WHERE IS LAKE TITICACA? [PERU TOURS]

WHERE IS LAKE TITICACA? [PERU TOURS]: Uros, Taquile and Amantani Islands, Titicaca National Reserve with marshes full of aquatic birds, endemic fish, Puno-Cusco train...

Lake Titicaca Peru Tours

At an elevation of 3812m, Lake Titicaca is shared by Peru and Bolivia. As the largest lake in South America, it is considered the highest navigable lake in the world. The SS Ollanta used to be the largest boat on the lake, but it no longer is in operation. Since 2013, the largest vessel is the train barge Manco Capac, operated by PeruRail from across the pier from the Ollanta, connecting the Puno Train with the Bolivian train system. We however, on our Peru National Parks Tour, visit the Lake Titicaca in one of the smallest boats on the lake, as that is the only way to get into the marshes where you can see the birds and wildlife, that other visitors never get to see.

The lake is sliced into 2 separate sub-basins connected by the Strait of Tiquina, which is only 800 m wide. The larger sub-basin, Lago Chucuito, has a maximum depth of 284 m ; the smaller one, Lake Huiñaimarca, has a maximum depth of 40 m. The water passes through Lago Huiñaimarca and flows out through the Río Desaguadero, which then passes through Bolivia's Lake Poopó. It is interesting to realize that only 10% of the lake flows out by river, while evaporation, caused by strong winds and dry air, takes away 90% of the water inflow. It is nearly a closed lake and if climate change further reduces precipitation and increases temperatures with resulting greater evaporation, the Rio Desaguadero will dry up and the lake will gradually become a closed lake, while salinity will increase and gradually change the aquatic ecosystem. The shallow waters of the north-eastern shores in Peru would fall dry, thus ending the conditions for the Totora reed marshes, and with that the Uros culture. Lets hope it will not get that far. Until then visit them on one of our great Lake Titicaca Peru Tours.

Nevertheless, signs are not good and since 2000 the lake's  water levels have been falling continuously. Between April and November 2009 alone the lake's level fell 81 cm. Short rainy seasons and receding glaciers feeding the lake's rivers are the main causes. As cynical as it may sound, come and see the Titicaca National Reserve and the Uros Islands before they are gone for ever, it is a sad reality.

Five major watershed feed into the lake and more than twenty smaller streams also empty into Titicaca. Of the 41 islands, the following are the most significant on the Peruvian side: Santa Maria, Taquile or Amantani and on the Bolivian side: Isla des Sol, Isla de la Luna and Isla Suriqui. The latter is important for its construction of the reed boats.

Satellite image Lake Titicaca.

The lake as seen from a satellite clearly show the larger and the smaller lakes. The outlet at the left bottom is the Rio Desaguadero. Reed marshes can be seen at the left side of the Lake in Peru, while it is also clear that similar areas are missing in Bolivia (right hand side of the image.

Puno, the Peruvian harbor to Lake Titicaca is a sleepy town at the shore of the lake.

The harbor of Puno seen from the main pier.

A wide canal for tourist boats takes you to the Uros villages.

Generic tourism programs organized from Puno.

A Uros community awaiting the arrival of visitors.

The traditional kitchen of the Uros consists of terracotta pots on little terracotta stoves. Nowadays, the pots and stoves are made of aluminum.

Specially built for tourists reed rafts, Uros take visitors on a tour through their communities.

The real Uros reed boats are rafts made out of Totora reed bundled together from four bundles around a floor. As the water seeps through the bottom, these rafs are less suitable for transportation in the cold climate of Titicaca.

Uros motorized rowboats are the only practical way to explore the Titicaca National Reserve and enjoy the fabulous aquatic birds, like Flamingos and the Flightless Titicaca Grebe. 

Lake Titicaca fun facts: Little openings in the marshes are ideal spots to see water birds and other aquatic wildlife. Check our Titicaca climate data below.

Isla del Sol, Bolivia, is Lake Titicaca's largest island with important Inca ruins and terraces, which unfortunately lack any maintenance or protection and large numbers of visitor are released on the monuments without any form of regulation or supervision.

The coastline of the Bolivian side of the Lake is much cheaper, provinding few conditions in which the Totora reed conditions can occur which gave rise to the Uros culture.

CLIMATE OF LAKE TITICACA: WHAT's THE BEST TIME?

Cusco Puno Train

The passenger train from Cusco to Puno only runs three times per week and including this fantastic train ride in your itinerary may require some coordination as an option for our great Lake Titicaca Peru Tours.