Lake Titicaca Uros and Taquile Islands Speedboat Tour Puno

Lake Titicaca and the port of Puno

Lake Titicaca lies on the high plateau between Peru and Bolivia at about 3,812 metres, which makes it one of the highest navigable lakes on earth. It is the largest lake in South America by volume, and its deep blue water, framed by brown hills and distant snowy mountains, looks almost like a sea. In Andean tradition it is a sacred lake, the place where the sun and the first Inca rulers were said to have emerged.

Your Lake Titicaca day trip begins at the port of Puno, where our boat waits by the reed beds of the bay. Much of the area is protected as Titicaca National Reserve, a refuge for waterbirds such as the giant coot and the Titicaca grebe. The speedboat has comfortable seats, life jackets and a first-aid kit, and it shortens the long crossings so the day feels relaxed rather than rushed.

Uros floating islands

Just outside the bay of Puno you reach the Uros floating islands, a cluster of small man-made islands made entirely of totora reeds. The islanders cut blocks of reed roots, tie them together and pile fresh reeds on top, adding new layers every few weeks as the bottom slowly rots away. Houses, watchtowers and the graceful reed boats are made from the same plant, and the white base of the stem is even eaten as a snack.

On arrival a family welcomes you onto their island, and the guide and the islanders show with small models how an island is built and anchored. You can step into a reed house, browse the colourful embroidery and, if you wish, take a short ride on a traditional reed boat for an extra fee. Are the Uros islands worth visiting? Walking on ground that gently gives way under your feet is unforgettable.

Taquile Island and its textile art

After the Uros, the speedboat crosses the open lake to Taquile Island, a long, hilly island where Quechua-speaking families keep their traditions and run tourism together as a community. Taquile is world-famous for its textiles: in 2005 UNESCO recognised Taquile and its textile art as a masterpiece of humanity's intangible heritage. Here it is the men who knit, often while walking, and they wear the chullo hat whose colours show whether they are single or married.

Women weave the bright belts and shawls, and some belts work like a calendar, with symbols for planting, harvest and festivals. Your guide explains how to read the clothing as you meet islanders on the paths. A Taquile Island tour is also a chance to buy textiles directly from the community cooperative, where prices are fixed and the money goes to the weavers' families.

Walking the terraces of Taquile and lunch with a view

Taquile rises steeply from the water, and its slopes are covered with ancient farming terraces where islanders still grow potatoes, quinoa and beans. A stone path leads up through arched gateways to the main square, with its small church and community buildings. The walk is gentle in pace but uphill, and at this altitude you will want to take it slowly; the reward is a sweeping view over the lake to the snowy peaks of the Bolivian Andes.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant on the island, usually with a warming soup followed by a main dish such as fresh lake trout, enjoyed on a terrace overlooking the water. Afterwards there is time to rest and take photos before walking down to the jetty on the other side of the island, where the speedboat is waiting for the return to Puno.

Puno, the gateway to Lake Titicaca

Puno is the main city on the Peruvian shore of the lake and is known as the folklore capital of Peru. Its Plaza de Armas is framed by a stone cathedral with a richly carved facade, and every February the city fills with dancers and musicians for the festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria, recognised by UNESCO for its music and costumes.

How to get to Puno? Most travellers fly to Juliaca airport, about an hour away by road, or arrive by bus or the scenic Route of the Sun from Cusco. The best time to visit Lake Titicaca is the dry season from May to October, when skies are clear and blue, though nights are cold. From December to March showers are more frequent, but mornings are often bright, so the early start of this tour helps you enjoy the lake at its calmest.