Lake Titicaca, or Lago Titicaca, is a big lake with a lot of big facts. It is the largest freshwater lake in South America. At 12,500 feet above sea level, it is also considered the highest navigable lake in the world. The lake straddles the border of Peru and Bolivia stretching out across the high-elevation altiplano in a northwest to southeast direction. Peru claims 60% of the lake, while Bolivia claims the other 40. At its greatest, it measures about 120 miles long by 50 miles wide.
But this lake is so much more than large numbers. It’s an important fresh water ecosystem with incredible geologic and historic significance as well.
Geologically, Lago Titicaca is considered an ancient body of water, thought to be over three million years old. Nestled between two mountain ranges, its outflow helped create the ancient lakes that are now the salt flats across Bolivia.
Historically, archeologists are learning that this lake was used by civilizations dating back to BC. The Incas, who emerged between the 1100’s to the 1500’s, revered this lake as the center of the cosmos. According to their mythology, Lago Titicaca is the birthplace of their God, Viracocha, and he used islands from this lake to make the sun, moon and stars. They also believe that from these waters emerged the founders of the Incas who formed the great Incan Empire.
For me, knowing the geologic and historic significance of this lake was interesting, but being there to witness how the fierce high-elevation sun and cooling wind played across the waters was a magical experience. I spent five days around Lago Titicaca on both the Bolivian and Peruvian sides, visiting four islands and several communities on its shores. I couldn’t get enough of the light, the colors, the energy. It’s a very sacred place indeed.
Copacabana, Bolivia
Copacabana is a small tourist city on the shores of Lago Titicaca. Travelers, like myself, descend upon this town because it is the closest access point to the lake from La Paz, Bolivia. Bolivians and Peruvians often come to Copacabana on a spiritual pilgrimage to the church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. Everyone who visits, however, eventually takes a boat ride on the lake.
Island of the Sun, Isla del Sol, Bolivia
From Copacabana, the primary destination for boat tours is the Island of the Sun, or Isla del Sol.
Isla del Sol is a vehicle-free island about 1.5 hours from Copacabana. It has been inhabited since Pre-Incan times but there are at least 80 ruins (not to mention all the agricultural terraces) identified and dated from the Incas. Life on the island is tranquil for the 3,000 residence – mostly traditional Indigenous Aymara people – who spend their days farming, fishing and hosting tourists.
After disembarking at the southern village of Yumani, I climbed the ancient Yumani Staircase, dipped my fingers in the Incan Fountain of Youth and wandered the cobblestone paths looking for my lodging.
The first thing I noticed was the amount of donkeys walking along the paths, too. Living on an island means that supplies arrive by boat. Locals use donkeys to carry their supplies up the hillsides to their homes. When they’re not working, the donkeys need to be taken to green pastures across the island. Wherever I walked, donkeys always seemed to be coming and going as well.
The next day, I followed the pathways to the north end of the island toward the village of Cha’llapampa. It was less than a three hour walk, with plenty of time to soak up the lovely views and chat with some locals on the way. While I walked, under the warmth of the sun, I contemplated the idea that the very stones I was walking on, were placed by the hands of people hundreds of years ago. The terraces of soil were also built by hand hundreds of years ago, and the scenes I was enjoying have been generally the same for hundreds of years. It was quite moving being in this ancient place.
Titikala, the Birthplace of the Sun
At the northern end of the island I came upon an important set of ruins known as the Chinkana Complex, including the Incan Palace. A guide helped me understand the importance of the stonework and the uses of this place during Incan times. The large rock, known as Titikala, is considered the birthplace of the sun. The flat table, surrounded by 13 stones which represent the lunar calendar, was originally the site for ritual sacrifices.
In the end, I only had budgeted two days on Isla del Sol and wished that I had at least two more. It was so peaceful. I loved the unhurried pace, the kindness and smiles of the people and the sweeping views across the blue, blue water. Someday, I’ll definitely have to go back there again. In the meantime, on to Peru!
Puno, Peru
Puno is the largest city on the shores of Lago Titicaca. For the locals, it is a major supply and transportation hub in southern Peru as well as an important university town. For travelers, like myself, Puno is the main access point for visiting more islands on the lake. From here, I booked a two day, one night home-stay excursion to immerse myself in the different cultures that call Lago Titicaca home.
The first islands we visited were the famous floating islands of Uros.
Uros Floating Islands, Peru
For thousands of years, the Uru people have been inhabiting the shores of Lago Titicaca. Written history does not exist but at some point, probably to avoid detection and conflict with other tribes, they moved out onto the lake by making their own islands from totora reeds. Their descendants still live on these floating islands on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.
Totora reeds, which are similar to papyrus, grow naturally around the lake. The Uru people use the reeds to eat, burn as fuel for cooking, feed domestic animals, build houses and roofs, make boats, furniture and handicrafts. They also use these reeds to actually build the islands they live on.
Bruno, our guide, gave us a presentation about Lake Titicaca, and then demonstrated how the reeds can be peeled and eaten, too. To me, it tasted like heart-of-palm.
How Do They Build Their Islands?
To build their islands, they first cut the totora reeds to get to the roots. The roots naturally float as a wad or giant mat. They cut the root wads into 2×2 or 4×4 blocks, transport them to the new site and fit them together like a puzzle. Next, they lay fresh reeds on top of the whole area in a criss-cross fashion to make a strong foundation and floor. Finally, they invite their friends and family to share a dance or play soccer on the area in order to compact the reeds down to two meters thick. Afterwards, they add extra reeds in the areas where they will construct a house.
Speaking in Quechua, the leader of the community demonstrated how the community works together to build a foundation. He then explained how they anchor the floating island to the bottom of the lake. The anchors allow them to actually un-attach and move their island if necessary.
I was wondering about the reasons they might need to move an island and was thinking it might have something to do with the wind and currents, or a lack of fish in one location. But when I asked one of the community women, she replied that sometimes people don’t get along, so they cut the island into parts and move to another location. That’s so simple!
Island Maintenance
The leader of the community went on to explain that upkeep is constant. They need to replace top layers with fresh reeds one to two times a month, depending upon the rate of disintegration during the wet and dry seasons. Apparently, dry reeds smell bad and can be infested by pests. The reeds they use must be fresh.
Sometimes it is difficult to obtain new reeds during the dry season or in a year with little rain because the reeds don’t grow. Bruno, our guide, went on to explain that for many of the past years, this region has been in a drought and finding fresh green reeds around the lake was a problem. Recently however, rain has come again to the altiplano and Lake Titicaca is back to sustainable levels of water.
How do the Uru People Live?
The 2,500 people that currently make up the population live across approximately 100 different islands. New arrivals to the community can only join through birth or marriage. To eat, the people have historically fished, and hunted for birds and bird eggs. They also might keep some cattle and pigs out there floating on their own space. Predominantly, however, they use modern boats to travel to the mainland, visiting the markets in Puno each week for their supply of groceries and medical needs. To pay for their food and gasoline costs, the Uru have turned to tourism.
Other modern conveniences also help their existence. They have solar panels throughout their communities to get electricity. Since their islands are so close to Puno, Peru, they get internet signal as well. They cook their food over an open fire atop a foundation of rocks using dry reeds as fuel. I did see a pit toilet, but no other explanation about that was offered. Their children attend floating schools and many go to the mainland to attend a university.
The life expectancy for an Uru living on the islands? About 65 years.
It’s a fascinating existence to preserve their community and their culture here on Lake Titicaca.
Amantaní Island, Peru
The next island we visited was an actual land-island where Pre-Inkan and Inkan people constructed agriculture terraces to grow corn, quinoa, potatoes, barley, oats, wheat and even some fruit trees. Remember, Lago Titicaca sits at about 12,500 feet in elevation, and while the nights can be cold, the days can be warm under the intense sun. Farming is still the primary way of life.
Amantaní Island (pronounced ah-mahn-tah-NEE) is a few hours out of Puno so getting groceries is more expensive and a little less frequent. So, in addition to farming, the people have also turned to tourism to supplement their income.
The families of Amantaní are well organized, offering a home-stay and cultural program that is shared on a rotational basis between 270 families. I had the pleasure of staying with Nene and Libia in their large home near the harbor. I got the idea that their home was built to house many guests or renters, but since I was visiting in the off-season, there was less of us on the tour and I was the only one assigned to their family.
During the first day, Libia introduced me to the art and process of cleaning and drying quinoa. We had to thresh or separate the seeds, remove the chaff and thoroughly rinse again and again. Now I know why quinoa is so expensive – it’s quite a process!
Later, Nene took me fishing with a friend. During the first afternoon, we headed out into the bay to cast floating nets. Then, the next morning at dawn, we pulled in the nets to harvest Karachi, and fry them up for breakfast.
Afterwards, I took a hike to the top of the mountains to visit the temples of the moon and the sun. The ancient stone pathways and island vistas were beautiful! I loved the quietness of these vehicle-free islands. People are just used to walking everywhere.
Once at the moon temple, our group was carefully instructed by Bruno, our guide, to walk counter-clockwise around the temple making three wishes, and then we were to leave coca leaves at the door as an offering. Somehow, I obtained the wrong kind of leaves and other travelers had to come to my rescue offering extra of theirs. So, to ensure my wishes came true, I repeated the process again. You never can be too sure!
In the evening, as a cultural finale, all the families hosting guests came together after dinner for a community dance. As guests, we were all dressed in traditional Quechua clothing and a live band of locals provided the beat for traditional circle dances. Nene accompanied me to the dance. It was a wonderful closing to my time on this lovely island.
Taquile Island, Peru
The next morning, we headed off to tour our final island. Taquile Island is another tranquil and car-free island far from Puno where the community depends upon agriculture and tourism. But on this island, it’s the men who are well-known around the world for their talents in weaving. During our time here, the community members gave us a musical presentation, as well as demonstrations in weaving and making natural shampoos from native plants. And of course, we had to buy lots of their lovely knitted products.
Out of all the places I’ve traveled in South America, Lago Titicaca is by far one of my favorites. The colors of the water, the ancient stone pathways, the designs of the clothing and folk art, the simpleness of the people and their days… it’s a beautiful place and a beautiful life. I really hope I can get back there again someday!
