Tourism at the Lake Titicaca

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Lake Titicaca is located 158 kilometers from the La Paz City, 3,800 meters above sea level. It is also called "Sacred Lake" because of the great significance for ancient cultures as the Tiwanaku and Inca. It is the second largest lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world, its 8 square miles are shared by Bolivia and Peru; in the Bolivian area you can found the largest island: the Sun Island

Due to the purity of its waters, life is conducive to varied fauna composed of Andean ducks, alpacas, llamas and many species of fish. As in flora, it contains 12 varieties of aquatic plants, being the most important and representative the totora (reeds), which is a herbaceous plant that can measure one to two meters high, the lake population use it for the construction of rafts, mats and crafts. In Sawiña town, 10 minutes from Copacabana, it´s possible to observe the construction of floating islands of totora (reeds).

Sun Island

Located on the Major Lake of Titicaca Lake, it has an area of 14 square kilometers, most agricultural terraces used since Tiahuanacota time. On this island are located the archaeological ruins of the Inca and Tiahuanacota, including the most important: Chinkana, Pilcocaina and Inca Steps. The importance of this island for the Inca empire mythology, remains since Manco Kapac and Mama Ocllo, children of the sun god, left it to found and run the empire in Cusco.

Moon Island

It's just a short distance from the Sun Island, it is the temple Inac Uyo, where it is presumed that was inhabited by the "virgins of the sun," where they learned various trades and some were sacrified. There are also small communities that provide tourist services as lunch and accomodation at local homes.

Location: West of Bolivia, in the province of Manco Kapac in the department of La Paz, in the Altiplano of the Andes.

Elevation: 3841 masl (Considered one of the highest lakes in the world).

Average temperature: 6 ° C in winter and 11 ° C. Summer