Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world: 3,812 metres above sea level, shared between Peru and Bolivia. The Peruvian base is Puno, a city with little charm but with the port everything leaves from. Warn your body: if you have come from sea level, this is the hardest stop on the itinerary. Take the first days slowly.
The Uros
The floating islands of the Uros are built from layers of totora, a reed that grows in the lake and has to be replaced constantly because it rots from beneath. The houses and boats sit on that base. They are half an hour by launch from Puno. This is the most popular excursion and also the most debated: on the islands nearest the port the visit can feel like a brief staged performance. If it interests you, book a trip to the farther islands or stay overnight — the difference is considerable.
Taquile and Amantaní
Taquile, three hours out, is an island of terraced hills with no cars and no dogs, where weaving is a collective practice recognised by UNESCO. Here the men knit, and the hat a man wears indicates whether he is married or single. The standard lunch is lake trout with quinoa.
Amantaní is normally visited by staying with a family, with dinner in the kitchen and a climb at sunset to the shrines of Pachatata and Pachamama on the summits. It is the most honest experience on the lake and the one people remember. Bring a useful gift for the household — fruit, rice, school notebooks — rather than loose cash.
Sillustani
Half an hour from Puno, above Lake Umayo, stand the chullpas of Sillustani: circular stone funerary towers, some twelve metres high, built by the Colla people before the Inca expansion. It is a half-day visit and a good way to spend your first day while acclimatising.
When to go
The dry season, May to September, brings very clear skies and a blue that is hard to forget, but nights drop below freezing. Bring proper warm clothing: island accommodation rarely has heating.
The other shore
The lake is shared, and the Bolivian side — Copacabana, Isla del Sol — is reached by crossing at Yunguyo or Desaguadero. It is a straightforward bus crossing and many travellers link Puno with La Paz this way. Check the entry requirements for your nationality before buying a ticket, as they change fairly often.