Lake Titicaca Tours (from Puno, Peru)PUNO is at 3855 meters above sea level, it is the major port on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world and the largest in the world over 2000 meters. Puno is in between Cusco and La Paz, Bolivia, so it is convenient place to explore.
Puno has a fine main square and beautiful Cathedral built in 1657, the market is always interesting- full of Indians, especially women behind piles of potatoes, fruits and woolen clothes. Puno is also famous for its folk dances, the most colourful found in the Peruvian highlands. From here we can go to Cusco by train or airplane and to Bolivia through Copacabana or Desaguadero. Via Copacabana it is easier and one can even spend the night there in order to visit the Sun island.
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Puno is widely considered the folklore capital of Peru, mostly because of Puno Week. This full week in November involves a huge procession from Lake Titicaca into the town and commemorates the legend of the first Inca emperor. After the parade the event explodes into nights of dancing and music. Also in Puno, travelers should experience Virgen de la Candelaria, a two-week folk religious festival that bursts with music, dance and costume pageantry. It begins February 2.
Puno and Titicaca Islands
DAY 1 | CUSCO - PUNO Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the bus station to start your journey through the impressive landscape of the Andes to Puno. Your first stop of the day is in Andahuaylillas, a town located around 40 kilometres away from Cusco. The main attraction here is the local Church, known as the “Sistine Chapel of America” owing to the high quality of art found inside. Continue the journey to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, a striking rectangular structure measuring 30 metres wide and 20 metres high. Lunch will be taken in the town of Sicuani before you head to La Raya, the highest point of the trip between Puno and Cusco, at the dizzying altitude of 4,313 metres above sea level. The next stop is the town of Pucara, the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. Visit some of the monoliths from the town’s pre-Inca site at the Pucara Lithic Museum before completing the final part of the journey to Puno. Once in the city, a representative will check you in to your hotel.
DAY 2 | PUNO / LAKE TITICACA: UROS AND TAQUILE After breakfast at the hotel, travel to the port of Puno where a boat will be waiting to take you to the beautiful Uros Islands. The Uros are an indigenous people of Peru that live on a series of human-made islands, created entirely from the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are composed of layers of woven totora, which are regularly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom. The Uros people also use reeds to construct their homes, so cooking is done outdoors to avoid possible fires! After visiting this fascinating island, sail to Taquile, a small slice of heaven that once belonged to the Inca Empire. Look around and notice traces of its Incan past in the ruins that still exist around the island. After a brief introduction, the local community will give you an insight into their customs and traditions with a cultural demonstration. Lunch is enjoyed on the island before the return trip to Puno.
DAY 3 | DEPARTURE PUNO During the morning, you will be transferred to Puno’s airport for your departure flight.
END OF THE SERVICES INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
2025 Price per person in US$ with group day tours: (ask for child rates)
List of Hotels |
Try the All-inclusive Titilaka HotelSILLUSTANI
Located between Puno and Juliaca (45 minutes from either of them, Sillustani sits on a small hilltop overlooking Lake Umayo. The lake has a good variety of plants and water birds like the Giant Andean Coot, the whitetufted and Silvery Grebes, the Puna Ibis, the Andean Goose, the black crowned Night-Heron, the Speckled and Puna Teals, the Yellow-billed Pintail, the Andean Gull and others. Most of funerary towers called CHULLPAS date from the Inca occupation in the 15th century, but there are burial towers of the Aymara-speaking Colla culture, as well as from the Pukara and Tiwanaku cultures. There are about 100 of these towers and the engineering involved in their construction is more complex than anything that Incas built. The more important people were buried in the towers, while lesser people were buried in similarly-shaped areas below ground. See the quarry that the rocks came from and also the rocks that were ready to be placed, until the Spanish came and construction stopped. There is also a small island in the lake that is a reserve and has herds of llamas, alpacas, etc. This makes for a very interesting side trip on the way to or from the airport in Juliaca (gateway to Puno) UROS FLOATING ISLANDS Visit the native communities of Uros located on a man-made floating island in Lake Titicaca, The Uros people live totally interwoven with the TOTORA reed which grows abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are constructed from many layers of reeds which rot away from the bottom and are replaced at the top. The Uros build canoe-like boats that are used for transportation and fishing. Canoe rides from one island to another are available (but be prepared to pay). TAQUILE ISLAND The most fascinating island in the lake is 45km from Puno. It is about seven km long and one km wide and has several hills with Inca terracing. The scenery of the islands is beautiful. The soil is a deep earthy red colour which in the strong highland sunlight, contrasts magnificently against the intense blue of the lake. The backdrop of the snowcapped Cordillera Real on the far side completes a spendid picture. The people wear colourful traditional clothes which they make themselves, they speak Quechua rather than the Aymara language of most Titicaca Indians, maintain a strong air of group individuality and don't often marry with non Taquile people. The island is very peaceful, the men always seems to be walking around the island knitting the woven woollen caps which they wear constantly, the women weave the tradional clothes which are mong the best in Peru. We highly recomend to spend one night in the island. A day tour return is not recommended if you want to see the island fully. AMANTANI ISLAND It is very beautiful and peaceful island like TAQUILE but bigger, has 6 villages and ruins on both of the island peaks, Pachatata and Pachamama. From there are excellent views of the lake; there are temples and on the shore and there is a throne carved out of stone. The Quechua-speaking Indians make beautiful textiles. Because it is further away from Puno, it is less often visited by tourists. We highly recomend to spend one night in the island. A day tour return is not recommended if you want to see the island fully. Looking for a little adventure? |