We decided to make an excursion to the Isla del Sol, the home of the Inca creation legend. Although boats leave frequently from Copacabana, it had been suggested to us that there was a magnificent hike around Lake Titicaca to Yampupata, where a boat can be charted for the quick trip across to the island.

Accordingly, we left our main bags at the hostel, taking a minimum change of clothing etc for the journey. The morning had started with heavy rain but by the time we set off it had stopped. However, it remained dull and cloudy and looked rather threatening. We had already found out this trip that our daypacks are not waterproof so we invested in plastic ponchos to go over our waterproofs and packs. In fact they were not needed as the clouds never came to anything. We walked along happily, gradually removing layers of clothing as the sun began to break through and bless our little adventure. The views around the lake are truly breathtaking, particularly in the sunshine. Although technically skirting the lake, in fact the pathway veers inland at times as well, sometimes avoiding but frequently surmounting a few bigger summits. We passed through a number of small villages where the people were always pleased to greet us and exchange a few words. The muddy dirt road that we started out on gradually became less travelled and the surface was more broken up. At first we were overtaken at times by vans full of local people going to their villages but in time these fell away and we had the road to ourselves, apart from a man with a cow who we passed several times over several miles, with him catching us up whenever we stopped for a breather. We finally found ourselves on an old Inca roadway taking a steep pathway down to the isolated village of Yampupata. We had covered about 11 miles altogether with a lot of up and down, so we were quite pleased that the next bit of the journey would be by boat!

Chartering a small boat from the bay at Yampupata was very easy. We were observed nearing the rudimentary pier and quickly approached. There was actually a price list for a range of journeys but because we didn't really know the names of the places we just took his offer to take us to the south of the island. As we approached the destination we got our first sight of Inca remains, Pilko Kaina. However, we also realised that this was a different part of the south of the island than we had expected and we were not sure how to get to the summit from here (our sketchy map showing no footpath). So we renegotiated and got him to take us further to the foot of the Escalera del Inka (Inca Staircase) where we knew we could get to the first village on the island, Yumani.

However, getting up the Inca Staircase is easier said than done, especially when you’ve already travelled a fair distance at altitude. The steps rise dead straight and remorslessly upwards. It’s actually very attractive because a stream of water is constantly bubbling down a channel beside the staircase from the Fuente del Inka (Inca Spring) at the very top of the climb. It’s also a bit exciting to be climbing the steps that were put into place nearly 700 years ago and have been serving this community ever since. Nonetheless, the climb and the sun did take their toll and we made a few stops on the way, frequently alongside locals who seemed to be having the same troubles!

Unfortunately, arriving at the top and the source of the Inca Spring was not actually the end of the climb as the village itself lay several steep pathways further. We were pleased to finally find a reasonable looking hostel on the way with a sparse but adequate room for the night. The fact that the hostel had both a great view over the lake and could also provide a simple dinner were two much appreciated added bonuses.

Gluttons for punishment, after settling our stuff into the room, we made the rest of the journey into the village, reaching the crest of the peak and looking down onto the lake on the other side. This was the beginning of the ridge walk that we were intending to tackle tomorrow. It was interesting to see life going on as normal, despite the obvious catering for tourists. Large plastic canisters are filled with water from the spring and hauled up the pathways tied to the backs of innumerable donkeys. Other goods are carried around on people’s backs. Beside and around all the houses are small plots of land growing the usual crops of potatoes, beans, quinoa etc. Small groups of animals such as sheep and pigs are herded through the village to different grazing grounds, while llamas and chickens wander about at will. The village has electricity (a big advance on the situation when Jen’s sister Jo came here several years ago). However, this doesn’t power any streetlights and when it got dark we made our way back to the hostel, ate dinner and sank early into our thankfully comfortable bed.

During the night the heavens opened, great flashes of lightning were followed by monumental claps of thunder. This went on for the whole night, ensuring a restless night’s sleep. By the time we got up, however, the rain had stopped and, despite the heavy cloud, after yesterday’s experience we were optimistic for our hike up to the very north of the island. At the summit we spoke with a local man to check our directions and he was distinctly less optimistic. He asked us if we had waterproofs as it would be raining very soon, explaining that there are only two seasons here; three months of summer when it rains every day and 'the rest of the year it doesn’t rain but it is freezing’.

He turned out to be right. Within half an hour the rain began and we donned our natty plastic ponchos over our waterproofs (seems mad covering all our lovely Goretex with plastic but needs must...) Most of our journey was on old Inca roadways that rose and fell taking us on a snaking path along the central spine of the island. Frequently we were able to look down to the lake on both sides and very often the views were stunning (although not necessarily very photogenic in the rain and mist).

But it seems that the gods were prepared to smile upon us, for after a few hours of walking the rain began to ease and we got even better views. By the time we reached the ruins of Chincana at the northern end of the island, we were able to put away our waterproofs completely. There are the walls of a large number of rooms to explore in this temple/village complex and we enjoyed wandering around, also taking the opportunity to sit and take a break. This is also the site of the sacred rock where the Incas believed that their world was created when the first Incas, Manco Capac and his sister/wife Mama Huaca, made their mystical appearance on earth. The huge Puma Rock remains sacred to the local people and there are still offerings being made here.

After the ruins we took another pathway, heading southeast for an hour or so towards the second village on the island, Cha’llapampa. This village lies on a narrow strip of land between two sections of the lake and strangely has a coastline on both sides. It is not an old village and is growing in response to the tourist demand for a base on the north of the island, where boats can put in. Almost every building shows signs of being developed into a hostel of some kind. Sadly, few of them give the impression of being anywhere near completed. We stayed in a more established place with very simple accommodation (but very cheap). We ate in what appeared to be the only place open in the evening and met another traveller, a massage therapist from London, who was impressed by the spirituality of the place. We had very much enjoyed the open spaces and the beautiful tranquility of the island but were less overwhelmed by any sense of spiritual power. Perhaps we were just tired.

Despite the very solid beds, we both slept well but awoke to the inevitable rain. We had to wait for a couple of hours for a suitable boat to take us back to Copacabana and collect our baggage. So we sat out of the rain in Restaurant Lago Titicaca, a makeshift cafe overlooking the lakeside, having breakfast. This effectively occupied the whole time as the standard Bolivian slow service is even more protracted on this island where there are simply no pressures to get anything done quickly. And we are certainly not going to suggest that they have got it wrong!