We were totally unprepared in Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca (Travel Diaries Day 64)

I have to admit: we didn’t come very prepared to Isla del Sol, in Lake Titicaca.

At 3,850 meters above sea level, it’s the highest navigable lake in the world. We planned to spend a couple of nights on Isla del Sol, a remote island on the Bolivian side of the lake. According to legend, this is the birthplace of the sun and the first two Incas! Today, around 800 local Aymara families live simple, traditional lives here.

Logistically, we did okay: a bus from La Paz and then a boat to the island, with accommodation already booked. And that was about it! Lacking time and energy, we didn’t really plan anything else.

Our first challenge hit us as soon as we disembarked the hour-long ferry: the infamous Inca steps. To get to our guesthouse, we had to climb about 150 meters of stairs from the port (at nearly 4,000 meters altitude!) while hauling all our luggage up - suitcases included. 😬 Without exaggeration, this was one of the most physically challenging ascents of our entire trip. It took us almost an hour as we required breaks to catch our shallow breath, questioning our sanity the whole way!

Adding to our dismay, there were a couple of cute donkeys at the port who would’ve happily carried our bags for us for just 2 dollars! Reid was too prideful to not carry his own bags, but he regretted that choice!

Seriously, though.. why?!

Anyway, sweaty and out of breath, we did make it to our homestay, which turned out to be lovely with picturesque views over the lake.

Then came the cash dilemma. Our host asked for payment in cash because her card machine wasn’t working. We did have a little cash, but what little we had was not nearly enough to cover our expenses (accommodation, food, water, and the return boat). Generally this wouldn't be a big deal, but on Isla del Sol there are no ATMs... On top of that, a Google search suggested card payments wouldn’t be possible anywhere either! Maybe some locals would hire us for short-term labor? All jokes aside, we were pretty worried.

To our surprise and delight, we discovered several restaurants actually DO accept cards (Google needs a fact-check!), and our host eventually got her machine fixed so we could pay by card. Crisis averted!

As for exploring the island, we’d heard about a popular day hike from the south to the north, where most of the Inca ruins are located, about three hours each way. But, again, we hadn’t prepared well. We thought we might take a boat back from the north to avoid the return hike, but with little information on route timings, our spontaneity was challenged.

And so, we set off walking north. We brought some water but no snacks, assuming we’d find food along the way.

Wrong!

Right from the start, I was already feeling the altitude and getting tired, and halfway through, hunger hit me hard. I feel bad for Reid who had to listen to all my whining! But the thing is, I had seen on Google that there was a spot on the path where I could get a sandwich, but in reality it probably did not exist - or at least was not open when we passed by.

Eventually, we found a small stand run by a local Aymara lady selling snacks. I grabbed a Snickers to contain my hunger, and we decided to turn back since I was too tired and hungry to continue.

So, we didn’t make it to the Inca ruins this time 🤷🏻‍♀️ but we did enjoy some great views and lots of local wildlife: donkeys, sheep, pigs, and adorable dogs. All in all, it was still worth it. Next time, we’ll definitely stock up on snacks before hitting the trail!

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