Isla del Sol at 1:40 pm
- Walk around Pilkokaina temple and Yumani coast
- Boat back to Copacabana at 3:20 pm
- Free time in Copacabana for snacks
- Depart Copacabana at 5:45 pm
- Cross Tiquina at 7:00 pm
- Arrive La Paz around 10:30 pm
The Experience
The day starts with a 7:00 am pickup from your hotel in La Paz. The bus climbs toward the Altiplano, and around 9:45 am you reach the Tiquina Mirador, a viewpoint where the road ends and the lake crossing begins. Here you board a ferry to cross the Tiquina strait — a short, practical moment that marks the shift from the highlands to the lakeside. By 11:30 am you arrive in Copacabana, a small colonial town on the shore, and have time to walk around and buy lunch before the afternoon boat departs.
At 12:30 pm you board the boat to Isla del Sol, arriving around 1:40 pm at Yumani on the island's south end. For the next hour and forty minutes, you walk the Pilkokaina sun temple — an Inca ruin on the hillside — and explore the rocky coast where the island meets the water. The guide explains the history and significance of the site as you move through it. At 3:20 pm the boat returns you to Copacabana, and you have roughly an hour to buy snacks or wander the market before the bus departs at 5:45 pm. The return journey crosses the Tiquina again and arrives in La Paz around 10:30 pm.
The tour runs as a group with a bilingual guide who speaks English and Spanish, so you can follow the commentary in whichever language suits you. The bus is large and comfortable; hotel pickup and drop-off within the La Paz area are included, as is the roundtrip boat to Isla del Sol. You'll need to bring or buy lunch in Copacabana, and the island entry fee of 20 Bolivianos is paid when you arrive.
What’s included
- Hotel or hostel pickup and drop-off within La Paz.
- roundtrip boat transport to and from Isla del Sol.
- bilingual guide for the full day.
- stop at the Tiquina Mirador viewpoint.
- large comfortable bus for the journey.
Operated by Bolivia Hop
Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and Spanish, so you can follow the commentary in whichever language is comfortable — the group stays small enough that questions are easy to ask. The 16-hour day means an early start and a late return, which is what fits all three main stops (the viewpoint, Copacabana town, and the island ruins) into a single departure from La Paz.
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Top questions
What is the Pilkokaina sun temple on Isla del Sol?
Pilkokaina is an Inca ruin on the hillside at Yumani, the south end of Isla del Sol. You walk around the temple and the rocky coast during the afternoon portion of the tour, with the guide explaining its history and importance to the Inca civilization.
How long do I spend on Isla del Sol?
You're on the island for one hour and forty minutes, from around 1:40 pm to 3:20 pm. That time includes walking the Pilkokaina sun temple and the coast at Yumani before the boat returns you to Copacabana.
What happens at the Tiquina crossing?
The Tiquina crossing is where the road ends and Lake Titicaca begins. You board a ferry to cross the strait — a short ride that's part of the journey from La Paz to Copacabana. The Tiquina Mirador viewpoint is a stop on the way, offering views of the lake and the crossing.
Do I need to arrange my own lunch?
Yes, lunch is not included. You have free time in Copacabana from around 11:30 am until 12:30 pm to buy and eat a meal before the boat departs for Isla del Sol. Local restaurants and market stalls are available in town.
What language does the guide speak?
The guide is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish throughout the tour, so you can follow the commentary in whichever language you prefer.
When does the tour return to La Paz?
The bus departs Copacabana at 5:45 pm and arrives back in La Paz around 10:30 pm, including the ferry crossing at Tiquina on the return journey.
Copacabana & Isla del Sol day trip: Boat to Sun Temple
16h · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 59 per person
★★★★★★★★★★4.79811 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider
