Peru: Puno - Tour Uros and Taquile Islands in Fast Boat

04 Days/03 Nights     Moderate

Puno (San Carlos de Puno, November 4, 1668) is a city in southeastern Peru, capital of the department of Puno and province of Puno. Its Virgen de la Candelaria Festivity was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco on November 27, 2014. The city of Puno according to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics is the twenty-second most populated city in Peru and housed in the year 2017 a population of approximately 135,288 inhabitants.3 Its extension extends from the center of Uros Chulluni to the northeast, the urban area from the district of Paucarcolla to the north, the urbanization Ciudad de la Humanidad Totorani to the northwest (road to Arequipa) and extends to the town of Ichu to the south and the Mi Perú community to the southwest (road to Moquegua). The physical space is comprised from the west shore of Lake Titicaca, in the inner bay of Puno (formerly Paucarcolla), on a slightly undulating surface (the central part), surrounded by hills. The upper part of the city has a semi-flat surface (Comunidad Mi Perú, Yanamayo). Oscillating between 3810 to 4050 masl (between the shores of the lake and the highest parts). Puno is one of the highest cities in Peru and the fifth in the world. It currently has an extension of 1566.64 ha, which represents 0.24% of the territory of the province of Puno.

Inside the lake Titicaca, inhabit villages of solidarity men and women who share their culture, and their ancestral traditions. The traveler has the feeling of having taken a leap in time, to relive a piece of the great story of the children of the Sun. These natives are great navigators and masters of the fabric that preserve their wisdom in the designs and decoration of their clothing and in their traditions. The island is also of great scenic value due to its location in the immensity of the lake.

This trip is very popular because of the opportunity to interact with the natives who still maintain their innocence of mind and heart, due to the very simple and quiet lifestyle they lead. The houses are very simple and cozy, all overlooking the lake, this combination of culture and nature makes this place a charm.

This excursion is recommended for travelers who regularly walk and also be respectful and in solidarity with the natives who will welcome them in their humble homes.

Why travel to Uros and Taquile in Speedboat?

Traveling by speedboat to the fascinating Lake Titicaca’s islands will be really worth if you are a very busy person.
Traveling by speedboat means less travel time in order to have longer visits in the floating islands of Uros and Taquile.
In addition, you will have more time for walking to the plaza or local restaurant in Taquile.

The floating islands of the Uros are a set of artificial habitable surfaces constructed of totora, an aquatic plant that grows on the surface of Lake Titicaca. The islands stand on a portion of the surface of Lake Titicaca, overlap with blocks of Totora roots on which are laid successive layers of woven totora or interlaced in mats. Its inhabitants, the Uros, are an ancestral town that is currently concentrated on the Collao plateau and in Peru on the floating islands located in the bay of Puno. Its subsistence is based on the ancestral culture linked to the lake, based on the multiple uses given to the totora that flows from the bottom and the fishing. The construction of these islands is made by weaving the totora in the areas where it grows densest, forming a natural layer which the uros call khili; on this layer they build their houses, also of a mesh woven of totora to which they denominate "mat". Each house is composed of only one room. They cook outdoors to prevent fires. In Peru there are more than 20 islands of the uro chulluni ethnic group. The number of families occupying an island is variable, but in general it ranges from three to ten. Between the main islands, they emphasize: Tupiri, Santa Maria, Tribune, Toranipata, Chumi, Paradise, Kapi, Titino, Tinajero, Sun and Moon, and Negrone.

Taquile (Spanish: Island of Taquile, pronounced [izla ðe takile]; Quechua: Intika) is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca 45 km offshore from the city of Puno. About 2,200 people live on the island, which is 5.5 by 1.6 kilometers (3.4 by 1.0 mile) in size (maximum measurements), with an area of 5.72 km2 (2.21 sq mi). The highest point of the island is 4,050 meters (13,287 feet) above sea level and the main village is at 3,950 meters (12,959 feet). The inhabitants, known as Taquileños, speak Puno Quechua.

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