Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
4.5
About
This icy high-altitude lake is the legendary birthplace of the Inca civilization, and is also believed to hold precious Inca treasure. When Jacques Cousteau explored the lake for treasure, he discovered instead a large, colorful deep-water frog.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Fernando Machado
Juiz de Fora, MG1,293 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
The main attraction of the city of Copacabana/Bolivia and also on the border with Peru, Lake Titicaca is really beautiful, imposing and has something special, a very good energy. From Copacabana there are several tours sailing around the lake such as Islas Flotantes, Isla de la Luna and Isla del Sol, which I recommend! Ultimately, it's a less popular experience than the one on the Peruvian side in Puno, but it's also worth doing! I recommend!

Written 10 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ManuCdelaE
Pasto, Colombia101 contributions
Jun 2023 • Friends
One of the most popular activities on Lake Titicaca is riding in water cars, which allows you to enjoy the beautiful views of the lake and its surroundings. In addition, you will be able to observe the stones found around the lake, which are vestiges of indigenous quarries. These stones are witnesses of the ancient culture that inhabited the area.

Written 28 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ame H
Incheon, South Korea6 contributions
Sept 2022
You can feel the peace in the surroundings is a magical place and full of history. This is a place you should definitely visit if you’re in Bolivia. At 2,500 feet Titicaca is one of the highest commercially navigated lake in the world.
Written 21 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monica N
15 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
It is a magical place energetically but totally neglected by its inhabitants, there is no culture of tourism even in the part of Peru not Bolivia. Trash is thrown into the lake, into the streets and in general everything is very sloppy
Staying in a Urus is a nice experience but then the lack of resources and attention to the tourist can hurt your expectations.
Staying in a Urus is a nice experience but then the lack of resources and attention to the tourist can hurt your expectations.
Automatically translated
Written 2 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Miles Archer
Boca Raton, FL7,118 contributions
Mar 2022 • Solo
It's reputed to be the highest navigable lake in the world because of its boat traffic. There's pre-Columbian cultures that lived here many centuries ago. Incas were here. There are descendants here now of those ancient peoples. Some inhabitants here now live on the lake on their man-made islands, which are constructed of reeds or sedge. Boats are made of reeds. The residents of these islands sustain themselves in part by fishing. So interesting. There are also natural islands, some inhabited, on the lake.
Written 5 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dr.Kusal K.Das
Bijapur, India106 contributions
Apr 2019
The lake is so blue that one will be surprised. We had a cruise trip. Enjoyed the lake Titikaka under which Inca temples are merged . We had nearly 5 h stay on cruise and enjoyed its last bite. It is the most sacred Lake in Latin America which was worshiped by Pre Inca Tiwanaku and Inca people. Life time experience for anyone.
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clebicar
Belo Horizonte, MG5,823 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
A fantastic lake, with a lot of culture involved. I know both sides of the lake. Situated at 3800 masl and with very clean water. It's really cool to go boating and see the islands on the lake. I highly recommend the tour. The view is incredible.

Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pingnan h
Boise, ID146 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
Wonderful experience to know Lake Titicaca during my 2 day 1 night tour. Jose is a great tour guide with detail information during our trip. I would return to visit Lake Titicaca in the future again ❤️
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Goal100Countries
Cheltenham, UK596 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
Lake Titicaca is a simply stunning area of South America that spans across the Peruvian- Bolivian border. It is incredibly large and has a small tide that forms beaches in Peru and Bolivia. The largest cities on its banks are Puno in Peru and Copacabana in Bolivia. The views are beautiful no matter where you are however. There are many beautiful islands also such as Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna.
Written 6 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johann&Sandra
8,244 contributions
Oct 2011 • Couples
Experiencing Lake Titicaca from the Bolivian side is a bit different than from the Peru side. Copacabana is backpacker-land, full of hostels, restaurants and bars, a resort-style atmosphere for backpacking tourists. There is a marina where all the boats go to Isla del Sol for day trips. Puno, meanwhile, is a city first, a tourist hub second, and it is really dirty and unattractive. It is much larger than Copacabana. On one hand, Copacabana is nicer to stay in, while on the other hand, Puno has the Uros Floating Islands (a few now have made their way to the Bolivia side for the tourists) which are a must-see. Isla del Sol is similar to Taquile island on the Peru side, so no need to visit both.
Lake Titicaca is more than a beautiful lake in the middle of the desert, and it's more interesting than just the novelty of being the world's highest navigable lake. It is a smorgasbord of different traditional cultures living together, from the Quechua to Aymara, to the floating islands to the local people of Taquile, from the city of Puno to the small villages that dot the lake. Depending on where you stay, you will see everything from traditional fishermen in their rowboats placing their nets at night and retrieving them in the morning to local villagers gathering reeds on their donkeys to build their floating islands and homes.
We stayed at Titilaka, about 1 hour outside of Puno, and this allowed us, I believe to fully absorb the amazing diversity of the lake and it's people. We went sailing on a sailboat on the lake, took a full day trip to Uros and Taquile (the non-touristy portions of both, a much more rewarding experience), dined atop Taquile Island, looking at the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real, without another tourist in sight. We awoke every morning to the sunrise over the lake, and watched the local farmers taking their cattle and alpacas to the lake to drink, or their donkeys to gather reeds for their homes. We would recommend to stay outside the towns if possible for a more authentic experience - there is nothing in the towns really to interest tourists except facilities, the "Real" Lake Titicaca is found outside of the towns.
You can visit the pre-inca Tombs at Sillustani, take bike rides through the local small villages, take boat rides on the lake or kayak through the reeds. All the while life is going on around you in the simple way it has for generations. The local people are dressed in brilliant colors and each culture has its own language, dress and way of living. If you take the time to take it all in, it's fascinating. And of course the lake is so beautiful. Staying at Titilaka allowed us to experience it to its fullest, and in a very non-touristy way. I think the mass tourism from Puno and Copacabana would have been a very different experience.
We also took the boat trip to Isla del Sol from Copacabana - we did a trip to the south side of the lake on a private boat, which was great because we ate at a very small and atmospheric hotel (5 rooms or something) right next to a ruins site with great views. We had an authentic lunch that was different than anything else we encountered. We walked the trail up to the main tourist area, which wasn't very interesting really, and walked down (instead of up) the 200 steps. I think it might be interesting to stay on Isla del Sol, but as a day trip do the private trip - the mass tourism on the hydrofoil didn't seem very rewarding. There is not much to see on Isla de Luna, so don't fret if you don't have time to visit it.
TIP: After our stay at Titilaka and visits to Taquile and Uros, we later visited Copacabana and went to Isla del Sol. The feeling was a bit of "been there, done that", and in hindsight we would have skipped it and headed for La Paz. It was still a nice day, but not a must-do after we already had spent three days at Titilaka.
Lake Titicaca is more than a beautiful lake in the middle of the desert, and it's more interesting than just the novelty of being the world's highest navigable lake. It is a smorgasbord of different traditional cultures living together, from the Quechua to Aymara, to the floating islands to the local people of Taquile, from the city of Puno to the small villages that dot the lake. Depending on where you stay, you will see everything from traditional fishermen in their rowboats placing their nets at night and retrieving them in the morning to local villagers gathering reeds on their donkeys to build their floating islands and homes.
We stayed at Titilaka, about 1 hour outside of Puno, and this allowed us, I believe to fully absorb the amazing diversity of the lake and it's people. We went sailing on a sailboat on the lake, took a full day trip to Uros and Taquile (the non-touristy portions of both, a much more rewarding experience), dined atop Taquile Island, looking at the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real, without another tourist in sight. We awoke every morning to the sunrise over the lake, and watched the local farmers taking their cattle and alpacas to the lake to drink, or their donkeys to gather reeds for their homes. We would recommend to stay outside the towns if possible for a more authentic experience - there is nothing in the towns really to interest tourists except facilities, the "Real" Lake Titicaca is found outside of the towns.
You can visit the pre-inca Tombs at Sillustani, take bike rides through the local small villages, take boat rides on the lake or kayak through the reeds. All the while life is going on around you in the simple way it has for generations. The local people are dressed in brilliant colors and each culture has its own language, dress and way of living. If you take the time to take it all in, it's fascinating. And of course the lake is so beautiful. Staying at Titilaka allowed us to experience it to its fullest, and in a very non-touristy way. I think the mass tourism from Puno and Copacabana would have been a very different experience.
We also took the boat trip to Isla del Sol from Copacabana - we did a trip to the south side of the lake on a private boat, which was great because we ate at a very small and atmospheric hotel (5 rooms or something) right next to a ruins site with great views. We had an authentic lunch that was different than anything else we encountered. We walked the trail up to the main tourist area, which wasn't very interesting really, and walked down (instead of up) the 200 steps. I think it might be interesting to stay on Isla del Sol, but as a day trip do the private trip - the mass tourism on the hydrofoil didn't seem very rewarding. There is not much to see on Isla de Luna, so don't fret if you don't have time to visit it.
TIP: After our stay at Titilaka and visits to Taquile and Uros, we later visited Copacabana and went to Isla del Sol. The feeling was a bit of "been there, done that", and in hindsight we would have skipped it and headed for La Paz. It was still a nice day, but not a must-do after we already had spent three days at Titilaka.
Written 7 October 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where is the best place to stay for Lake Titicaca for someone traveling alone in their mid 50s" is it best to book trips when you get there? Also, training from Cusco and back, is it relatively easy to find your way around when you get to Lake Titicaca.?
Written 14 March 2019
Hola, es accesible llegar al lado boliviano del Titicaca y a Copacabana desde Cuzco?
Y conocen de buenos hostels en eso s lugares?
Muchas gracias
Written 24 May 2018
Perdón! donde puse "Cochabamba" quise decir "Copacabana". Se me confundieron los nombres de las ciudades...
Written 25 May 2018
We are planning a trip to Peru and Bolivia next year - and would like to cross from Puno into Bolivia across lake Titicaca d go onto La Paz. any suggestions of where to stay, travel tips, suggested tours or solo travel welcomed.
Written 23 October 2017
Well first I would suggest staying in Puno for a night or two so you can visit some interesting sites in the area. Sillustani is a small pre Inca archeological site that is spectacularly located above a small lake on the other side of Puno from Titicaca itself,the ruins consist mainly of a few ceremonial funerary monuments known as "chullpas" .... though the site isn't anything major like some of the other ruins of Inca origin in the Sacred Valley I did find it a beautiful and somewhat enigmatic spot. Then there are some of the islands that should be visited on Lake Titicaca itself. First and most close to Puno are the Uros Islands,these are the famous floating islands which are home to the Uros people and a place that held a certain fascination for me since seeing them when I was a child on a documentary by French diver and explorer Jacques Cousteau. Yes they are a bit touristy but seeing these people making a home for themselves on floating islands built out of the native totora reeds is definitely a unique experience. There are guided tours to see them and they can be combined with my second recommendation for an island visit,that island would be Taquile,a pretty large island inhabited by traditional Andeans. The beautiful waters,blue skies and farmed terraces of Taquile Island reminded me of some sleepy Greek Island in some quiet corner of the Aegean Sea. As you wander around take note of the local men sitting around knitting,yes knitting for in their society it's the men who do the knitting while woman have other chores to tackle. Tours usually allow for a couple of hours to explore and the opportunity to enjoy a lunch which normally will include locally grown potatoes and fish. There's another less developed island called Amantani and I've heard of people spending a night or two with locals there so you might want to research that if you're interested. All in all the Uros/Taquile Island day tour was an excellent value and I felt the best way to round out a Lake Titicaca visit,I really enjoyed it!
Now once you cross the border at Desaguadero you should head to the Bolivian lakeside town of Copacabana where there's a beautiful church dedicated to our Lady of Copacabana,mind you this is the original Copacabana,the famous Brazilian beach in Rio de Janeiro is named after here.
In Copacabana I would suggest a visit to the church,here you'll see many fervent followers of the Virgin of Copacabana coming to pray and offering thanks for miracles granted,there's is much devotion to this Virgin in Bolivia. Another worthwhile activity is a climb up El Calvario to see the stations of the cross and take in the magnificent views of the town and Lake Titicaca. Word of warning do take the climb easy because the thin air at this altitude is no laughing matter,don't forget that Titicaca is considered the highest navigable lake in the world!
There are two islands that can be reached by ferry from Copacabana that I'm sure are probably quite interesting but I have not personally visited them,these are the Island of the Sun and the Island of the Moon. Both islands contain several small Inca ruins and the Island of the Sun is believed by the Incas to be the birthplace of man. Visits can be arranged in Copacabana but do require time and a fair amount of hiking. Then from Copacabana to La Paz the other spot that should be on everyone's itinerary is the archeological site of Tiwanaku. This site is pre Inca and his considered one of South America's most enigmatic places,the ruins themselves aren't so impressive but the mystery behind them is and since it's on the way to La Paz I would not miss the opportunity to visit them. You can go online to search these individual sites I have mentioned or feel free to see my own reviews on Trip Advisor,any prior research will help not only with logistics but also give you a better understanding of the places and the native peoples that live here. Enjoy yourself and stay safe!
Written 24 October 2017
Hi,
We are a young italian couple, we are looking for people who would like to join us in a 2-days trip from La Paz to Lake Titicaca, organized by a well-reputed travel agency in La Paz.
The tour is scheduled for the 19 and the 20 of August '17, but we can also do it from the 20 to the 21 of August.
The tour will include: Private transport La Paz - Copacabana - Isla del Sol - La Paz/ Bilingual, experienced guide/ 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner / Accommodation / All admission fees.
First day: - Early pick up in La Paz.
- Arrival at Copacabana around 11 AM.
- Isla del Sol, traditional lunch around 1 PM.
- Ruins of Pilcocaina, ruins of Chincana and the Sacred Rock.
Second day:
- Visit the Yumani village and its famous stairway.
- Copacabana, lunch around 12 PM.
- Cathedral of Copacabana.
- Back to La Paz.
- Drop back to your accomodation.
Please contact us for more infos.
Serena
Written 16 July 2017
Ciao,
arriverò a La Paz il 17 luglio nel primo pomeriggio, il 18 nel pomeriggio vorrei spostarmi a Copacabana, pernottare e il 19 visitare l'Isla del Sol e proseguire per Puno.
Due domande: è fattibile? sapreste indicarmi a quali compagnie di bus rivolgermi?
Grazie
Simona
Written 21 May 2017
Hello,
I want to go from Puno to Copacabana by bus. Any idea what is the best bus company to go with?Any tourist bus providing this itinerary? I checked many bus companies, I did not find any tourist bus but so far found only the local bus: Titicaca transporte internacional.
Any recommendation?
Written 26 March 2017
I want to go to Copacabana and see lake titicaca and isla de sol,floating islands, how many days do I need. Are there tour agencies in Copacabana? Do I need a tour to see the lake, and floating islands? Thanks!
PS. I will not be going to the Peruvian side at all, just Bolivia.
Written 19 February 2017
Copacabana is a fun little town, rough and ready. We stayed three nights, which is plenty of time to get to see the islands. There are lots of tours and it is very easy to book. Another thing I would recommend is climbing Calvario - its a little hill that serves as a pilgrimage site. Lovely views of the lake on a clear day.
Written 21 February 2017
Hola! como llegas alli? me podes dar detalles porque vamos en Enero y me gustaría ir donde dices. gracias!
Written 4 September 2016
Hola hay buses que te llevan desde la terminal de La Paz Bolivia hacia la ciudad de Copacabana Bolivia, desde el puerto todas las mañana salen lanchas hacia la Isla del Sol y la Luna mas o menos demoras 1:30 hs en llegar. Las dos islas son hermosas con paisajes increíbles. Los boletos se compran allí mismo, salen por la mañana temprano y al mediodía.
En mi caso contrate un tour de 2 días 1 noche, costo 90 dolares e incluía pasaje de bus desde La Paz a Coapacabana, almuerzo, city tour por copacabana, boletos de lancha para las 2 islas, recorrido por las islas, almuerzo en isla del sol y boleto Copacabana-Puno, guía turístico exclusivo durante todo el viaje y 1 noche de hotel en Copacabana, no me pareció caro y ellos te organizan toda la logística.
Si venís del lado de Peru, hay micros que te llevan de Cusco a Puno, los boletos se compran en la terminal de Buses de Cusco.
Otras opciones menos económicas y que demoran mas Tren algo así como 250 dolares, o Bus turístico con paradas. Yo realice uno salio 60 dolares hace varias paradas interesantes con almuerzo y demora mas o menos 10 horas con un guía y servicios dentro del cole. Si dispones de poco tiempo ninguna de estas 2 son buenas opciones.
Una vez que llegas a la terminal de Puno, allí mismo te ofrecen los tour en lancha para recorrer las islas o sino también compras los boletos en el puerto.
Yo los compre por la agencia de viajes del hotel donde pare en Puno (Casona Plaza), por internet desde Argentina, no me salio nada caro y lo pague en 12 cuotas con la tarjeta de crédito (Despegar).
Los barcos salen temprano por la mañana y hace islas de los Uros (muy lindo e interesante) y luego 2.30 hs para llegar a Taquile, la vista increíble después de eso no tiene mucho mas y el viaje es largo regresas a Puno alrededor de las 6 PM.
Espero te sirva mi experiencia.
Mucha suerte!
Written 7 September 2016
Hola...que ofrece Markito, alojamiento, desayuno, tour? y cuanto cobra??..quiero viajar la semana 32..gracias de antemano.
Written 10 July 2016
What company did you use? Were you able to leave Puno in the morning and arrive La Paz the same day? What was the cost? Thanks
Written 8 April 2016
I was on Peru Hop/Bolivia Hop, its a city to city, hop on-hop off bus. The boat tour by Peru Hop is an extra cost of USD 10, it's around 2 hours. I went from Cusco to Puno (7 hrs overnight bus).
After the boat tour at Puno, moved on to Copacabana, Bolivia.
From Puno to Copacabana is around 4-5 hours, including cross border time. Copacabana to La Paz is around 5 hours, at some point,you will have to get off bus and cross a river and the bus will cross the same river on another boat.
If you speak Spanish and are adventurous, could take local bus, cheaper.. But they are crowded and would be a longer ride because of many stops.
Written 9 April 2016
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