Yumani

Cradle of many divinities such as the Sun God Inti or Viracocha, founder of the Inca dynasty, this island assumes for a long time the most important place for the Andean believes and mythology. Today, this island testifies a legendary page of this civilization: archaeologic ruins are present on the island… Several small communities are living here, some 2500 souls and the small surface of the island allows to easy join the north and the south, by small and nice paths. From Copacabana, the boat arrived at Yumani, the most important village of the island, in the south. Then, the access is made by a small port by climbing high stairs, La Escalinita del Inca. View on the lake is breathtaking, almost at the arrival stands a fountain with three springs. Some people say it is a fountain of youth. By going a little bit more to the south, there is the site of Pilkokaina, an ancient palace which only the base kept intact. By taking the other way of the road, at the forefront in the north of the island, there are ruins of Chinkana; in Aymara language, labyrinth. These are the most interesting archaeological ruins of the island. In the center of the temple, where they stored different things, there is a borehole. Two hundred meters further, stands the Titi Khar’ka, puma’s rock, loved by the Incas for its role at the beginning of their civilization. Ceremonies and sacrifices would have probably taken place here in honor to the Sun and the Moon.