You will visit the floating islands of Los Uros, the indigenous settlement on Taquile Island and the Incan ruins at Sillustani. This was the birthplace of the Incan Empire and a land rich in cultural treasures and friendly people.

ALTITUDE
Capital: Puno (3827 m / 12,553 ft)
Lowest point:820 m / 2690 ft (Lanlacuni Bajo)
Highest point: 4725 m / 15,498 ft (San Antonio de Esquilache)

CLIMATE 
The city of Puno is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, and its climate is cold and semi-dry. The rainy season starts in October and ends in April. The annual average maximum temperature is 14ºC (58ºF) and the minimum is 3ºC (37ºF).

DESTINATIONS
 

Titicaca National Reserve This Protected Natural Area was created in 1978 in order to preserve the natural resources characteristic of Lake Titicaca and the highland ecosystem. It covers an area of 36,180 hectares. In the reserve, dozens of birds, fish, and amphibious species have been registered like flamingos or parihuanas, Andean geese, seagulls, Titicaca grebes, chullumpis, and Andean lapwings as well as numerous endangered species. You will find twelve varieties of aquatic plants representative of the lake flora, the most remarkable being the totora reeds and algae.	© Candis Waugh Lake Titicaca from the Casa Andina Private Collection
Lake Titicaca 10 blocks from the Main Square This lake is very important in Andean mythology since, according to legend, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, children of the sun god (Inti) and founders of the Inca Empire, emerged from its waters. Peru and Bolivia share sovereignty over this navigable lake, the highest in the world (3810 m / 12,497 ft). It covers an area of 8559 km2 (3305 square miles), a maximum depth of 283 meters (928 feet)and the average water temperature varies from October to May between 9ºC (48ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF) and from June to September between -7ºC (19ºF) and -10ºC (14ºF). Moreover, the lake tempers the area since without its presence, there would not be life at that altitude. On the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, there are several islands; the natural islands include Amantani, Taquile, Soto, and Anapia, and the artificial islands are the ones that the Uros people have built, each one offering different attractions. Along the shores of the lake, totora reeds grow where different birds and fish like the carachis, ispis, bogas, umantos, suches (an endanger specie), silverfish, and trout call home. All these species are native of the area and are prized for their high nutritional value.	© Candis Waugh Reed Boat on Lake Titicaca
Floating Islands of the Uros 5 km / 3 miles west of the Puno harbor (20 minutes by boat) The Uros Islands (3810 m / 12,497 ft) number around 20 and are located in the Bay of Puno. Three to ten Uro-Aymaras families live on each one. They roof their houses with totora reed carpets, although some families have replaced their traditional roofs by metal ones. The largest Islands are Tupiri, Santa María, Tribuna, Toranipata, Chumi, Paraiso, Kapi, Titino, Tinajero, and Negrone. The Uros call themselves Kotsuña, “the lake people”, and their origins go back to eras before the Incas. They hunt wild birds and maintain traditional fishing methods, especially those used for the carachi and the silverfish. The men are skillful handlers of the totora reed boats, and the women are expert knitters. The characteristic cold and dry weather of the region is tempered in this area thanks to the constantly evaporating water of the large lake.	© Candis Waugh Los Uros Island
Taquile Island 35 km / 22 miles east of the Puno port (3 hours by boat) Its approximate size is of 6 km2 (2 square miles) and the altitude between the port and the town varies slightly from 3810 to 3950 m (12.497 to 12.956 ft). The maximum temperature there is 23ºC (66ºF), and the minimum is 7ºC (37ºF). Pre-Inca vestiges are found in the highest part of the island. During the Colonial period and up to the first years of the twentieth century, it was used as a political prison, until the island became property of the Taquile people in 1970. The town of the same name, Taquile, is characterized by its friendly inhabitants, who maintain their customs and traditional clothing. They distinguish themselves by their detailed, fine, and colorful textiles with symmetrical decorations and symbols that reflect their way of life, customs, and Andean beliefs.	© Candis Waugh Taquile Island
Sillustani Archeological Complex 34 km /21 miles north of Puno (35 minutes by car) This complex stands on the shore of Lake Umayo. It is famous for its chullpas, large circular fortified burial towers for the main leaders of the early villages of the Collao plateau. Some are 12 meters high (39 feet), and remarkable for their shape, thinner at the base and wider at the top. Close to the archeological complex is the site museum where different pieces from the Colla, Tiahuanuaco, and Inca cultures are preserved.

Day 1 Puno
Arrival at Juliaca airport and transfer by road to your hotel in Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca.    

Day 2 Puno (B, L)
Morning visit to the Uros Islands. These islands are made of reeds, rising six meters above the lake level. They are anchored by logs and connected to each other by ropes. The main activities of the people who live here are fishing and handcrafting several items that they sell to visitors. Continue to Taquile Island which has two essential characteristics; its geography, offering a spectacular view from its hills, and its standing as a first-rate textile center. Taquileños live on their textile activities. This can easily be seen in the men walking about in rubber sandals ('ojotas' in quechua), wearing black pants, white flannel shirts and beautiful, finely woven chumpis (belts), covering their heads with finely knitted warm 'chullos' (caps with ear flaps). Box lunch included.

Day 3 Puno (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport visiting the Chullpas or Tombs of Sillustani on route. These Tombs or Chullpas are characterized by their round and square bases, as well as the cornice on top. There are several figures and symbols on these tombs, the snake being the most representative. This symbolizes the influence of the jungle and not of the Andes.

The first truly ecological hotel in Peru has been inaugurated on Suasi Island, Lake Titicaca (47 ha. of private property).

It has been built in a private reserve and its main objective is to reveal the characteristics of the highlands and Lake Titicaca. The owners have not only considered and respected the environmental characteristics for the design of the building, but also almost all the lodge's electrical demand is covered by solar energy.

The activities you can perform on the island are: walks along paths around the island, visits to the protected areas to observe the wild flora and fauna, visits to the Andean agricultural areas and the medicinal herbs plots, trips on canoe around the island, walks on the beach.