If you’re traveling to Peru, you’ve probably found yourself wondering: Is Lake Titicaca worth the trip to Puno?
The last stop on our Peruvian adventure was Puno to see the Uros Indians on Lake Titicaca. The drive from Cusco to Puno was a long one (about 6 hours), but the scenery was spectacular as we drove through the Andes Mountain range and climbed to the highest elevation on the trip – over 12,500.00 feet.
En route to Puno, we stopped at a small school in an underprivileged community. The purpose of our stop was to drop off the boatloads of school supplies we had hauled from the States to give to the children.
The kids were extremely thankful and were a lot of fun to play with. My “giant” husband was particularly popular in light of his skilled “helicopter rides.”
Where to Stay in Puno:
In Puno we stayed at Hotel Royal Inn Puno, just a block off the Plaza de Armas. The Hotel was lovely with spacious rooms and gorgeous granite bathrooms with large soaking tubs. Unfortunately, I was fighting the flu while in Puno, so hot baths in this hotel were my savior!
What to Do, Eat & Drink in Puno:
Puno itself is a bit of a lackluster town without much to do or see, but the small downtown area did have a number of restaurants and bars, all which cater to the hoards of tourists that flock to the area to visit Lake Titicaca. You can find good, inexpensive pizza at Pizzaria El Buho, or if you are looking for a slightly more upscale dining experience, I would recommend having dinner at Mojsa. Puno’s nightlife is on, or just off, the pedestrian walking street, Jiron Lima. Check out the graffiti filled lodge, Kamizaraky Rock Pub, for an unique atmosphere, or reggae themed Positive Vibrations bar for delicious hot cocktails. I’d also recommend doing the majority of your souvenir shopping in Puno since the open air market offers handicrafts and clothing made from alpaca wool at much lower prices than you will find in Cuzco.
After getting our bearings in Puno, we headed to Lake Titicaca. The punchline of many jokes from American teenagers and “Beavis & Butthead,” Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable body of water at 12,566 feet.
Why visit the lake?
Mainly to see the Uros Indians and their Floating Islands. The Uros islands are made from totora reeds and are home to a few hundred indigenous people who live on the man-made islands year round. We took a tour of several of the islands and the locals showed us how they create and maintain their islands. They allowed us into their homes to see how they lived, and then, of course, tried to sell us their handicrafts.
Although a bit touristy (to the point where we found ourselves wondering whether the Uros actually live on the islands year round, or only when they were trying to hawk their wares to overly-eager tourists), it was interesting to see the extraordinary lifestyle that the Uros choose.
So, what’s the verdict? Is Lake Titicaca Worth the Trip?
Eh… unfortunately, I’m going to have to go with “probably not” on this one. I know some may disagree with me, but in my opinion, unless you find yourself with a few weeks in Peru or fascinated by the concept of the Uros and their floating islands, I think you could probably skip Puno on your Peruvian itinerary. That said, you’ll find great value for your dollar in Puno when it comes to accommodations, shopping and dining.
This post is part of my series on Peru. Click here to read my other Peru posts.
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October 20, 2015
I totally agree with you about Titicaca being not worth the trip just to see the touristy Uros reet islands… but to sail on Lake Titicaca for a few hours to the islands of Amantani and Tequile and to tay in a local home in one of the small villages is definately a great experience! We loved it.
October 21, 2015
Ah, heading to Amantani and Tequile sounds great, Yvonne! I should have done that!
October 22, 2015
Ahhh… love to see truly honest travel articles. Not everything is wonderful! Of course, we have to qualify our opinions with the fact that it is just our experience, and other might have a totally different viewpoint. Still, what good is writing if it isn’t real and authentic? Good job. And a great blog!
October 24, 2015
Thanks so much, Shirley!
October 24, 2015
I would have to disagree. We stayed at a magnificent place on the lake and went to Taquile, some of the neighboring villages,the barter market, explored the local ruins and it was fantastic. I wouldn’t go all the way there just for the Uros Island or Puno but I think this area should definitely be on a first visit to Peru.
October 24, 2015
Thanks, Elizabeth! Another reader also mentioned Taquile. And, staying on the Lake versus in downtown Puno sounds like a great idea. It sounds like we missed some of the area’s charm (we were traveling with a tour group which I rarely do, but you can read about here, so I didn’t have much of a choice on our schedule).
October 25, 2015
Good work on the school supplies guys, very kind. Floating man-made islands sound interesting. I am interested in that boa in the picture, guessing it is made out of similar materials, never seen anything like it before.
October 25, 2015
Thanks, Aaron! Yes, totora reeds. 🙂
January 9, 2016
It’s a shame you thought it’s not worth the trip. The floating islands may not be but I’ve been told that some of the home stays on the small islands are fantastic.
If you go over to the Bolivian side then Isla del Sol is well worth the boat ride over. It’s a beautiful island!
January 9, 2016
That’s what people keep telling me, Dave! I wish we would have had time to visit.
October 10, 2016
Thank god for blogger honesty. Looking up Lake Titicaca and while it seems very authentic, it also sounds like it’s not worth a short trip (unfortunately, we wouldn’t have the time for a long trek to Peru). Thank you for the insight!
October 10, 2016
Not a problem, Sebrin. If you read the other users comments, many did like spending some time in the areas outside of Puno. 🙂
December 12, 2016
This blog is very helpful. I am debating whether to squeeze a 2-day trip to Titicaca but most of the reviews I read are depressing. Thanks for your honest review. We’ll stay longer in Cusco and spend an extra night in Lima. I am a foodie and I would probably appreciate Lima better.
December 12, 2016
Glad you found the posts helpful – enjoy your trip!
July 20, 2017
Really helpful post! We are planning a trip to Peru in the fall and due to limited time, might have to skip Puno in order to have time to do the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu!
Thanks for the awesome article!
Happy Travelling!
July 25, 2017
The trek sounds amazing – you’ll have to let me know what you decide and what you think once you’re back!
March 28, 2018
This Blog Awesome.