Lake Titicaca is one of the most beautiful and impressive places on the planet, where ancient civilizations such as the Inca and Tiahuanaco developed both within the lake and along its shores.

The communities that today live on these islands not only preserve many of the ancestral customs and traditions, but also, as a result of the Christianization of the area during the colonial period, these traditions acquired a new nuance that makes each of these towns a new universe full of knowledge and traditions.

In this post, we will talk about the three destinations that you cannot miss if you are planning a vacation around the largest navigable lake in the world, Titicaca.

1. Floating Islands of the Uros:

The Uros are an Aymara-speaking community that live on the waters of the largest lake in the world, Lake Titicaca. They are organized into small villages built from a floating reed called Totora.

They are one of the many ancestral communities of Peru. In fact, their language, Aymara, has been spoken for more than 5,000 years and was one of the official languages within the Inca Empire and the Spanish Viceroyalty.

Month after month, the Uros work collectively on each of these islands. They go out in their totora reed boats and row for about 2 to 3 hours to obtain the reeds they need to build their islands, which they weave together and gradually replace. In the same way, their houses are built from the same material.

Today, their economy depends on tourism, fishing and the sale of handicrafts. Since the 1990s, the government has been providing them with a series of support and training programs, including the construction of schools for their children, as well as solar panels with which they can improve their quality of life.

2. Taquile Island:

Taquile is a land island inhabited by around 300 families, where the Aymara language is predominantly spoken.

3. Amantaní Island:

Amantaní is a land island in the middle of Lake Titicaca, inhabited by 100 families, 50% of whom depend directly on the tourism that reaches their land.

They have prepared rooms in their homes so that tourists can experience their way of life. Here you can share their food, traditions, etc. Imagine sleeping at 3,900 meters above sea level in the middle of an island surrounded by a prehistoric lake; it is simply a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

FAQ

4. How to get to Lake Titicaca?:

There are two ways to get to Lake Titicaca. One of them is by taking a flight to Juliaca Airport, which is one hour by taxi from the city and the only port of access to Lake Titicaca, Puno.

The other way to access it is by land and it can be done from 4 different points. From a tourism perspective, traveling by bus from Cusco is the most practical option since Machu Picchu is located in this department. The other department of tourist importance is Arequipa, since the famous Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, is located here.

The two departments mentioned above are the most practical access routes and the ones that will serve you best if you plan to visit Lake Titicaca. On the other hand, there is also access through the department of Moquegua, which is in full tourism development and would be more of a transit point for tourists entering Peru through Chile who want to save some costs on transportation.

The fourth and final access point to Lake Titicaca is through the neighboring country of Bolivia. Since we share the lake with this country, Titicaca is undoubtedly a must-see destination if you travel to either of these two countries.

5. Where is Lake Titicaca located and what should you know about it?:

Lake Titicaca is located in the Andes of South America, and ownership of it is shared by Peru and Bolivia, with 55% of the area belonging to Peru and the remaining 45% to Bolivia.

It is important to highlight, dear reader, that before the wars of independence, Peru and Bolivia were a single territory, to the point that in history books, Bolivia appears as former Upper Peru, which is why the cultural similarity between the southern part of Peru and the country of Bolivia may seem interesting to you.

The elevation at which Lake Titicaca is located is 3,900 meters above sea level, where it may be a little difficult for you to breathe and you may even feel short of breath, which is why we always recommend acclimatizing in other cities such as Cusco or Arequipa.

6. Type of clothing you need to bring for your trip:

Since Lake Titicaca and, consequently, the previously mentioned islands of the Uros, Taquile and Amantany are located at 3,900 meters above sea level in a geographical area known as the high plateau (high and flat), the winds that blow through the area are freezing. For this reason, no matter what month you travel, you should dress warmly; otherwise, you will not be able to fully enjoy your vacation in this part of Peru.

The clothing and items we recommend you bring are:

• Jacket.
• Sweater.
• Windbreaker jacket.
• Rain jacket.
• Warm or wool pants; in the case of women, leggings.
• Hat.
• Sunscreen.
• Water.
• Always carry a small backpack.
• Always carry cash, since Titicaca does not have many businesses that accept cards.
• Personal medications.

7. Conclusions:

There is nothing like arriving at an amazing destination and being prepared for any weather conditions that may arise, as well as stepping out of your own comfort zone and learning how these wonderful people adapted their way of life and created an entire ancient culture with unique knowledge to appreciate.

Thank you for reading this post. 😇