Lake Titicaca

What It Is and Where

The western part of the lake is in Peru and the eastern part in Bolivia. Puno, a large port town, is the base on the Peruvian shore. The lake is often called the highest navigable lake in the world, and it is cold, wide and very blue.

What You Do There

• The Uros islands: islands built from layers of totora reed, most of them near Puno. About 1,200 Uros people lived on some 60 islands as of 2011. They are well set up for visitors.
• Taquile: a hilly island about 45 kilometers from Puno whose textile art is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Men and women of all ages knit and weave as part of daily life.
• Amantaní: a Quechua-speaking island of about 4,000 people where some visitors stay overnight with local families.

Altitude and When to Go

At about 3,812 meters, Titicaca is higher than Cusco. We only add it once clients have spent several days acclimatizing elsewhere in the Andes. The dry season, roughly May to September, brings clear days and very cold nights.

Getting There and How Long to Stay

Fly to Juliaca, the airport that serves Puno, or travel overland from Cusco by road or train. Two nights is enough for most trips: one full day on the lake and time to rest at altitude.

Where to Stay at Lake Titicaca

Puno has hotels on the lakeshore and in town, and there are simpler stays on the islands for travelers who want a homestay night. We do not have a Titicaca hotel page on the site yet. Tell us how you like to travel and we will suggest the right base.