Isla de la Luna
Copacabana, Bolivia
Low-lying scrub and livestock cover most of the hillside of Isla de la Luna, a small island on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. Two small settlements and the remains of an Incan site are all that break up the island’s sparse Andean landscape, but they’re enough to lure some visitors from nearby Copacabana and Isla del Sol.
The basics
Isla del Sol draws most of the attention from tourists looking to explore Lake Titicaca from Copacabana, but travelers can make a stop at Isla de la Luna on the way there.
Most boats and tours only wait an hour at Isla de la Luna before continuing on to Isla del Sol, but there are a few guesthouses on Isla de la Luna if you don’t mind waiting a day for the next public boat or hiring a private boat. Fortunately, an hour on the island is usually long enough to hike up the hill to Iñaq Uyu, referred to as the Temple of Virgins, once an Incan convent for young women.
Things to know before you go
- Visitors to the island will need to pay an entrance fee.
- Facilities on Isla de la Luna are very basic.
- Restrooms on the island all charge a fee.
How to get there
Reaching Isla de la Luna on Lake Titicaca, just off the Yampupata Peninsula, is only possible by boat either from Copacabana or from Yumani on Isla del Sol. From Copacabana, the public boat and tours stop there on the way to Isla del Sol. The boat that leaves each morning from Copacabana to Isla de la Luna takes roughly two hours, while a boat ride from Isla del Sol takes around one hour.
When to get there
You won’t have much choice when you visit Isla de la Luna if you come by public boat—they leave on a fixed schedule from Copacabana in the morning and stop at the island around midday. April to October is the most popular time to visit this part of Bolivia, but expect freezing temperatures overnight and in the morning, especially in a place as exposed to the elements as Isla de la Luna.
Museo de Pariti
Travelers seeking attractions on Lake Titicaca should add the Museo de Parit to their itinerary. This out-of-the-way archaeological museum sits on an island between Copacabana and La Paz and displays artifacts from the Chiripa and Tiwanaku cultures native to the shores of Lake Titicaca.
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