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| Other sites of Interest |
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 Island of the Sun
An important tourist attraction that remains a puzzle to archeologists. This island, one hour’s sail from Copacabana, with its rugged terrain, is 9.6 km long and 4.6 km wide. It shelters pre-Colombian monuments like the Pilkokaina palace, Chinkana, the Ymani stairway and fabulous Inca terraces. Original trees like the queñua still stand guard and its fauna include fish belonging to the ispi, boga, karachi, silverside, trout and umanto species. It is also the port of entry to Yamini, meaning “priest,” where the hills of the sun have been constructed from stones.
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| Magic La Paz, on the way to the Inca Empire. |
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5 days / 4 nights
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- Lodging for 3 nights in La Paz
- Lodging for 1 night in Puno
- Pick-up and transfer on arrival at and departure from La Paz
- Breakfast every day
- Excursion to Tiwanacu, lunch included
- Tour of the Valley of the Moon
- Excursion to Lake Titikaka:
Copacabana + Island of the Sun
with lunch and continuation to Puno
- Puno – Cuzco train fare
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Peru Bolivian C.A.
 (58-0212) 238-41-11 / 21-23.
 peruboli@ceibo.entelnet.bo
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This route offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty along the shores of Lake Titikaka, to sail its blue waters, visit the most important islands and admire the snow-capped peaks of the Royal Range. The most important archeological remains of the Tiwanacu culture can be examined and visits made to the various towns and villages where ancestral Aymara customs are still practiced. To make the most of this route, three days are recommended.
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Access |
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There are two starting points for this route: the city of La Paz or the city of Puno in Peru. In the former case, an approximately one and a half hour-long bus or car trip from La Paz will take the traveler to the archeological zone of Tiwanacu and then back to the city. On the second day, take a bus to Copacabana and then visit the sacred islands of the Inca on one of the many available vessels.
From Peru, visitors can take a bus to Copacabana and then start the visits to the tourist attractions along the route.
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Tourist Attractions |
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 La Paz
Located at 3 649 masl and with a population of 2 000 000 inhabitants, La Paz is the site of the Central Government. This beautiful city offers visitors an opportunity to study and experience Bolivian culture in its museums and streets, as well as to enjoy the beauty of the matchless landscapes dominated by the snow-capped Illimani and the different climates characteristic of it. To get an idea of the ancestral cultures that flourished in Bolivia, visit the National Archeology Museum where handsome stone articles, idols, weapons, mortars and farming tools and implements collected from archeological sites in La Paz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Tarija and Oruro are on display. Other museums offer exhibits of other periods of Bolivia’s history, such as the Costumbrista Museum, showing the local customs and the Murillo House Museum, among others.
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 Tiwanaku
Bolivia’s most important archeological and mystical zone is located near the city of La Paz. Its 30-hectare area contains the remains of a series of Tiwanacu temples. The most important of these is the Temple of Kalasasaya (126 by 117m) where the famous Door of the Sun, the underground shrine with its enigmatic heads, the Akapana and Pumapunku pyramids (parts of which are open to the elements) and the remains of the Kantaita, Putini and Kericala temples are to be found. This archeological zone is considered to have been occupied by among the oldest Andean cultures. The magnificent monuments represent a perfection of building and decorative technique. Nearby are a high plateau plain between two mountain ranges, some farmed fields and several native communities.
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 Titikaka Lake
At 3 810 masl, this is the world’s highest altitude navigable lake. Its surface measures 8 400 km2, it has a basin of 56 000km2 and a total perimeter of 915 m2.
Legend tells that Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, founders of the Inca Empire, emerged from its waters. Its waters owe their deep blue color to a species of seaweed and offer a contrast to the majestic light blue skies. It is an adventure for travelers to sail the waters of the lake on one many vessels offering tourist services, and to visit the islands, where archeological remains can also be admired.
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 Island of the Moon
Located only 6 km from the Island of the Sun, the Island of the Moon, also known as Kohati Island, was the second most important Andean sacred site. The pre-Colombian temple, Palace of the Iñak Uyu, inhabited by the Ñustas, or Virgins of the Sun, stands on this island. The distinguishing features of these pre-Colombian constructions are their small advancing stone vaults, together with trapezoidal and staggered elements. There is an excellent view from this island of the spreading panorama of the western range with its snow-capped Mt. Illampu.
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 Copacabana
In this city stands the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Copacabana, sculpted by Tito Yupanqui. The city’s history dates back at least three thousand years, when it started life as a “Chiripa” village that was later occupied by the Tiwanacu and Inca cultures, among others. Important pre-Hispanic remains can be explored here, such as the Kusijata, the Astronomical observatories (the Horca del Inca, or Inca’s Gallows), Intikala and others. From the colonial period, there is the Renaissance style Church of the Virgin of Copacabana.
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