Situated at an extraordinary 4,000 metres above sea-level, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. It is also one of the most beautiful.
Lake Titicaca is sacred to the Aymara and Quecha people who inhabit its shores and islands. To walk along the lake edge, sail its waters or stay on the islands, is to reconnect with an unchanged past. Puno is the departure town for boat trips to the floating Uros Taquile and Amantani Islands as well as Bolivia, but also for the thrilling Andean Explorer train that journeys across the altiplano to Cusco.
According to Andean folklore, Lake Titicaca is the birthplace of the sun. It is not difficult to imagine this legend, as the engulfing sun beats down from above and is reflected back from the deep blue lake. The dramatic mountains of the Cordillera Real also make for an impressive back-drop. The lake is an essential source of life for the people who inhabit its shores and islands and whose ancient cultures still thrive today, despite the passage of time and the encroachment of modernity.
Life on the Los Uros islands revolves around the Totora reed. Each island is thought to last approximately thirty years and is consistently reinforced with fresh layers of reed to keep the spongy mass dry underfoot. The reed is also harvested to construct the distinctive and often elaborate boats, and to build homes. Totora is also life-giving, providing an essential source of food, thought to be rich in iodine, in addition to being used for temperature control and medicinal purposes.
Relatively untouched for over a 1000 years, the small island of Taquile is an attractive, isolated slice of rural Peru with an almost Mediterranean feel. However, the inhabitants here uphold an unusual tradition of men knitting. Each man on the island wears a “chullo”, a knitted hat with a tail that depicts both marital status and mood. If the hat is red and white, the male will be single, but if all red, married. If the tail sits to the left he is worried; to the right, happy and to the back; he’s busy. Prowess is also judged on how tightly each stitch is knitted.
What do you really love doing? We’ll tailor your itinerary to suit you.
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Reaching the sun gate and marvelling over Machu Picchu unveiled one of the most impressive landscapes that Paul has seen in his global travels.
If your passion is the outdoors and you are looking to delve into South American culture, Roxy recommends one of the lodge-to-lodge hiking programmes to explore the Sacred Valley and beyond. Hopping between the quiet mountain towns, meet the locals that live off the grid and immerse yourself in the welcoming spirit of Peru.
Send us an enquiry
Complete our enquiry form and start your next journey.
This barren and largely inhospitable landscape is carved by the powerful Rio Colca as it snakes its path through an enormous volcanic…
Both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is one of the most…
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a fertile valley that follows the Urubamba River from Pisac in the east to Ollantaytambo…
Perched spectacularly on the flanks of El Misti, Chachani and Pichu-Pichu Volcanos and beneath the predominantly blue skies of southwestern Peru, Arequipa…
Cusco is a stunning combination of ancient Inca and colonial Spanish influences. Attractive churches, monasteries and convents are interspersed with perfectly preserved…
The city of Huaraz is known as "the Switzerland of Peru" due to the beauty of the spectacular Cordilleras Blanca and Negra…
Founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, in colonial times Lima was considered the City of Kings, and UNESCO designated it as a…
Tucked away on the southern coast of Peru and overlooked by the enormous Cerro Blanco sand dune, this sleepy town was hastily…
Northern Peru is a fascinating area of the country that very few tourists visit. It is rich and varied in terms of…
The sparsely populated Peruvian Amazon Rainforest blankets more than half of the country in northern Peru and is quite literally teeming with…
Our knowledge, curiosity and expertise set us apart, driving us to create remarkable holidays and Beautiful Adventures tailored perfectly to you, carefully curated to help protect and conserve our planet.
Are you ready to Discover Extraordinary?
