We leave Copacabana and follow a little used road which follows the lake’s shoreline. It passes through picturesque countryside full of magnificent views of the lake. Eventually we arrive to a small community of Zampaya, which is about 200 m (656 f) above the lake. Just before arriving to the village of Zampaya, the road actually turns into pre-Columbian paved road.
Zampaya is the only village in the vicinity which is build on top of pre-Columbian settlement, thus most building still have walls made of rocks instead of unbaked clay bricks. There is also good view of the Island of the Moon, in good weather there are nice views of the Andes (Cordillera Real). After leaving Zampaya we follow virtually unused road with magnificent views of the lake and of the surrounding shorelines, passing through the terrace fields which are still used to grow local crops.
In time we arrive to Yampupata, a small village which also serves as a small fishing port and it is the closes port to the Island of the Sun on the mainland. We board a small motorised boat here, owned by the locals and start our trip to the Titicaca islands here.
First we visit Pilkokaina or Inca Palace, which is the most conserved Inca ruin on the islands; it is a building which can be inspected in several minutes. From there we continue by boat to Yumani, which is the main port on the Island of the Sun.
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