Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a massive Andean lake bordering both Peru and Bolivia. It’s culturally significant for its floating village, terraced agricultural islands, colorful handmade textiles and dishes made from lake fish. We spent three full days on the lake, exploring both the Peruvian and Bolivian shores.
The Uros Islands, Peru
The Uros Islands are a series of floating islands on Lake Titicaca made from buoyant mud bricks and totora, a reedlike grass that grows in the shallows and marshes of the lake.
The Totora
The totora is invaluable to the Uro people. It’s grown, harvested and dried then woven into blankets and bundles for use. It’s used to make everything from the floating islands themselves, to the houses people inhabit, the benches people sit on, the boats they navigate with and even hats, umbrellas and sculptures.
Everything made from the totora needs to be maintained. Each morning, we spotted boats carrying fresh cut totora to the islands. The fresh totora is layered across the surface of the islands monthly while houses, boats & sculptures are remade every two years. The islands, if maintained, can float for up to 40 years before needing to be rebuilt.
Life on the Islands
Each island houses a family with different structures used for sleeping, storage and eating. The grandparents even have a special cone shaped house that sets them apart as the elders while most others have a standard pentagon shape.
Fishing used to be the primary business for the Uro people, today it’s tourism and handicrafts. This allows them to continue their way of life and share their community with the world. They gifted us handmade necklaces, we purchased a table runner and miniature totora boat for breads and fruits.
Home Stay at Isla Jacha Challwa
We stayed with a family while visiting the Uros Islands. They named their island, Isla Jacha Challwa, which translates to giant fish. They even built a lookout tower with a giant totora fish for its design! As we explored the island, the totora crunched beneath we our feet and the entire island rocked gently as passing boats created a small wake.
The house we stayed in was covered in the dried totora and the interior was decorated with colorful woven textiles. It had a patio that opened up to the lake with lounge chairs and an outdoor bed topped with a large woven hat for shade. We napped here and watched the sunset. Book here!
Caballitos de Totora (Totora Boats)
Caballitos de totora are the traditional boats used by the Uro people. Made from totora, they’re shaped into the body of a snake with the head of a puma. The larger boats are made from two smaller ones adjoined by a wooden platform. Some even have a sculpture of a condor or the sun as decoration. Many are left natural while others are painted in a yellow protective coating. The smaller boats are hand paddled while the larger ones are tugged by a motor boat.
Touring the Uros Islands
Our host took us on a tour of the islands, a sunset boat ride, net fishing and even let us attempt to paddle the boat. He shared stories of his father and grandfather, being some of the best fishermen on the lake. The matriarch caught fish and cooked meals for us including pan fried trout from the lake and soup made from our fresh catch.
On our boat tour, we slowly passed nearly every island in the community, admiring the golden color from the thatched surfaces, the colorful textiles and unique styles of the boats. The islands are very welcoming of visitors, with home stays, small restaurants serving local cuisine and tiny shops. They have their own hospital, communal place of worship and elementary school.
Restaurant Titicaca
A popular lunch spot on the Uros Islands with traditional cuisine from Lake Titicaca. Trucha (trout) is the star of the menu. It’s prepared pan fried, deep fried or as ceviche, all with sides of Peruvian potatoes and rice. We dined in a pavilion, watching boats colorful boats pass by and enjoying the lake views.
Isla Taquile, Peru
Taquile Island is an island on Lake Titicaca fully covered in agricultural terraces and internationally recognized for the cultural significance of their textiles. We took a half day tour to the island to explore its cuisine, textiles and landscape. Taquile Island is located 1 hour 30 minute by ferry from the Uros Islands with tours departing at 10am and retuning at 4pm.
The tour was simple, stopping on the island for a local lunch of pan fried trout, quinoa bread and quinoa soap. At the same time, we learned about the textiles and hats, primarily used to differentiate relationship status and mood. This was followed by a visit to an artisanal market with colorful and handmade woven items like hats, scarves, gloves, bracelets and bags.
Continuing, we walked along the island, overlooking agricultural terraces primarily used to grow potato, quinoa and corn. We passed walls of precariously stacked stones, pinkband yellow wildflowers used to make textile dyes and cliffs with views of the expansive lake.
Copacabana, Bolivia
Copacabana is a colorful Bolivian town located on the Eastern shores of Lake Titicaca. We spent an afternoon exploring the city, paddling around the lakefront and hiking to a mountaintop overlook.
While walking through town, women are seen dressed in traditional Andean attire selling fruits and veggies, friendly stray dogs run around and sleep in the streets, backpackers arrive and depart by bus regularly and cars receive blessings while being decorated with strings of flowers and bouquets.
Around Town
Av. Costanera. A dirt road parallel to the city harbor with local food kiosks, hotels with lake front views, swan style paddle boats and companies selling tours to the nearby islands.
Av 6 de Augusto. The main road through Copacabana with hostels, cafes, bars, restaurants, money exchanges, tour operators and souvenir shops. Many restaurants offer 2x1 happy hours and have simple menus consisting of lake trout, pizza and pasta.
Al Paseo de Las Pasancallas. A market street with local vendors selling dry goods like peanuts, roasted beans, quinoa, puffed grains, popcorn and candies.
Copacabana Square / Plaza 2 de Febrero. The central town square with a red brick plaza and well manicured trees in front of the Basílica de la Virgen de Copacabana.
Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. A historic cathedral with a white painted exterior accented with Portuguese tiled moldings and bell towers.
Things to Do
Hike Cerro El Calvario. A steep hike up rocky steps to a mountaintop lookout with views of Copacabana. From the summit, the clay tiled walls, colorful tin roofs and vibrantly painted facades of buildings of the city quickly blur into the countryside. Along shore, fishing boats and tour ships are moored along throughout the crescent shaped harbor while the expansive blue lake stretches far across the horizon.
Rent A Paddle Boat. Rent a yellow duck paddle boat and float around the harbor for half an hour, looking back at the colorful city and mountains as the gentle waves rock the boat from side to side.
Where to Eat, Drink & Sleep
Hostal La Cúpula. A hotel on the hill overlooking Copacabana with dome shaped buildings and flowering gardens. We came here for lunch at their restaurant, El Condor & The Eagle Cafe, a relaxing spot with a small dining room and outdoor patio with views of the city and harbor. The menu offers sandwiches and salads.
Hostal Las Olas. A one of a kind hotel with organic shell shaped architecture, tree houses, curved walls and colored glass windows on the hill overlooking Copacabana. Though we didn’t stay here, we stopped to admire the property.
Winay Marka. A restaurant and bar with a rooftop overlooking Lake Titicaca and the harbor. A relaxing atmosphere to enjoy a cocktail with Reggae vibes and natural decor like wicker furniture, Bolivian textile cushions and totora umbrellas.
Nimbo Cafe Restaurant. A family run restaurant along Av 6 de Augusto with happy hour cocktails and a large range of pizzas.
Good to Know
The Climate. The climate is cool year round with slightly warmer temperatures during the day and freezing temperatures at night. It’s dry most of the year except for the rainy season from January to March.
Getting Here. The best way to reach the Uros Islands is by traveling to city of Puno, from either Cusco or Arequipa by bus. The best way to reach Copacabana is from Puno or La Paz by bus. We took the Peru Hop bus on our journey around Lake Titicaca.
For Next Time…
Since we only spent a day exploring the city in route to La Paz, we had little time to visit the nearby Incan Islands.
Isla del Sol. A sacred island on Lake Titicaca with dozens of Incan temple ruins, a terraced landscape and numerous home stays. The Incan’s believed the sun god originated from here.
Isla del Luna. A small island with a terraced landscape and the ruins of a temple.
