Departs every day between 06:30 and 07:00, with pickup at your accommodation if it is in central La Paz.
The Lake Titicaca tour leaves La Paz for Copacabana, about 4 hours by road, with a stop at Tiquina to cross the strait. From Copacabana you sail to Isla del Sol, where you take a guided walk of about 50 min through the south of the island (Yumani). There are three formats: a full day for USD 66, or two days and one night, in Copacabana or on Isla del Sol, for USD 80. It includes pickup, transport, a bilingual assistant guide and the island tour. Meals, lodging and the island entrance fee (Bs 20) are not included.
Highlights
- Crossing the Tiquina strait. A narrow of the lake you cross on the way to Copacabana.
- Copacabana. Its church, the local market and the Calvario hill, with sunset views.
- Isla del Sol. A guided walk through Yumani, with the Pilkokaina ruins, the Fountain of Youth and Yumani port.
- A night your way. In Copacabana or on Isla del Sol, whichever you prefer.
Choose your format
From 06:30 to 22:30. It is about 8 hours on the road round trip, so it is a long day. It is the cheapest way to see the lake.
Free afternoon in Copacabana on the first day and a free morning on the second. At midday you sail to Isla del Sol and return to La Paz that night.
You reach the island on the first day and sleep there. The next morning is free to explore; in the afternoon you return to Copacabana and La Paz.
Prices per person, in US dollars. Lodging and meals are not included: book your lodging at least one day ahead. If you need recommendations, write to us.
What does the itinerary look like?
- 06:30 · Departure from La PazAbout 4 hours to Copacabana, with a stop at Tiquina.
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The stop is for buying snacks, using the restrooms and crossing the strait. You reach Copacabana around 11:00.
- CopacabanaFree time for the church, the market and lunch.
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If you are staying the night in Copacabana, the guide helps you get to your lodging. For the afternoon, a good option is to climb the Calvario and watch the sunset.
- 12:30 · Boat to Isla del SolAn hour and a half of sailing.
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You land in the south of the island and take a guided walk of about 50 min through Yumani: the Pilkokaina ruins, the Fountain of Youth and Yumani port. On the one-day format the visit ends there and you go back to Copacabana.
- Two-day formats: the night and the free morningIn Copacabana or on Isla del Sol.
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With a night on the island, the next morning is yours. If you want to walk more, you can take a public boat to the north of the island (about 30 min), visit La Chincana and walk back south in about 3 hours. With a night in Copacabana, the free morning works, for example, for a public boat to the floating islands and a plate of fried trout (about 2 hr 30 in total).
- 15:30 · Return to Copacabana and La PazBoat from Yumani; the bus leaves Copacabana around 18:00.
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You reach Copacabana around 17:00 and have an hour free for dinner or souvenirs. On the way back there is a stop for snacks and restrooms. You are in La Paz around 22:00 and we drop you at your lodging if it is in the center.
What is included in this tour?
Included
- Pickup at hotel or hostel (central La Paz)
- Tourist transport
- Bilingual assistant guide
- Isla del Sol tour
Not included
- Meals
- Isla del Sol entrance fee: Bs 20
- Lodging in Copacabana or on Isla del Sol (two-day formats)
- Tips
- Travel insurance
What do you need to know before booking?
Altitude and walking
Copacabana is at about 3,810 m, similar to La Paz. The walk on Isla del Sol takes about 50 min and is low difficulty, but there are steps and slopes: bring comfortable shoes, a cap and warm clothes.
Acclimatization
We recommend at least 24 hours in La Paz beforehand. More in our guide to altitude sickness.
Altitude and health
This tour reaches about 3,810 m. It is not recommended in case of pregnancy, heart or respiratory disease, uncontrolled hypertension or significant vertigo. We advise you to stay well hydrated, avoid alcohol on the first day and check with your doctor before booking. If symptoms of altitude sickness appear, the guide may decide to descend, for your safety.
Before you book: payment, cancellation and the unexpected
Payment and booking
When you book, you pay 30% of the total: 15% as a booking payment (arras, non-refundable) and 15% as a deposit. Then a second deposit of 20% 30 days before departure and the remaining 50% 7 days before departure. If you book 15 days or less before departure, you pay 100% of the total when you book and it is non-refundable. If a payment does not arrive by its due date, the booking is cancelled automatically. You can pay in foreign currency with Libélula, RedEnlace and Revolut, or by bank card, QR code or bank transfer; the payment provider may charge transaction fees.
Cancellation and date changes
More than 45 days before departure: 100% of the deposit (15%) is refunded, less bank fees for the money transfer; the booking payment (arras) is not refunded. From 45 to 31 days: 50% of the deposit is retained, which corresponds to the pre-payment of lodging, transfers or others. From 30 to 8 days: 100% of what you paid is retained. From 7 days to 24 hours: everything you paid is retained. Less than 24 hours, and in case of a no-show: the full price is due. Date change: possible depending on the availability of the company and of our providers, with a new quote; sums already paid to providers are not refundable and must be paid again. If Terra Alta cancels or postpones the trip, you choose a new date at no extra cost or a refund of what you paid, except costs already paid to providers that cannot be recovered.
Prices
Prices are in US dollars per person, based on a group of 6 people, in a shared departure.
Blockades, closed roads and weather
A flooded salt flat (roughly December to April) is not a reason to cancel: the tour goes ahead with an itinerary adapted by the guide, with the mirror effect, and Incahuasi island may not be reachable; no refund is due for the visits that change. If a dangerous external event (a storm, heavy snowfall or another natural event) or social unrest or a blockade requires it, Terra Alta may modify, postpone or cancel the trip to protect travellers; what applies is what is provided for a cancellation by Terra Alta.
Tips and expenses
Tips are not included and are voluntary. Entrance fees listed in bolivianos are approximate and may change; they are paid on site, in cash.
Insurance
Terra Alta does not include travel insurance. If you wish, we recommend taking out a policy with medical assistance and repatriation from high altitude.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do Lake Titicaca in one day from La Paz?
Yes, but it is a long day: from 06:30 to 22:30, with about 8 hours on the road. The one-day format costs USD 66. If you can, choose a night in Copacabana or on Isla del Sol.
Where is it better to sleep, Copacabana or Isla del Sol?
Copacabana has more services and restaurants, and the sunset from the Calvario. Isla del Sol has fewer services and more quiet, and you have the next morning to walk. Both formats cost the same.
What does the price include?
Pickup in central La Paz, transport, a bilingual assistant guide and the Isla del Sol tour. It does not include meals, lodging or the island entrance fee (Bs 20).
How much walking is there on Isla del Sol?
About 50 min through the south of the island (Yumani), low difficulty. If you sleep on the island, you can add a walk of about 3 hours from the north on your own.
What should I bring?
Warm clothes, a cap, comfortable shoes, snacks and cash for the entrance fee and meals.
Guides to prepare your trip: Lake Titicaca, Copacabana and Isla del Sol · altitude sickness: symptoms and prevention
From USD 66 / person
If you have another day in La Paz, see Tiwanaku, the civilization that lived on the shores of this same lake. Tiwanaku
