After crossing into Peru from Copacabana, Bolivia, I decided to spend just a little more time on Lake Titicaca. In Copacabana, I visited Isla del Sol independently and hiked from the northern part of the island to the south. In Puno, I opted for a guided day trip since that seemed to be the easier and more popular way to get out on Lake Titicaca.
There’s several options for day trips on Lake Titicaca, but I opted for a day trip to Uros and Taquile. Uros is the community of floating islands located not too far from Puno. Taquile is a naturally occurring island that takes about 2 hours to reach from Puno. Both offered different experiences and I’m glad I visited both during my short time in Puno.
Here’s what my day trip was like.
Uros and Taquile Day Trip
There are numerous ways to visit the Peruvian islands in Lake Titicaca, and this post is based on my own experience. I ended up booking through a man I met on my bus from Copacabana to Puno, but I don’t think my tour was any different than what could have been booked in town.
Pick Up & Boarding the Boat
First things first. You have to get to the boat dock and board a boat bound for the islands. Thankfully, most tour companies provide hotel pick up and drop off with their price. The only bummer with this is that I got picked up at 7:00 and our boat didn’t leave until 8:00 am, so there was plenty of waiting time in the morning. But if this was the most annoying part of the day, I guess it’s not too bad.
On the boat, you’ll meet your guide, if you haven’t already. In my case, pick ups were handled by a different driver than my actual guide for the day. In addition, you’ll notice that there are a decent amount of people on your boat. While everyone is doing the same tour, groups are split into 10 or so travelers to give a little bit better experience. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still mass tourism, but it’s how things go for tours on Lake Titicaca.
From the boat dock, it’s a short 20-30 minute ride to the Uros Community. Here, the groups will split up and visit different islands. Don’t worry about which island you visit. Every island in Uros offers the exact same experience.
Uros – Floating Island 1
The first main stop of the day is at one of the floating islands in Uros. Which island you visit depends on your group, but in general everyone will have the same experience.
You’ll arrive on the island and your guide, together with a resident of the island, will teach you about the Uros community. You’ll learn how these islands are created (all of the floating islands in Uros are manmade), about the culture of this community, and a little bit of what life is like on these islands. After, you’ll be invited into the homes of the residents and then it’s time for a shopping opportunity.
While I found the information about the Uros community interesting, you can’t go into this kind of a tour expecting an authentic experience. Tourism is what helps to support these communities and it’s very clear that the locals rely on tourist money to survive. It’s an interesting conundrum because the experience can feel invasive, but this is how the locals make their money.
You’ll have just about an hour on your first floating island.
Boat to Floating Island 2
Now it’s time to go to the second floating island. All of the tour groups get dropped off at different islands, so everyone needs to regroup and get back on the main boat eventually. While you have the option to just wait for the speedboat to pick you and your guide up, most visitors take a different option.
Each floating island has a “romantic” boat and for a fee (15 S/ at the time of writing), you can ride their boat across Lake Titicaca to the meeting point. This is an optional experience, but it definitely has a feeling of “you should do it”. You’re more or less ushered onto the boat and then once you’re in the middle of the lake, payment is collected.
That said, it’s a nice ride across Lake Titicaca and this feels a bit less invasive than entering people’s homes. But it’s your choice whether or not you want to take this ride.
On the second floating island, all the tourists gather and board the speedboat to go on to their next destination. You’ll have a few minutes on the second island, so if you want to purchase another souvenir or a drink or snack, you have the opportunity to do so.
Uros to Taquile
Back on the speedboat, it’s an hour and a half from Uros to Taquile, your second stop of the day. Settle in and relax.
Hiking to the Main Square
When you arrive at Taquile, you’ll have a bit of a hike to reach the main square. The guides say it will take about 30 minutes, but I managed to do it in less than 20. I guess my point being is that there isn’t a rush and you can take breaks if you need to.
You see, from the dock to the main square it’s a 0.5 mile hike. That doesn’t sound bad, but it’s a steady uphill the entire way and has approximately 400 feet of elevation gain. Plus, you’re hiking at 12,500 feet above sea level. So take your time and take breaks if you need to. Take a photo or buy a souvenir from one of the impromptu stalls along the way.
Dancing, Lunch, and Textiles
Once you’ve made it to the main square, the rest of the day is pretty easy. Locals will perform a dance and invite tourists to join is (and offer photos for a fee at the end).
Then it’s time for lunch. Again, the group breaks up into smaller groups, so make sure you find your specific guide and follow him to the restaurant. My restaurant was right off the main square but other groups had a 15 minute walk to their restaurant. Note that drinks, including bottled water, are NOT included. The food is included, but the drinks are not.
As you finish lunch, your guide will tell you about the textiles on Taquile. These textiles are actually recognized by UNESCO for their importance. Your guide will teach you about the hats and the different meanings they have, as well as how belts are used instead of wedding rings. A local person will demonstrate how they use local plants to make a shampoo and how well that shampoo actually works.
Hiking to the Boat Dock
Before you know it, it’s time to start the walk back to the boat. Your boat will have dropped you off at one port, but will pick you up in another. From the main square it’s a 30-40 minute walk to the dock, though your exact time and distance will vary depending on when you eat lunch.
I ate lunch at the main square, so my route was nonstop back to the boat dock. If you eat lunch elsewhere, your trek will be split into two. I logged 1.4 miles from the main square to the boat dock. There’s an overall descent of 375 feet, but most of that comes in the last third of a mile. The rest of the trail is either flat or very, very gradual downhill.
For me, this was the highlight of the day. The path is flat or downhill and offers great views of Lake Titicaca the entire way. Since I was faster than most of my group, I was able to have some piece and solitude which was absolutely lovely. It’s a fantastic way to cap off the day.
Taquile to Puno
From Taquile, the guides will tell you that it’s an hour and 40 minutes back to Puno. In my experience, it was closer to two hours, so sit back and relax. Our guides explicitly called this part “siesta time”.
Back in Puno, you’ll be loaded into a van and driven to your hotel, or close to your hotel. I explicitly requested to be dropped in the city center (near the cathedral), but this is where they dropped off all but two people.
Regardless, your day trip is over and you have the rest of the evening in Puno.
Is a Day Trip to Uros and Taquile Worth It?
I think a day trip to Uros and Taquile is a good way to learn about the cultures that exist within Lake Titicaca. I think the big thing to note is that there are parts of the day that can feel a bit uncomfortable (walking into people’s homes), but you’ll still learn a lot and get to spend a day on Lake Titicaca.
How Long is a Day Trip to Uros and Taquile?
Expect your day trip to Uros and Taquile to take about 10 hours. This includes pick up and drop off from your hotel. Be prepared for a long day.
Can You Visit Uros and Taquile Separately?
Yes. There are day trips that focus on just one of these two areas. Day trips to Uros last about three to four hours while day trips to Taquile are slightly longer, but still don’t take a full day.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed my day trip to Uros and Taquile. The views were great, even if some parts of the day felt manufactured for tourists. So, if you’re looking to get out and learn a bit about the communities living in Lake Titicaca, I would recommend a tour to Uros and Taquile.
