Puno – Puno
The sacred Lake of the Incas is a must in any touristic itinerary of Bolivia. This gigantic inland sea of sapphire-blue water covers 8,000 square-kilometers and is the highest navigable lake in the world. It straddles Bolivia and Peru. The towering peaks of the Royal Range of the Andes Mountains surround the Lake to the east, and all around, there are various traditional villages where ancient myths and beliefs are intact and Spanish is a second language.
The Island of the Sun was the birthplace of the Inca Empire and the Incas believed that the sun itself was born there. The island features many Inca sites such as the Pilkokaina Palace, the Inca Staircase, the Fountain of Youth, the Chinkana Complex with the Sacred Rock. The Sanctuary of Copacabana, which is nestled between two hills on the shores of the Lake, is the home of the famous dark virgin. Even today, Copacabana is the main pilgrimage center of Bolivia.
