Lake Titicaca

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  MV Yavari, Lake Titicaca

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  Lake Titicaca

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  Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca

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  Sunset over Lake Titicaca

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  Uros floating islands, Lake Titicaca

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  Local man, Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca

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  Puno and Lake Titicaca

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  Uros floating islands, Lake Titicaca

The highest navigable lake in the world is believed to be the birthplace of the Inca empire

The dark blue waters of Lake Titicaca are shared between Peru and Bolivia at an elevation of 3,812 metres (12,500 feet). This is a deeply spiritual place for the local people who believe that the lake gave birth to the sun and to the mother and father of the Incas.

There is certainly a mystical aura surrounding this massive body of water (which is 190 kilometres long). With floating islands, dramatic landscapes and towering tombs, the lake and its surroundings are quite magical.

Local Uros lady This is the heartland of Andean culture and Puno is Peru’s capital of folklore. While the city itself is not the most attractive place there are spectacular processions and celebrations at certain times of year.

The floating islands of the Uros people are fascinating, being constructed from the buoyant ‘totora’ reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The economy of the Uros now survives almost exclusively on the back of tourist dollars (apart from a couple of islands which are fiercely anti-tourism) but it still makes for an interesting visit.

Equally interesting – and perhaps more ‘authentic’ – is a visit to Taquile Island, which has been inhabited for thousands of years. The island has a long history of handicrafts and the men wear woven hats, which reveal not just the man’s social standing but also his mood at any time depending on the way in which it is worn.

For a completely different experience a visit to the MV Yavari is fascinating. Now beautifully restored, she is a floating museum and testament to the era when several steamships used to ply the route between Puno and Copacabana in Bolivia. It is also possible to stay overnight in one of the three cabins – a fun and unique experience for those with an interest in nautical history.

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