8 Best Sights in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

The largest of Lake Titicaca's islands, Isla del Sol is the best place to visit and stay on the lake. The views of the Cordillera Real mountains are amazing, especially at dawn and dusk, and the island has beautiful white sandy beaches and an extraordinary terraced landscape. Ruins include the Inca palace of Pilkokaina and a strange rock formation said to be the birthplace of the sun and moon. Before you set off, check on the situation involving the excellent Inca trail across the island—disagreements between the island's northern and central communities has blocked free crossing as of late. In the past, some travelers would take a boat to the northern community of Challa Pampa and then hike three to four hours to the southern community of Yumani, where most accommodations (and the main "village") can be found. Although rewarding, the island trail lacks shade and few spots sell water along the way. If your goal is to just laze around and soak up the cosmic energy, then be sure to disembark at the southern boat port of Yumani or at Pilkokaina, where most boats make a pit stop on the way, unless you are staying at one of the few hotels on the north side. One of the best beaches on Isla del Sol is located on the north end, directly behind the museum. Regardless of your destination, plan on hiking at least 30 minutes uphill from the boat port. Nearly every property is staggered high on the slope, which means that both altitude and fitness should be taken into consideration. If you stay at Crillón Tours' Posada, they will take you to the pier where the walk is a bit longer but avoids the challenging, steep steps up from the Yumani harbor.

This company normally organizes jungle trips, and they are very good at it, but they can also take you up most of Bolivia's best known peaks, like the accessible Huayna Potosí, the challenging Illimano, or Little Alpamayo, a great choice for less experienced ice climbers.

Part of the Inca Utama Hotel & Spa is this small but charming museum and exhibition on the culture and history of the region. Replicas of mud houses that many of the Chipaya people of the surrounding altiplano still live in are outside the museum, along with some disgruntled and very shaggy llamas. Probably the most interesting things are the replicas of the tortora (reed) boats used by explorer Thor Heyerdahl for his expeditions across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The real ones were built just down the coast. The Limachi brothers who built these, and who served in the crew for some of these epic journeys, are often here and happy to talk to you for the price of a postcard. The replicas themselves are not only technically impressive but also rather beautiful.

Marking the highest point of Copacabana are the Stations of the Cross, built in the 1950s for the thousands of pilgrims who summit the hill for prayer and penance on Good Friday. For many tourists, these stone monuments serve as the ideal spot to admire the city and watch the sunset.

If you can climb it or hike it anwhere in South America, odds are that these guys can get you there. Near Sorata, they offer a climb that takes you to the top of imposing Illimani in five days.

The town's breathtaking Moorish-style cathedral, built between 1610 and 1619 and formerly known as the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana, is where you'll find the striking sculpture of the Virgin of Copacabana. There was no choice but to build the church, because the statue, carved by Francisco Yupanqui in 1592, was already drawing pilgrims in search of miracles. If you see decorated cars lined up in front of the cathedral, the owners are waiting to have them blessed for safe travel. Walk around to a side door on the left and light a candle for those you wish to remember, then admire the gaudy glitter and wealth of the church interior itself. Throngs of young Paceños do the three-day walk to Copacabana from La Paz to pay homage to the statue with a candlelight procession on Good Friday. You can combine your visit with the semiscramble up past Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) on the point above the town. If the climb doesn't knock you out, the view will.

Dating from the 14th century BC, this structure in the southeast part of the city was originally built by the pre-Inca Chiripa culture as an astronomical observatory. Four of the seven horizontal rock slabs were later destroyed by the Spanish who believed gold was hidden inside. The remains of the ruins show signs of vandalism, yet still warrant a visit for those wanting to blend culture and exercise. The slope is steep and rather challenging, but the view of Lake Titicaca will help alleviate the pain.

En route to Isla del Sol, boats sometimes stop at Isla de la Luna, where the ruins of Iñacuy date back to the Inca conquest. You'll find an ancient convent called Ajlla Wasi (House of the Chosen Women). Stone steps lead up to the unrestored ruins of the convent.