Blogs from Lake Titicaca , Puno, Peru, South America - page 42

Just spent the last few days in Lake Titicaca, on both Bolivia and Peru side. This is the largest freshwater lake and is the highest commercially navigation lake in the world, at an altitude of 3,800m. Visited the islands in the lake, Isla del Sol (Island of Sun) in Bolivia, and Isla de Los Uros (Floating Island), Isla Amantani and Isla Taquile in Peru. My favourite is definitely the Floating Island! Yes, it may have become very touristy, but it´s still very amazing for me. The islands are home of the Uros people. The islands, their homes an boats are made of reeds. They depend on weaving and fishing for living, and now of course tourism. The people are friendly and welcoming. Simply Amazing! We also stayed overnight at a family in Isla Amantani. The room ... read more

Puno town itself is nothing much special besides having many places to dine and to book tours from and the facilities to change money. It does have a beautiful asset though, that being the base to settle and leave your bags in storage for the night while heading out to the islands on Lake Titicaca. I arrived by bus from Cusco late afternoon on the 19th May and booked into a tour the following day for a 2 day, 1 night venture to the closest 3 islands to Puno. They are Isla Uros, Isla Amantani and Isla Taquile.. (not to be confused with Taquila! so the guide kept reminding us). This is the package tour that pretty much every operator can book for varying prices… 40-45 soles was the going rate.. don’t pay much more than ... read more

22 Mayo - Isla Amantani I am in a magical place, an island in Lake Titicaca. This island was entirely terraced by the Incas and is inhabited by a simple people. We just got back from a hike to one of the main hills called Pachatata, or Father Earth. The sunset was beautiful and serene. We enjoyed Andean donuts and Muna Mate for one Sole, the equivalent of about $0.30. This place has an ambience, an aura about it that is very soothing. And the ruins at the top of Pachatata, coupled with the view, has a noticeable energy to it. The most amazing thing, or at least one of the most amazing things, is that we are staying with a native family for the night. We are living their life for a day. It is ... read more

As my bus from Cuzco rolled into the town of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in all the world, I met Alina, a fellow traveler from Canada fluent in Spanish. As we compared notes on lodging, we agreed to share a taxi, and then a hostel room, and she later ended up rearranging her calender to spend an extra day with me on an overnight homestay to Taquile Island, the nearby weaving and knitting community. I was really glad, because until then, I was the only one scheduled to go on this non-touristy trip where I would stay overnight with a family that lives in a more remote side of the island, not as well traveled by outsiders. Although nearby Amantani Island had 25 people signed up for a homestay, ... read more

Lake Titicaca is 3800 m above sea level and is so massive that looking out over it you think you are looking at an ocean. We stayed in Puno on the shores of the Lake, and from there visited the floating Uros reed islands where islanders still live as their ancestors did. We also did a homestay on Amantani Island and stayed with a lovely family complete with guinea pigs running amok in the kitchen (I didnt actually get to eat one there, but have since tried one, tastes like chicken!) The islanders played football against our guys and had the added advantage of being totally used to running around at this high altitude. Even so, I think the score was 2-2. After the football we all got dressed up in traditional Amantani costume, the boys ... read more