The Best Things To Do in Lake Titicaca, Peru
Planning a trip to the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca and don’t know what to do? Keep reading for what to do in Puno and Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca, as hilarious as it is to say, is a place of mystery, mythology and the mystic. It’s a deeply spiritual and cultural place, holding significance to the Incas, Uros and Aymara people as well as the civilizations before them.
It’s one of the highest, deepest and largest lakes in the world sitting at 3,800m above sea level and it’s definitely one of the most beautiful. You can expect beautiful scenery, deep cultural experiences, crystal clear waters, homestay experiences, local food and a chance to really learn about the history and folklore of this area.
Lake Titicaca has an extremely rich cultural history that goes back four millennia. For almost all the civilisations that have inhabited this area, it holds significant meaning. It is considered to be the birthplace of the Incas and it’s also believed that the first Incan King was born there. Incan mythology believes that this lake is the centre of all creation.
GETTING AROUND
There are many places to base yourself around Lake Titicaca and Puno seems to be the most interesting and most accessible option if you aren’t heading to Bolivia. While not the prettiest of Peruvian cities by miles, it does have it’s photogenic corners and its the easiest place to organise onward travel and lake boat trips which are a must-do.
You can book all your boat trips from the pier in Puno, so I would recommend heading down there as soon as possible to check out the departure times. While you can try to talk to a local and rent out a boat privately to do your own itinerary – I would advise for doing this for some places but not for others. You may know that I’m not a fan of doing organised tours but unfortunately, this is one of the places where not going on a large tour isn’t really an option unless you make friends with a boat-owning local.
WHERE TO STAY
Tierra Viva Puno Plaza This plush 3-star hotel has all the mod-cons. Clean, modern rooms, a very good hearty breakfast and lovely touches of Andean decoration all around. Book it here.
Bothy Backpacker Hostel This hostel is a great, budget option in the centre of Puno. Their rooms and dorms are simple and they have all the facilities you need for a comfortable stay. It’s locally run by a lovely family that go out of their way to accommodate all your needs. Book it here.
THINGS TO DO IN LAKE TITICACA
VISIT AMANTANÍ & TAQUILE
For me, this visit was the highlight of my trip and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a deep, cultural experience. Located a 2-hour boat ride from Puno these two islands can be visited by an organised tour on an overnight homestay experience. You can reserve this from a number of agents at the pier in Puno. While you get on a boat with many other people, on arrival at Amantaní, our large group got split up into smaller groups and each group was assigned to a homestay. The island homestays get continuously rotated to ensure even distribution and income for all locals. Our accommodation was very simple but comfortable and the bathrooms are shared.
During the afternoon you can explore the island entirely on foot, enjoy the silence (no motorised traffic here), watch the Aymara people go about their daily lives in the main square, climb two peaks and stare out over the lake. I highly recommend hiking to the top of Pachamama, the islands highest point and watching the sunset over the lake.
The next day, the same boat takes you to Taquile for a few hours before going back to Puno. While Taquile was a lovely island with lots of beautiful stone buildings and churches it was very touristy. All the tourist boats seem to be there at one time of the day and it was quite busy. I’d recommend going for a hike around the island if time permits.
UROS FLOATING VILLAGES
A trip to the floating village is definitely one of the most popular things to do in Lake Titicaca. Seeing these magnificent floating villages is definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Home to the unique and fascinating Uros people, these islands are constructed of Totora reeds, their roots are woven tightly to form giant platforms which float on the water’s surface. Even the houses are constructed of the same reeds.
Upon arrival, you’re greeted by the colourfully dressed locals and your guide takes you around explaining many facts about the islands. While seeing this highly unusual and fascinating way of life, I personally didn’t like the tour. I was put into an awkward situation and almost felt pushed into