Lago Titicaca Travel Guide

  A TYPICAL REED BOAT ON LAKE TITICACA
by DennyP
 
  • A TYPICAL REED BOAT ON LAKE TITICACA
      A TYPICAL REED BOAT ON LAKE TITICACA
    by DennyP
  • FLOATING ISLAND
      FLOATING ISLAND
    by davidjo
  • boat to floating islands
      boat to floating islands
    by davidjo
  • UROS INDIANS ON THEIR BOATS
      UROS INDIANS ON THEIR BOATS
    by davidjo
  • GATHERING REEDS ON THE LAKE
      GATHERING REEDS ON THE LAKE
    by DennyP
 

Pro

epicult profile photo

 Amazing people, facinating lifestyle 


Con

Elisabcn profile photo

 I missed Tiawanako! (and I am still crying about it) 


In a nutshell

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 Breathtaking! 

 

Explore Lago Titicaca

Things to Do  

UROS INDIANS

UROS INDIANS, Lago Titicaca

 davidjo Says:  No trip to Peru or Bolivia is complete without a trip to the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. We visited an island where the Uros Indians live and we were able to observe their way of life. The lake is the largest in South America at over 8,000 sq, kms, and it's also the... 

VISITING AN ISLAND OR TWO ON THE LAKE!!

VISITING AN ISLAND OR TWO ON THE LAKE!!, Lago Titicaca

 DennyP Says:  LAKE TITICACA You know are good thing to do when going out on Lake Titicaca and you plan to visit an island or two.!!. Take some fruit with you for the children!!..The diet that the locals have living out on their Islands doesn't include any fruit from what I was lead to... 

Uros Floating Islands

Uros Floating Islands, Lago Titicaca

 GrumpyDiver Says:  The Uros are a pre-Incan culture that lives on floating island on Lake Titicaca, not far from Puno, Peru.Several of these islands are visited by tourists. The reeds that make up the islands are anchored to the bottom of the lake and must be continuously replaced as they... 

Sillustani

Sillustani, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  Sillustani was an interesting excursion at only 34 kilometres from Puno. Situated by the Umayo lagoon, this scenic place was a sacred cemetery built by Kollas. Kolla Kingdom was an Aymara kingdom that occupied Titicaca’s shores from 1200 until 1450, when the Inca Pachacutec... 

Uros Islands (part two)

Uros Islands (part two), Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  On the second island that we visited there was a wedding celebration. Again it was weird to land there in the middle of a private ceremony. Bride and groom (Wilber and Deliana) assisted to some traditional dances in their honour sitting on two plastic chairs under their... 

Uros Islands

Uros Islands, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  Uros Islands are an ensemble of 9 artificial islands made of totora, a kind of reed that grows in the area (picture 1). Totora is used not only to build the island itself but also to build the houses and local boats. It is a strange feeling to walk on these islands, the soil... 

Puno

Puno, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  Puno was our base camp to explore the Peruvian side of Titicaca Lake. From Puno’s port we visited Uros Islands by boat on a half day trip. I did not have a good impression about this dusty city with many unfinished houses on the way to the port so I did not waste my time... 

Isla de la Luna

Isla de la Luna, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  The following day we did not want to go back to Copacabana without visiting the Moon Island. Less frequented by tourists than its sister, this small island -0,76x2,80km- deserves a short stop to visit the Palacio de las Vírgenes del Sol (Sun Virgins Palace). This temple was... 

Hiking on Isla del Sol

Hiking on Isla del Sol, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  Isla del Sol is a hilly island. When you arrive by ship there is a steep walk that takes you to the main archaeological site in the north of the island, Challapampa. Usually people stay there visiting the remains of the labyrinth, the sacred table for sacrifices and the... 

Isla del Sol

Isla del Sol, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  This is the biggest island on the lake and it is considered the birthplace of the first Incas (kings of Inca people) Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo. The Sacred Rock and other archaeological remains still testify today about this sacred past. Nowadays this island is basically... 

Copacabana

Copacabana, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  Copacabana is a quiet city on the Titicaca’s Bolivian shore and we use it as a base camp to explore this side of the lake. Copacabana seems to be also a pilgrimage centre to venerate la Virgen de Copacabana and its basilica, a nice colonial architecture, deserves a visit.... 

Crossing the border

Crossing the border, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  We had not planned to go to Bolivia but once we were in Puno the border was so close that we could not resist the temptation to cross it! And it would have been a pity to explore only one side of the Titicaca Lake, especially when the history of the Incas begins in Islas del... 

Restaurants  

Truchitas

Truchitas, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  On Isla del Sol there are no restaurants but some local people can cook something for you for few coins. The menu is very restricted: grilled truchitas (just fished trout) with some salt and potatoes. By that time fish in general was not on my daily menu but on Isla del Sol... 

WHAT WE ATE IN TAQUILE: WHAT WE ATE IN TAQUILE

WHAT WE ATE IN TAQUILE: WHAT WE ATE IN TAQUILE, Lago Titicaca

 RudoElCojonudo Says:  He had a nice lunch in Taquile, near the 'main square' while the local customs about the dressing where explained to us.This meal wasn´t included in the price. It was 12 soles per person, about 3€.- Vegetable soup.- Trout with rice and chips.- Coffe or coca infusions. 

Nightlife  

A beautiful night
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3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Elisabcn 617 reviews

During my first night in Copacabana someone asked me to close my eyes and took me from my room to the shorelake. I did not know the purpose of "that game" but when I was allowed to open my eyes again I saw the most beautiful night show: Titicaca Lake’s night sky is still a dazzling dome of stars, an incredible dome of stars. I had never seen something like this before.
Look for the Cruz del Sur (Southern Cross): it is the constellation used in the Southern Hemisphere to get easily oriented.

This night under the stars was one of the highlights of my Perú-Bolivia trip.

Updated Mar 6, 2011

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Transportation  

Puno, Peru to Copacabana, Bolivia by bus

Puno, Peru to Copacabana, Bolivia by bus, Lago Titicaca

 kiwigal_1 Says:  After exploring the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca we decided to travel to Isla del Sol on the Bolivian side. We purchased bus tickets in Puno from Cusi Travel. They had forgotten to book our taxi transfer to the bus terminal so I went to their office and the owner flagged a... 

Shopping  

MERCADO DE TAQUILE: MERCADO DE TAQUILE

MERCADO DE TAQUILE: MERCADO DE TAQUILE, Lago Titicaca

 RudoElCojonudo Says:  Taquilians were considered the best weavers in the Inca Empire. It's common seeing men and women weaving in the streets while they walk.There is a two floor handcraft market in the main square where you can buy from tipical perubian hats to skits, most of them made of alpaca... 

Local Customs  

Totora boats

Totora boats, Lago Titicaca

 Elisabcn Says:  These boats are made of totora –the plant used to build the Uros islands and its houses- and were the main mains of transport of Uros people in the past. These boats have different shapes and sizes. The most simple boat is like a canoe (picture 1) and it is still used by... 

Amantani Traditional Costume

Amantani Traditional Costume, Lago Titicaca

 kiwigal_1 Says:  The women of Amantani dress in skirts with bright colours (usually pink or bright green) underneath. They wear an embroidered blouse and a beautifully embroidered black headscarf. Fiona and I had the pleasure of dressing up in the costume as you can see in the picture... not... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Acclimate yourself

Acclimate yourself, Lago Titicaca

 LizSitka Says:  If you aren't acclimated to the altitude Lake Titicaca is going to be dismal. It's really high; I spent two days in bed with a massive headache even with coca tea before I gave up and sought lower altitudes. 

Comments

Map of Lago Titicaca