Lake Titicaca Half Day (Uros)
Puno
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, at over 3,800 meters above sea level! Take a trip from the port of Puno and naviga...
$21 | Rating 4.75 / 5 [8 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Bucket list experience:
Lake Titicaca
Puno Region, Peru
Last updated: 15 November, 2022
Straddling the borders of Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca is South America’s largest lake by water volume. According to Andean lore, the lake was venerated as the birthplace of the Sun God; located at a staggering 3,830m above sea level, it’s not hard to see why it would inspire such beliefs – and the sunsets are glorious.
The lake is also the cradle of the Incas and the ancient Tiwanaku Empire: archaeological sites litter its shores.
The Uros People
The waters of the lake are dotted with artificial floating islands made of reeds by the Uros people, using pre-Inca methods.
The floating Uros Islands are made from tightly-packed bundles of totora reeds, a giant bulrush segde that is native to South America. The islands were originally built for defence, allowing the settlement to be moved if threatened, and the largest still has a watchtower. The largest islands house about ten families, the smaller ones only two or three.
Although tourism has had an impact, the Uros people still follow many of their traditions, including wearing traditional costume. Their ways of life have little-changed in millennia.
A number of companies arrange kayaking excursions to the islands as part of a tour. These generally include a homestay with a local family, which gives a wonderful insight into Andean life.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Price from: £3
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 5+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Daily flights from Lima, Arequipa and Cuzco land in Juliaca, to the northwest of the lake. Alternatively, PeruRail runs a luxury train service from Cuzco (10 hours) that includes lunch and a pit-stop at Raya, the highest point on the route.
From Puno, travellers often transfer to lodges on the outskirts of the bustling, colonial-era city on the northwest shore. This is a good base for day trips to Taquile island, an ancient agricultural centre with ruins, as well as the Uros floating islands – the Uros islands are 5km west of Punos.
Note – this area is extraordinarily high and altitude sickness can be a problem. Spend the first day completely relaxing.
When to do it
The lake lies amid the frigid Andean altiplano. The peak of the dry season, from June to August, is the sunniest time for outings. Visitors arrive all year round, but the rainiest months (December-March) can be cold and wet.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Lake Titicaca (Half Day) - Uros Island
Puno
Seize the opportunity to visit the incredible and unique Uros Islands, which sit floating on magnificent Lake Titicaca, the highest navigabl...
$26 | Rating 4.27 / 5 [18 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Lake Titicaca (Day Trip) Uros & Taquile Islands
Puno
The shimmering blue waters of Lake Titicaca are home to the famous, man-made Floating Islands of Uros. These islands and their dwellings, wh...
$51 | Rating 4.78 / 5 [128 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Lake Titicaca (Overnight)
Puno
One of the world’s highest expanses of water, Lake Titicaca straddles the border between Peru and Bolivia—with a history of habitation by th...
$64 | Rating 4.66 / 5 [12 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Peru
Peru
A land of spectacular deserts, high mountains and rainforests that teem with wildlife, Peru is also home to an array of dramatically situated pre-Colombian ruins, including Machu Picchu.
Website >
Overview >Round-ups that include this experience
55 Breathtaking natural wonders of the world
Multiple countries
Former travel editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine James Fair round-ups the earth’s greatest natural wonders, which will literally take your breath away.
Website >
Overview >