The Complete Guide To: Lake Titicaca

AMAZE ME

The world's highest navigable body of water will take your breath away – quite literally, as it lies at a staggering 3,856 metres above sea level. Lake Titicaca was the most sacred lake in the Inca Empire. The Incas believed that it was from these deep, cold waters that Manco Capac, their first king, sprang – along with his sister and consort, Mama Ocllo. The pair founded the city of Cusco (a day's journey in the 21st century, with a range of bus operators covering the ground for around $30/£22) as the capital of the Inca Empire. The gods, it is said, charged them with the task of uniting the disparate mountain cultures. The suyu, or region, that encompassed Lake Titicaca was of prime importance to the Incas for its gold and silver mines, the breeding of alpacas and llamas for meat and wool, and the ability to farm potatoes, coffee and quinoa (a type of grain), despite the altitude. While the familiar monuments of the Inca era are concentrated in the Sacred Valley beyond Cusco, Lake Titicaca has a depth of history and intrigue matched by few other locales in South America.

REMIND ME WHERE IT IS

Lake Titicaca is located at the northern end of the Altiplano basin, high in the Andes. It is the second-largest lake in South America (after Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela), with an impressive surface area just less than half the size of Wales. It is shared by Bolivia and Peru, with the latter possessing the bigger portion. Although once considered unfathomable, the lake has now been measured to be about 280 metres deep. One day in 1973, Jacques Cousteau dived into the chilly waters in search of Inca treasure, but instead discovered a 30cm-long giant frog that never surfaces, weighs in at 1kg and is unique to Titicaca.

It is just part of a rich and diverse wildlife. The lake hosts more than 60 species of birds, including flamingos, the Andean flicker and the Titicaca flightless grebe, which is endemic to the Titicaca basin and in danger of extinction. Lake Titicaca is part of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international organisation established to protect precious wetlands and preserve the habitat of a wide variety of waterfowl and shore birds. The predominant native fish are karachi and boga (a type of catfish); trout were introduced in 1939. More than two dozen rivers feed the lake; rainfall and meltwater from the glaciers on the sierras of the Altiplano help to top it up.

WHERE DO I START?

Even though the most interesting lakeshore and hinterland are in Peru, the Bolivian capital, La Paz, provides the easiest gateway to Lake Titicaca. The best connections are from Heathrow via Miami to La Paz on American Airlines (08457 789 789; www.aa.com). You can reach Lake Titicaca without going into the Bolivian capital itself: from the airport, a shared minibus to the suburb of El Alto should cost a few cents; ask to be dropped off on the road, where you can pick up a bus to Copacabana (for a fare of around $5/£3.)

The bus to Copacabana is one of the most entertaining journeys in South America, since it involves a water crossing – possibly your first encounter with Lake Titicaca – across the Strait of Tiquina to the peninsula on which Copacabana stands. At the shore, all the bus passengers are offloaded on to launches while the bus is floated across on a precarious-looking low wooden barge, one of which is named Titanic. Passengers queue to buy their $3 (£1.70) ticket to cross the strait by launch, and watch as their bus yaws and pitches. When you are reunited with the vehicle, the final stretch of the journey is a dramatic climb through the hills, with excellent views of the lake, before descending to the town whose name, Copacabana, has nothing to do with Barry Manilow's disco ditty.

This colourful town is a strange combination of austere high Andes and Blackpool Pleasure Beach; it is, after all, the closest that landlocked Bolivia gets to a seaside. Primary-colour pedalos, some in the shape of giant swans, line a pretty beach that sweeps between the two hills Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) and Cerro Niño Calvario (Little Calvary Hill). Stop at one of the restaurants along the beach to try some Titicaca trout with a cold Paceña beer and admire the gem-like quality of the lake. At the weekend, you can witness Cha'lla taking place outside the town's church. This is a ritual blessing of vehicles, when cars, buses and trucks are decked with bright garlands of plastic and fresh flowers, ribbons and flags as their owners petition the Virgin for protection, while dousing their vehicles with alcohol.

WHERE NEXT?

For a dollar or so, a taxi will take you the few kilometres from Copacabana to the Peruvian border. Formalities are slow but relaxed and friendly at this frontier, and on the far side minibuses and shared taxis wait for the short journey to Yunguyo. From this attraction-free town, buses take around three hours to reach Puno – effectively the capital of Lake Titicaca. On the journey, your bus bumps and jolts along the road that runs parallel to the shimmering shore of the lake, swerving to avoid the occasional landslide on more vertiginous sections.

Puno sits on a bay at the northwest end of the lake. It is a sprawling, labyrinthine and confusing city, but it is friendly, steeped in tradition and a centre of Peruvian folklore. It rose to become one of South America's wealthiest cities during the colonial period. The reason: proximity to the Laykakota silver mines, discovered in 1657 though long since exhausted.

WHERE SHALL I STAY?

Base yourself on the shores of the lake in Puno. There is an abundance of moderately priced accommodation in the city. Guaranteeing a quiet night's sleep a couple of blocks from the main square is Hostal Vylena at Jiró*Ayacucho 505 (00 51 51 351292). This small and spotlessly clean family-run hotel feels typically Peruvian, with its dark timber and bright wall tapestries. Rooms are large and blessed with thick blankets for those chilly evenings at high altitude. Doubles start at 15 soles (written S/15, and equivalent to £2.70), with breakfast an extra S/5 (£0.90). u

oFive kilometres from central Puno on the north-east shore of Lake Titicaca sits the Sonesta Posada Hotel at Sesquicentario 610, Sector Huaje (00 51 51 364111; www.sonesta.com). This modern lakeshore establishment has a resort feel – and a warm orange and mustard-yellow exterior – as well as its own private pier. As an added bonus, you can enjoy breakfast in full view of the historic Yavari passenger ship moored outside (see box). Doubles start from S/545 (£100) including breakfast.

A LAKE VOYAGE?

Certainly, though sadly no longer on the Yavari. Many tour operators run trips of a day or two on the lake, in which you discover some of its dozens of islands – not all of them natural. Check the options at the helpful tourist information office on Jiró*Lima 585 (00 51 51 365088), which opens 8.30am-7.30pm daily. (Most hotels also hold details of tour operators.) You could be collected at dawn from your hotel by the reliable outfit Kollasuyo Tours (00 52 54 368642; kollasuyotours@hotmail.com) to be taken to the scruffy port west of central Puno. Here, you board your boat for a gorgeous day trip to the fascinating island of Taquile and the floating reed islands of Los Uros. The two-and-a-half hour, 35km journey to the shores of Taquile Island is accompanied by an English-speaking guide with tales of the lake, its inhabitants and its history.

ISLAND LIFE?

Taquile has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years; until the 13th century, by the Aymara-speaking Tiahuanaco people. They were conquered by the Incas, who brought with them the Quechua language. For a period in the 1930s, Taquile served as a colony for troublesome characters from the mainland, before being bought by the descendants of the original Indians. Today, the Quechua-speaking Taquileños are a people whose lives seem gilded with innocence.

When you arrive at the tiny port, navigate the gruelling 525 steps to reach the intimate main plaza, the highest point of the island. As you weave your way skyward, look out for corrugated roofed houses dotted across the landscape. The steep sides of this whale-shaped island are dramatically lined with ancient terracing that dates back to AD500. The rich soil of the island is as red as the sun-scorched cheeks of the Taquileños, who still till the soil with foot ploughs little altered from Inca times.

Taquile is home to a community of weavers (men and women) and knitters (just men) of fine alpaca wool. Jumpers, hats and scarves can be bought in the Centro Artesanal de Santiago in the main plaza, next to the tiny church of Santiago. The garments worn by the islanders, however, are shrouded with mystery, as they contain secret messages about the social standing and marital status of the wearer.

Refuel before leaving the island with lunch served in an islander's home – a tasty menu of grilled kingfish from the lake with native potatoes and quinoa – included in the price of the day trip.

The standard tour takes you back on to the lake for just over an hour, for the voyage to the man-made, floating Islas de Los Uros, constructed entirely from the abundant tortora reed. Float silently around the reed islands to witness the extraordinary lives of their inhabitants. The Uros Indians traditionally resided on artificial islands to avoid the aggressions of the Incas and Collas. There are more than 30 islands in total, but only a handful can be visited by tourists. The women of the reed islands bound across the spongy surface of the reeds to offer tapestries and handicrafts for sale. They dress in embroidered blouses above many-layered bright skirts; an oversized bowler hat crowns the creation, a fashion imported from Britain in the 19th century.

CAN I MEET THE INCAS?

After a fashion. Another excellent day-trip from Puno is to Sillustani, an ancient burial site on the much smaller Lake Umayo. Though some way from Lake Titicaca, it is well worth exploring – partly because of its significance as a pre-Incan burial ground, but mainly because it is such an electrifyingly beautiful yet serene setting. The hillside is dominated by a series of strange round towers called challpas, burial places for the Colla people. As the Inca Empire expanded in the 14th century, this culture was absorbed – but gave its name to the southern quarter of the empire, Collasuyo.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Besides Miami to La Paz, there are plenty of options via Lima: Iberia and Air France/KLM are the main carriers from Europe, and save you having to transit in the US, which involves going through Immigration and Customs. The Peruvian capital is also best for anyone wishing to include Titicaca in a tour of the rest of Peru. Specialist agents who can help with everything from cheap flights to local guides include Journey Latin America (020-8747 8315; www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) and South American Experience (020-7976 5511; www.southamericanexperience.co.uk).

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

Besides the reliable Rough Guide and Lonely Planet books, PromPeru's website, www.promperu.gob.pe, is a helpful resource.

From the East End to Lake Titicaca

The waters of Lake Titicaca have one other remarkable inhabitant: Yavari, the world's oldest surviving propeller-driven passenger ship. She was ordered by the Peruvian government and built 146 years ago by the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co Ltd, based on Bow Creek in London's East End. One problem: getting her to a lake on the other side of the world, nearly 4,000m above sea level.

Her arrival at the shores of Titicaca was a logistical miracle. After construction in the London shipyard, each part was dismantled and numbered before being packed into 2,000 crates and bundles, along with the parts of her sister ship Yapuri, which was ordered at the same time.

In total, 210 tons set sail from London for the three-and-a-half-month voyage around Cape Horn to Arica in Chile. At Arica, parts were loaded on to trains headed inland for 65km to Tasa, then bound to mules for the 330km climb to Puno.

Six gruelling years of transportation and trekking later, Titicaca had its biggest Christmas present ever. Yavari was finally assembled on the 25 December, 1870 and launched on to the lake. She was designed with a full sailing rig, but also had coal-fired 60hp steam engines. Many miles from any mines, though, what would fuel the ships' engines? Few trees grace the high antiplano, but there are plenty of llamas. Incredibly, llama dung was pressed into service. It took some 1,400 sacks to steam Yavari once around Titicaca's shoreline.

Today, she is anchored along the shores of the lake outside the Sonesta Posada and operates as a museum, offering free guided tours.

Local festivals and folklore

Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria This party is celebrated in Puno in early February, when dancers wearing lavish costumes and grotesque masks try to out-dance each other. Women in polleras (layered skirts) twirl the dance of demons, or diablada, through the streets of the city. Pilgrims and dancers flock to the town from both Bolivia and Peru, to participate in traditional Aymara dances, music, drinking and feasting. On the fiesta's third day, something resembling the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona takes place.

Festival de Tinajani Andean music pounds from outsized sound systems in the majestic canyon of Tinajani, off the beaten track in the Altiplano outside Puno, in July. Men parade with huge banners while women in elaborate costumes dance to the rhythms.

Semana Jubilar This week-long festival is held partly on the Isla Esteves during the first week of November to celebrate the Inca origins of Lake Titicaca and the Spanish founding of the city of Puno.

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