Day 10: Friday 8 March: Uros y Taquille
Breakfast at hotel. Morning excursion on Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca sits 12,500 ft above sea level making it the highest commercially navigable lakes in the world. It is surrounded by even higher mountains, dividing the countries of Peru and Bolivia. Lake Titicaca is fed by rainfall and meltwater from glaciers on the sierras that adjoin the Altiplan. For many tourists it provides the highlight of their adventure travel through Peru. We will first visit the floating reed island – built on layers of totora reeds – home to the Uros indians, who still live as their ancestors did a thousand years ago. We then continue by boat for 2&1/2 hours to Taquile, a remote island that is a remarkable community where Quechua, the language of the Incas, is kept alive by the islanders. The outstanding highlight of its inhabitants is their handicraft derived from techniques developed over centuries, as well as a beautiful hike to the top of the island for a spectacular panoramic view of Lake Titicaca. Lunch on island. Evening exploration of Puno and transport back to hotel.