You arrive into Puno by plane, bus or train and into your hotel.
You can take a look at the Sillustani ruins or explore this bustling town before you set off on the Lake the next day.
It’s an early start and down to the bustling port of Puno.
We set off on the world’s highest navigable lake, with the first stop being the floating islands of Uros. We step off the boat and explore these fascinating islands, seeing how people live and make the islands. There is a chance to buy some of the high quality weaving and sail in one of the local’s reed boats before we set off for Amantani.
If you are staying overnight, the village elder will designate your host family for the night. You are then free to explore the trails and far reaches of this fascinating culture.
The Uros is a group of 42 floating islands just off Puno. The Uro originally created these artificial islands to escape the Inca, who dominated the mainland at the time; today they are a major tourist destination.
Around 3,000 descendants of the Uros are alive today, although only a few hundred still live on and maintain the islands; most have moved to the mainland. The islands are made of totora reeds, which grow in the lake. The dense roots that the plants develop support the islands. They are anchored with ropes attached to sticks driven into the bottom of the lake but the reeds at the bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so new reeds are added to the top to compensate.
Each island lasts about 30 years. The larger islands house about 10 families, while smaller ones, only about 30 metres wide, house only two or three.
Amantaní island – also known as the Island of the Kantuta after the national flower of Peru and Bolivia – is circular and about 9km² in size, with around 4,000 Quechua speakers living there.
It has two mountain peaks, Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth), with ancient Inca and Tiwanaku ruins on top of both. The hillsides, are terraced mostly worked by hand and planted with wheat, quinoa, potatoes, and other vegetables. Livestock, including alpacas, also graze the slopes.
Most people live in adobe houses, and many are famed for their weaving skills. There are no cars here. It can get very cold after sunset, so take lots of warm clothing and also sun cream as the sun is also very strong here.
Taquile Island is one of the most idiosyncratic and beautiful spots in all of Peru. Located some 2 1/2 hours by fast boat (4 hours in a standard boat) from Puno, it is only 4km long and on average 1km wide but supports a population of almost 2,000 Taquileños.
The island has several archaeological sites dating from the Tiahuanaco culture. But it is the culture of the people living here today that makes Taquile so interesting; a culture far removed from our own and distinct from the rest of Peru. Taquile is known for the extremely high quality of the sophisticated weaving, practised from a young age by both men and women. The islanders spin, knit and weave whenever they have a free moment in the busy agricultural calendar.
By visiting, you have an opportunity to explore the many trails leading around the island, and to experience an island lifestyle unchanged in centuries. Be prepared for intense sun and perhaps a very cold wind on the boat – take good quality sun protection and, just in case, plenty of warm clothing.
After a free morning, your boat takes you back to Puno via Taquile, arriving Puno mid-afternoon, leaving you with an evening to explore the lakeside town.
Transfer out for onward travel.
If flying out, you can visit Sillustani en route.
Sillustani is a sacred site of funerary towers 35km from Puno. Excavation work in the 1970s revealed that hunter gatherers lived here some 8,000 years ago.
From 1440, Sillustani became an important graveyard for Inca nobles. There are detailed carvings on the tower walls, many of which are unfinished. It is remote, starkly beautiful, and an easy and very worthwhile place to visit while in Puno.
We use 2-3* hotels with private bathrooms in Puno – upgrades available at extra cost.
Homestay on Lake Titicaca is basic, with some flush toilets but no showers. Rooms can be shared by 4-8 people. Beds have lots of blankets.
If staying on Uros, you stay on a floating island in a woven house – a real experience – it can be cold at night.
Lake Titicaca is a suitable destination for most ages and fitness levels. The main challenges are the high altitude (3,800m/12,467ft), daytime sun strength and the contrasting cold wind and very cold night temperatures.
Walks are generally short, although some hikes involve 30 mins to an hour of walking, so you must remain well hydrated. Lake Titicaca is a good place to acclimatise before heading to Cusco, or to visit after Cusco. You can go straight to Lake Titicaca from sea level with no previous acclimatisation, but note that this is very hard and not ideal.
Much better is to spend some time in Cusco or Colca Canyon/Arequipa beforehand, or in highland Bolivia, to become accustomed to the high altitude.
Most trips start early in the morning, around 07.00, with a break for lunch around 13.00, and finish around 16.00, with free time to explore the islands til sunet.
At the homestay, you may be invited to dinner and some music/dancing.
Almost all dietary requirements can be catered for – please ask us for more information.
Breakfasts at hotels will feature teas, coffees and juices to drink, plus cereals, fruit, eggs, toast and jams etc.
On the lake, there is a lot of fish, rice and eggs in many of the meals, as well as potatoes.
Our representative will meet you at Juliaca airport or Puno bus/train station, and take you to your hotel, giving you any vouchers you need and advising you of any changes in plan etc.
They will drop you off at the airport/station at the end of the trip.
Guides are local and by staying with a family – elected to house you by the village elder when you arrive – you are helping the community to preserve their lifestyles.
An unforgettable trekking journey through Peru’s Santa Cruz and Huayhuash ranges, featuring spectacular mountain scenery, flexibility, and expert local guidance.
A flawlessly organized Peru trekking adventure combining the solitude of the Salkantay Trail with the magic of the Inca Trail.
These trips start in Puno, from where we travel by boat to Amantani via the Uros floating reed islands.
Our local guides show you how these ancient cultures survive, matting lake reeds to make their homes and boats,
We spend the next two days visiting Taquile and Amantani, small but remote islands on the lake, the world’s highest navigable body of water.
From: $1237 per person
Duration
4 days
Peru is made up of 3 distinct geographical areas: the coast, the mountains and the jungle.
The costa or coastal region is a narrow ribbon of desert 2,250 km long, crossed by fertile river valleys flowing from the Andes. It takes up 11% of the country and holds more than 40% of the population.
The cold Humboldt current gives rise to a blanket of mist – the garua – which hangs above coastal cities like the capital Lima from May to November.
Heading east, you’re soon climbing above the garua and into the Andes. The sierra, or mountainous region, covers some 25% of Peru’s territory and contains 50% of the population. The sierra inhabitants are mainly Indigenous or Mestizo, and many still speak Quechua or Aymara.
The sierra contains dozens of 6,000-metre snow peaks and volcanoes, including Huascaran (6,768m) the highest mountain in the tropics. The deep valley basins contain most of the towns and arable land; the terracing and canal systems of the Incas and pre-Incas are often still used today.
The eastern Andes are heavily forested up to 3,350m and sweep down into the Amazon Basin.
Peru’s selva or jungle makes up almost two thirds of the country’s area, but holds only about 6% of the population: the only towns with significant populations are Iquitos and Pucallpa.
Peru is the perfect holiday destination for adventure travellers that want an amazing variety of activity, geography and cultural travel experiences.
The breadth of travel experiences in Peru is breathtaking – from trekking in the Andes to Machu Picchu to the tropical jungle of the Amazon, and plenty in between.
The people of Peru make it a special destination too, with its colourful and traditional street life and friendly locals.
Good kit is vital for every trip.
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When planning for the varied climatic conditions you will encounter across Peru, layering is the most practical and versatile clothing system.
The sun is very strong throughout the country, so good sun cream, a hat and sunglasses are vital.
It can also get very cold at night time especially in the mountains. Jumpers, fleeces and warms hats – which you can buy there – are also essential.
Give plenty of thought to kit selection, and try to keep weight down.
Below is a more detailed guide.
You can also read about the weather of Peru in our blog.
You can also read about the weather of Peru in our blog.
Peru is located in the southern tropics (latitudes 0º to 18º), but climate varies significantly according to season, altitude and region.
From May to October, Lima is often overcast, but with minimal precipitation. There are sunny spells, and it’s a fresh to pleasant 13-20ºC.
At the same time, inland areas and the north coast mid to high 20’s ºC.
November to April is generally warm and sunny and Lima enjoys warm temperature of 19-25ºC, with the coast averaging 22-30ºC.
Climate depends largely on altitude. As a rule of thumb, below 2,000m climate is mild and above 2,000m warm clothing is required for evenings, nights and early mornings.
The Andean sun is very strong.
Cusco (3,300m): Average max/min temps: 22ºC /2ºC. Average 3 or 4 wet days per month.
Arequipa (2,380m): Average max/min temps: 26ºC /9ºC. Sunny more than 340 days/year with minimal precipitation.
On highland treks: Conditions are generally dry. However, at this time of year, expect a range of conditions within a single day: cold/freezing nights at camps above 4,000m, where pre-dawn temperatures can be -5ºC; warm, spring-like mornings and afternoons; and cold evenings.
Note that mountain weather can be fickle and localised, and that precipitation is not unknown in the dry season. Expect temperatures to swing between sun and shade, sheltered and exposed ground and with altitude gain and loss. A quick-setting sun means temperatures drop fast.
In the cloud forest, e.g. around Machu Picchu, daytime conditions are generally warm or hot, and evenings cool.
Cusco: Average max/min temps: 23ºC /6ºC. Average 13 wet days per month.
Arequipa: Average max/min temps: 25ºC /14ºC.
On highland treks: Wetter conditions, with cooler days and milder nights than dry season. Jan-Mar usually the wettest months.
Year-round, weather conditions are hot and humid and there is always the risk of rain.
There is a ‘dry season’ in Tambopata and Manu between May and October. The average daytime high temperature is between 25°C and 34°C and the average nighttime low is between 16°C and 22°C. Heavy downpours typically occur every few days.
Around 80% of annual average rainfall – approx 2,000 mm in Manu and Tambopata and 1,400 mm in Iquitos – occurs in the wet season Nov-April.
On rare occasions, between May and September, cold fronts from Argentina – ‘friajes’ – can sweep into southwest Amazonia and push temperatures down to 9°C. (Friajes usually last between 1 and 3 days).
An unforgettable trekking journey through Peru’s Santa Cruz and Huayhuash ranges, featuring spectacular mountain scenery, flexibility, and expert local guidance.
A flawlessly organized Peru trekking adventure combining the solitude of the Salkantay Trail with the magic of the Inca Trail.
