Ecolodge K'arasirca — Hotel in Isla del Sol

Ecolodge K’arasirca is a special place. We arrived at the sleepy Wakani port after many hours of travel and were met by Abraham, one of two indigenous Amarya brothers operating the lodge (most hotels on isla del sol are run by foreigners but K’arasirca is unique in its native ownership.) Abraham and his trusted lama carried our luggage up maybe 400 feet to the lodge. That allowed my husband, nine year and me to struggle up, taking frequent breaks to admire the incredible views and the terraced landscape leftover by Incan and pre-Incan inhabitants. (Also altitude is no joke and takes time to adjust to so prepare to go very slow in the lake titikaka region, which is higher than Cusco.)

Once we made it to our spacious, clean room, Abraham brought us coca tea, a the menu for dinner and an invitation to think about what tours we might want to take on the next day:)

The following days we enjoyed outstanding tours by K’arasirca’s other owner Ramiro. He took us by boat all around the Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna (to minimize our walking in the high altitude:) We saw pre-Incan and Incan ruins—some of the most intact I have ever seen. Ramiro is knowledgeable about the archeology and ethnography of the region, which is not as well studied as Cusco and Machu Pichu. It’s likely that a pre-Incan society made up of Amaryans who spoke Amarya, lived as farmers, alpaca herders and fisherman between 50bc-500ad and built the extensive labrynth complex on isla del sol. The Inka’s arrived around 500, conquered and likely displaced and resettled many Amaryans and turned Islas del sol and Luna into important outpost and spiritual centers for their empire.

While less is know about pre Amaryan people, there have been remains found under Lake Titikaka. And scientific evidence suggests that the lake was half of its size around 1500 BC as a result of a dryer, hotter climate. Someday there may be a discovery of even earlier civilizations in the region.

For now, the Inkan remains on Isla del Sol and Luna are incredibly intact when compared to those more major settlements in the sacred valley—including an intact roof at the temple of the Sun. While the Incans probably only lasted a generation or so here before being conquered by the Spanish, the incredible buildings left behind show their ingenuity and organization.

We ended up staying a 3rd night at K’arasirca because of a transportation strike blocking roads into La Paz. We are so thankful! It was the perfect, peaceful and gorgeous setting to adjust to the altitude and to experience an island with fascinating history.

If you travel to lake titikaka, I highly recommend you stay at K’arasirca eco lodge. It’s truly off the beaten path, and a simple, beautiful and relaxing place to observe and tour a...

I’m sad to have to give this a poor review as it has the potential to be a great one, but I think they need the feedback as our stay was unacceptable.

It’s one of the most expensive places on Isla del Sol, but we’d decided to go for it as it looked so special. The very friendly staff met us off the boat with the llama to take out bags which was great. And indeed the view you see in the pictures was amazing, and the bed was really big and comfy. But beyond that it starts to not be great. The spa bath looks amazing in the pics, but we found it hard to get it to stay hot, even with topping it up. And the jets didn’t work. The room is constantly covered in dust as there is no paved area outside. The room is also in a building site (as other rooms are under construction), which feels unsafe to walk to in the dark.

Most disappointing was the food. The wine was corked and smelt vile. We ordered food at 6:30pm and were told it would be brought to the room at 8pm. By 8:45pm we went up to the kitchen to see if there was a problem, to be told it was nearly ready. It finally arrived at 9:30pm, stone cold. It’s also a long-ish walk in the dark to the nearest restaurants if you wanted to eat elsewhere.

We decided to cancel our second night and stay elsewhere on the island (Sol y Luna Lodge - half the price, much better food and location, equally good view). The staff were decent in that they accepted it wasn’t acceptable, discounted our night, and didn’t charge us for the meal or wine. But still when you’re charging premium prices, it’s just not acceptable. Which is why I leave this review - I think this place has the potential to be really special, but they need to pay a lot more attention to the details of the accommodation, and...

“Best view on Isla del Sol!”

My boyfriend and I stayed 2 nights at K'arasirca and it was amazing! First, the views from both our cabin and the main house were incredible. It's an unobstructed view of the lake with the snow-capped Andes in the background. You can lie in bed and watch the sun rise over the Andes. We hiked around the entire island and while there are other wonderful-looking places on the island, it looked like this one had the best view.

Second, the location is perfect. It's about a 30-minute walk from the port at Yumani. The walk itself is beautiful and it means you're out of the "bustle" of Yumani. The place is very peaceful with just the sounds of the llamas and mules and a few chickens. I recommend having a mule take any big bags or suitcases though. It's only 25 Bolivianos and I was very happy to just enjoy the walk without my big backpack.

Third, the cabin was really cute and perfect for a couple. There is a portable heater if it gets cold. The shower was hot. And the cabin was charming and plenty spacious for us and our things.

Finally, the service here was fantastic. Ramiro went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, happy, and having a great time. He showed us a mirador to watch the sunset, which was amazing. He made recommendations for things to do and showed us where to hike. And he arranged a private boat to bring us back to a dock closer to the lodge after we spent the day hiking around the island. You will not be disappointed with K'arasirca. Our stay there was perfect and I can't...