Why You Should go to Lake Titicaca

Puno and Lake Titicaca, Peru
by Jared Johnsen

I could tell you that it rests at 3,856 meters above sea level. I could tell you that it forms the natural border between a part of Peru and Bolivia. I could even recite its geography class claim-to-fame – the world’s highest navigable lake. And still, none of these things can begin to describe the radiant blue-hue of Lake Titicaca as it first appears in the distance as a giant body of gas out of the high and dry altiplano. None of them can explain how the thin air at this altitude gives the water a luminescence like sapphire, and the civilizations that dwell on its isles a surreal, almost mythological quality. Indeed, Incan myths involving this lake abound. Most sacred is the belief that both their creator deity Viracocha and the children of the sun god emerged from the depths of its waters to form their most important civilization in Cusco.

The main town in Peru from which to visit the lake and surrounding area is Puno. While this is not a particularly attractive town, its student population and celebratory festivals give life to Puno and it’s not a bad place to buy alpaca handcrafts or souvenirs either. There are plenty of places to stay as well as western food restaurants that cater to the homesick-hungry tourists on the main strip. If you have an extra day, a side-trip of 30 kilometers to the pre-Columbian funeral towers at Sillustani is a worthwhile visit. Your main reason for coming to Puno, however, will be to book a tour to the islands on the lake or plan your transport for an independent journey into the sacred body of water. If you’re going on a tour you can book this in town. If not, I recommend hiring your vessel from the shore and paying directly to el capitán.

The Islands
The main three islands visited from the Peruvian side of the lake are Los Uros, Taquile, and Amantaní. Los Uros touristy nature is well known, but worth a visit because it allows you a chance to witness the innovative, if ephemeral, way of life of the Uro people. These people migrated to this area from the jungle around 800 years ago and found the lakeshores occupied by pre-Incan cultures. As the legend goes, they were forced to live on the water where they built their “floating islands” that are actually made from totora reeds and last for up to ten years before rotting out. Needless to say, they have a very dynamic history of resilience that remains visible in their continued way of life on water. The unfortunate consequence our fascination with them has given rise to visits to some islands, which seem to function mainly as open-air souvenir markets.

A visit to Taquile, a more distant island, will bring you into contact with some of the most brilliantly clad Aymaran people in Peru. Famous for their textile tradition, they have special dress for weddings, festivals, work, and leisure. The most notable feature of their vestment is on the men, who wear chullos. These conical hats vary in color according to marital status and are knit only by the men themselves. At the age of ten, many boys can be seen knitting their own. In addition, these hats often hold coca leaves in their excess space at the tip and when two villagers pass each other, it is a common courtesy to exchange a pinch of coca leaves as a greeting. There are plenty of families on the island you can make arrangements to stay with and a night on Taquile is necessary to fully take in their fascinating culture.

The farthest island from Puno that most visitors set foot on is Amantaní. Many say the people on this island are friendlier than those on Taquile and it has less tourists (many 1-day tours visit the first two islands but not this one). But I would still say this island should never be visited to the exclusion of either of the other two. Six villages dot this small island and there are ruins on both sides the two peaks, Pacha Mama and Pacha Tata. Like the people on Taquile, the locals knit amazing textiles, which can be purchased in El Pueblo. They are relatively expensive by rural standards, but of excellent quality. Traditional dances can be seen here and accommodation is an option as well. I would spend the night either here or on Taquile if you have the time.

There are a great number of villages on the western shores of Lake Titicaca (and more remote eastern shores) that are reachable by public transit from Puno. You can also reach outlying islands not mentioned here from boats leaving the dock in Puno if you are after a more isolated experience. But my suggestion is that you venture over to Bolivian waters to the scenic town of Copacabana. From there you can visit Isla del Sol, perhaps the most important island to the Incan. It is believed that this island is where their creator deity and son god gave rise to their civilization. It is not far from Puno, and hopefully, it is the beginning of your next adventure.