Backpacking In Bolivia

Sun Island Hiking

Isla del Sol is a hiker's paradise. The island has no cars, motorbikes, or even bicycles. Because of that, there are a lot of footpaths, ideal for trekking. Although it's possible to go from one end of the island to the other and back in one day, most people spend the night in a hotel before returning. The backpackers' hotels at either end serve the purpose well.

People go to the island to enjoy the spectacular views, while hiking the hilly terrain, and to get away from it all. It's a quiet place to relax and food and accommodations are reasonable. Although everything on the island is more expensive than in Copacabana, it's cheap compared to North America. 

The only noise one hears is the sound of donkeys braying and roosters crowing, to announce the first rays of sun, or to let the owner know that they are hungry. Although there are some ancient ruins that attract tourists, they are overrated. Perhaps, more than anything else, people go to experience the Andean culture and lifestyle. Moreover, people don't have to worry about crime on the island. The islanders live by high moral standards and don't need, or have, a police presence. Disputes are settled amicably by the community elders.

Visitors arrive by boat from Copacabana. There are two boat destinations on the island: the Yumani village in the south, and the Challapampa one in the north. Both have decent hostels to spend a night, and Yumani also has good hotels. Because of the better accommodations, most people go to Yumani, even though most of the ruins are in the north. In between is Challa, the third island community. While not serviced by boat, a network of footpaths connects it to the other two communities.

Visitors arriving in Yumani are met by the so-called Inca Steps, a steep, stone staircase leading to the village at the top of the hill, but stopping far short. Although there are hotels near the port area, most of them are in the village. At the entrance to the staircase, two painted statues of the island's mythical progenitors welcome visitors. On the left is Manco Capac and on the right Mama Oclla, the legendary couple who founded the Inca civilization. 

At the end of the flight of steps, about a third of the way to the village, is a spring-water fountain that supplies drinking water to the entire community. It's a rather large fountain with three waterspouts running continuously. We're told that the water from each spout tastes differently, but we didn't take the taste test. We saw locals filling big plastic jugs and loading them onto donkeys, who carry them up the hill at all times of the day.

The village of Challapampa, where we arrive by boat, lies on a narrow isthmus at lake level. Upon disembarking, tourists are met by guides eager to take them to the ruins. The port area has a number of small restaurants and shops that cater to tourists. Before entering the path leading to the ruins, we have to pay a fee that includes a visit to the small archaeological museum. It has a tiny collection of artifacts found in the ruins, but, as everyone is in a hurry to see the ruins and hike back to Yumani, most people give it a pass. On the opposite side of the port is a very nice sandy beach. Although the water is cold, one brave soul, a woman from La Paz, went for a quick dip. She caught up with us before we reached the ruins. We recognize her because she's still in her bathing suit!

Hiking on Sun Island is different from hiking in most other places. There are two reasons: firstly, it takes place at elevations between 3,800 and 4,000 m of altitude, where the air is starved of oxygen; and secondly, there are very few trees because most of the terrain is rocky and covered with shrubs. One can't hide from the sun. The few trees that we see in the distance are evergreen and don't provide any shade for most of the day, when one really needs it. The flipside of having few trees is that one has excellent views from almost any spot on the island.

Before setting off on our hike, we bought an extra bottle of water, a sandwich, and two bananas. The main trail starts here at the port and ends in Yumani, a distance of 10 km, counting the changes in elevation, which are many.