Lake Titicaca, Puna - Peru

Straddling Peru's southern border with landlocked Bolivia is Lake Titicaca. This massive inland sea covers 8500 sq km and is the highest navigable lake in the world, 3810 m above sea level. We are staying on the lake in both countries. The main city on the lake in Peru is Puno, where chilled out travellers can visit the surrounding areas or the reed islands of Los Uros, which is precisely what we do. There are approximately 40 floating islands, 15 of which are regularly visited by tourists, the rest wish to remain isolated with the Uros going about their daily business, that of fishing, hunting and living off the lake plants. We are welcomed by one of these families and shown how the islands are constructed from live blocks of peat with reeds growing from within. Once a firm base is constructed from peat its a case of laying dry reeds on top to form a soft but solid base. The peats blocks grow into each other to form one floating island which is pegged to the lakes bed. We look around the reed houses, very small for a family, and find baby Maya asleep. Within this particular floating island they have a square cut out in the middle through to the lake below. Within this a fine mesh net housing trout, your very own floating trout farm. It was a fascinating in sight to how these people live and we purchase a few gifts they have made. An enjoyable couple of hours, a look around Puna and were on the road for the border crossing.

Adios

Tony x