Isla del Sol, meaning ‘Sun Island’, is one of Lake Titicaca’s many islands, located in the southern part of the lake. Only 70 square kilometres in size, it is home to over 80 Incan ruins, giving visitors a glimpse of the civilisations that occupied the land in the 15th century. The island’s history however dates much further back and archeological findings suggest that people occupied the land as far back as the third millennia BC.
According to Incan mythology, Isla del Sol is the birthplace of the Incan Empire. A number of different legends, some of which are contradictory, explain how the island came to be such an important site.
One story tells of a great flood, during which the province of Lake Titicaca was plunged into darkness. After many days, the god Viracocha arose from the depths of the lake. He commanded the sun to rise and created the first Incas.
Viracocha created Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, the children of the sun. They were sent to find fertile and good land on which they could found an empire. With no kind of religion to bring them together at that time, people were living like savages. Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo were to teach the people how to live in a society and worship the sun god.
Another, less exciting but possible more practical version, states that in the mid-fifteenth century the Incas invaded the island. They considered the pre-existing Tiwanaku civilisation to be a great source of religious and ideological identity. The Incas therefore created the story in order to justify their reign and identify themselves with the peoples of the island.
Today Isla del Sol is home to approximately 800 indigenous families, who live in small villages. It is part of Bolivia, pertaining to the La Paz Department. There is no motorised traffic on Isla del Sol and a network of rocky trails connects the settlements.
One of the most well-known trails is Willka Thaki, also known as “Ruta Sagrada De La Eternidad Del Sol”, meaning The Sacred Route of the Eternal Sun. It connects the north and the south of the island, running past agricultural terraces, serene beaches, tiny settlements and a number of Incan ruins.
To the north of the island is the village of Cha”llapampa, where the majority of the island’s ruins can be found, as well as a gold museum. On the central east coast is Cha”lla, a rural area that backs on to a sandy beach.
It is possible to visit Isla del Sol as part of a day trip and, although accommodation on the island can be fairly basic, the sunrises and sunsets are said to be well worth spending the night. The only way to arrive on the island is by boat. The journey takes around an hour and a half from Copacabana and most boats arrive at either Cha”llampapa in the north or Yumani in the south. Visitors who are planning on staying overnight are recommended to disembark at Yumani, where most of the island’s guesthouses and restaurants can be found. Alternatively, visitors might choose to experience the best of both worlds and visit the island as part of an overnight cruise.
SOURCES:
- https://www.bolivianlife.com/visiting-isla-del-sol-lake-titicaca/
https://www.peruhop.com/tours/isla-del-sol/
https://vivaexpeditions.com/blog/lake-titicaca-peru-birthplace-of-the-incas
https://www.machupicchu.org/the_legend_of_manco_capac_and_mama_ocllo.htm
