Lake Titicaca holidays

In the southeast of Peru, and shared with neighbouring Bolivia, Lake Titicaca sits at 11,000ft, its altitude meaning that the air is unusually clear and the azure waters particularly striking. It is well worth spending a couple of days enjoying the scenery and experiencing the rural tribal communities living at the lake. This is the highest navigable lake in the world, and at over 120 miles long, also the largest lake in South America. After enjoying the stunning scenery around the high altitude lake, the floating islands of the Uros, (a small tribe,) is a fascinating excursion. The islands themselves are constructed from the tortura reed found in abundance in Lake Titicaca. The Uros' homes and boats are also of tortura, and their entire lives revolve around their famed reed-weaving; the bright and colourful textiles produced by them are iconic. On the island of Taquile, located an hour or so away, inhabitants dress in homemade traditional colorful clothing – men in elegant waistcoats and floppy knit caps; women in layered skirts and embroidered blouses. Quechua is their language and they maintain a very individual, proud and independent lifestyle. This beautiful island setting holds several terraced hillsides of Inca ruins which you are free to explore. Read more