Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
god-king Viracocha and the first Incas, Manco Capac and his sister-wife Mama Ocllo,
mystically appeared under direct orders from the sun. Most modern-day Aymará and
Quechua peoples of Peru and Bolivia accept these legends as their creation story.
Sights & Activities
You'll need to walk everywhere, so allow plenty of time to explore the island. There's a
B$5 fee to cross the island and each site exacts its own admission fees. These fees change
regularly and are leveraged to maintain tourist infrastructure.
There are two major routes between the northern and southern ends of Isla del Sol. The
lower route winds scenically through fields, hamlets and villages, and around the bays and
headlands above the eastern coast. The most commonly used route follows the dramatic
ridge path that runs between Cha'llapampa in the north and Yumani in the south. In the
north, the Chincana ruins sit on top of an uninhabited ridge. The views down to both
coasts of the island are nothing short of spectacular.
SOUTHERN ISLA DEL SOL
Fuente del Inca & Escalera del Inca
(admission B$5)
Just uphill from the ferry dock at the village of Yumani, this lovely
hanging garden and rolling waterfall is most people's introduction to Isla del Sol. As you
head up from the dock along the beautifully reconstructed Escalera del Inca (Inca stair-
way), you'll pass plenty of terraced gardens, small shops and hotels. The road is cris-
scrossed by three artificial stone channels that start in the Fuente del Inca natural springs.
It's a lung-buster that gains almost 200m in elevation over less than 1km, so take your
time - or hire donkeys (B$30 to B$50) to carry your pack.
Early Spaniards believed Yumani's spring was a fountain of youth and for the Incas the
three streams represented their national motto:
Ama sua, Ama llulla, Ama khella,
meaning
'Don't steal, don't lie and don't be lazy.' Today, the fountain is a crucial source of water
for locals, who come daily to fetch and carry it up the steep trail.
Pay your admission fee at the dock for access to the stairway and village.
GARDENS
Yumani
Yumani is the main village at the south end of the island. Most boats drop you at the vil-
lage's dock, about 200m downhill along the Escalera Inca from the town proper. The vil-
lage's small church,
Iglesia de San Antonio
, serves the southern half of the island.
Nearby you'll find an exploding cluster of guesthouses and fabulous views over the water
VILLAGE
