Day 9: UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS TOUR FROM PUNO, VISIT SILLUSTANI AND NIGHT BUS TO CUZCO
Today we wake up at 5.15 in the morning at the Qelqatani Hotel with the idea of having time to clean and prepare our backpacks with peace of mind, since we are aware that we continue at a more than considerable altitude and need a little more time to do The usual tasks. In a few hours we leave Uros and Taquile Islands tour from Puno And we want to be prepared.
As soon as we set foot on the ground we notice that we are more tired than the previous days we spent in the Colca Valley and that this symptom is more acute in the morning, as we have been able to notice throughout these days.
So we took it easy and went down to breakfast shortly before 7 in the morning, although I can't taste a bite. I am incapable I have no stomach ache, no vomiting, just a rare discomfort that makes me quite tired and reluctant. Hopefully this will disappear as the day progresses and you are slight discomfort of altitude sickness Do not appear again.
At 7.10 in the morning a taxi with a guide comes to find us, included in the Uros and Taquile Islands tour from Puno, which takes us to the jetty and directly takes us to a fast boat, which in 15 minutes will take us to one of the Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca.
You can book here an excursion to the Uros and Taquile Islands with a guide in Spanish where you will be picked up at the hotel or only to the island of Uros.
Quick boat that will take us on a tour of the Uros and Taquile Islands
The route from Puno to the Uros Islands It becomes very pleasant with incredible views of Lake Titicaca, that lake from which we had read his name so many times and that had become a kind of traveling dream that we have finally come to fulfill on this trip to Peru.
Sailing on Lake Titicaca, away from Puno
Only 5 kilometers from Puno are the floating islands, better known as the Uros Islands, one of the best known attractions on Lake Titicaca, which although we know that it has lost part of its authenticity, is a stop, at least from our perspective if you are in the Puno area.
We started sailing on the way to the Uros Islands
Arriving at the Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca
After about 15 minutes sailing on Lake Titicaca, we arrive at one of the Uros Islands, where the 9 families that live there receive us and where, after meeting in the center of the floating island, they explain the whole process of building "their islands".
Newcomers to the Uros Islands
Waiting for us to give us a talk about the uros
The Uros were always a small ethnic group, which began its floating existence centuries ago, in an attempt to isolate itself from its Inca and colla neighbors. Today, several hundred people are still living in these artificial islands made of reeds from the lake cattails that make a living between fishing and tourism.
The inhabitants of the island have built a kind of observation platform from which you have unbeatable views of the surroundings.
Uros Islands observation platform
Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca
At the end of the talk they give us about their culture, traditions, way of building the island ... each woman takes a couple of tourists and shows us her house, explains how they live ... etc
It is certainly the most touristic part of the Uros and Taquile Islands tour from Puno, but as we mentioned at the beginning, just for having the experience of being on a floating island and knowing a little more about its culture, it is worth the tour.
Explanations of the "mayor" of the island about their customs, culture ...
After the small raid we make in their home, they take us directly to their craft stand to show us the things they do in an artisanal way, hoping, how could it be otherwise, that we buy them something something. And after all, how are we going to refuse? Well, there we go with our souvenir in the backpack.
Faces on the Uros Islands
Conversations on the Uros and Taquile Islands tour
When we take more than an hour, they tell us that they will take us in their traditional boat, from hand-tied reeds, to the other island to take a walk in the area, but of course, you have to pay 15 soles per person.
Typical boats of the Uros Islands
If this is already tourist (although we will not get tired of repeating that it is a unique experience), what we do not want is to walk with 20 more boats for a piece of Lake Titicaca, so we and several more of the group, we are waiting in the first island until 15 minutes later we leave to find the rest of a more commercial island if possible, where there is a small bar, where we take a couple of triple mates and some sweets for 14 soles.
Details of the Uros Islands on the way to another island to take a triple mate
Taking a triple mate in one of the most commercial Uros islands
At 9.20 in the morning we leave for the island of Taquile on a journey of about 1 hour and twenty minutes along Lake Titicaca.
The Uros Islands in Titicaca
If we had made this journey in a normal boat or with one of the "normal" tours offered in Puno we would have taken about 2 and a half hours or so, so with this Uros and Taquile Islands tour from Puno by speedboat, we save 2 hours, 1 way and 1 return, which we will use this afternoon to go to Sillustani.
Book the best rated tours and excursions in Spanish from Peru by travelers:
- Excursion to Lake Titicaca, Uros and Taquile
- Excursion to the island of Uros
- Guided tour of Arequipa and the Monastery of Santa Catalina
- Colca Canyon: 2-day tour from Arequipa- Many more excursions and tours here
While we sail, I go out to the outside of the boat and sitting on the side and looking at the landscape in front of me I can only think of one thing, Lake Titicaca is closer to heaven than any other place we've ever been.
Looking at the clouds it seems that if you raise your hands, you can touch them. Is incredible.
At this time, if any symptoms of soroche remain, it has disappeared.
I'm a few steps from heaven ...
Sailing on Lake Titicaca
We arrive at one of the ports of the island of Taquile at 10.45 in the morning and before going down they explain that we have an hour or so to reach the main square of the island, where our guide will wait for us.
We had read that to access the main square of the Island of Taquile, there were endless stairs, but we have entered through another port where the access is shorter, although with more inclination.
Newcomers to Taquile Island
Ascending the island of Taquile
Uninhabited for thousands of years, Taquile Island is a small island, with a population of about two people. The islanders, of Quechua ethnicity and language, are different from the rest of the lake communities, which belong to the Aymara group and maintain a strong sense of group identity. They form a strongly inbred society, rarely marrying people outside Taquile and still maintaining a fairly traditional culture.
We begin the ascent to Taquile Island
Arriving at the central square of Taquile
We arrive at the main square of the Island of Taquile, walking very slowly, after almost half an hour with landscapes that cut our breaths so that the climb, despite being difficult, becomes "a little more pleasant".
The highest point of Taquile Island is 3910 meters and is the main square.
Deciding our next trip on Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca
Main square of Taquile Island
Once we meet the whole group in the square, the guide gives us a small class on culture of the island of Taquile and gives us a few minutes to enter a trade of wool items that are right next door and where we spend a good while we ended up not buying anything.
From here we go to another part of the island, where we will eat and show us how they weave…
Without a doubt, being in Peru and not coming to Lake Titicaca is a sin, although in the same way, we have to say that the excursion to the Island of Taquile, if not for the group of those it represents and the incredible views and landscapes that It has, perhaps it would be a dispensable point in the trip to Peru.
And contrary to what everyone says for us, the Uros Islands, despite being much more touristy, have ended up liking us more.
As always, we go against the tide and we end up having somewhat different tastes.
More practical information to prepare your trip to Peru
- 10 essential places to visit in Peru
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Peru
- The best travel insurance for Peru
We ate a delicious grilled soup with trout from Lake Titicaca, which we are not going to lie, it was very good.
To finish a mate of coca and on the desktop comes the explanation of how it is woven on the Island of Taquile.
After these explanations, among which we are assured that these fabrics are one of the best in Peru and many comments about the customs on the Island of Taquile, we start again to border the island and reach the other pier, where we Wait for our fast boat, to take us back to Puno.
Returning to the ship that will take us back to Puno
On the way we meet many older people who are going up, we understand that for the time it is with the option of staying with a local family and spending the night here and a lady, helped by her guide, who surely He is over 80 years old.
Awesome. This really means living to the fullest. On the island of Taquile more than 3000 meters high, enjoying that, life.
Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca
After incredible views all the way down, where by the way there is no sign of the stairs we had read, if not that it is a ramp, we arrive at the jetty at 2 in the afternoon and without waiting, we make our way to Puno , where we expect to arrive around 15.30 and hire a taxi to take us to Sillustani, which will be the next stop of the day, before taking the night bus that takes us from Puno to Cuzco.
On the way to Puno, we stop at another jetty on the island and there we see the famous stairs. After seeing them, it is going to be that we are infinitely glad that we did not come through this port.
Stairs to reach Taquile Island
Tonight we have to take the bus from Puno to Cuzco at 10 at night, so we believe that it will give us time to enjoy Sillustani, return to Puno and even give us a good tribute trying the famous guinea pig in a restaurant that recommended us a couple we met in the Colca Valley.
The weather as usual in recent days since we arrived in Peru, is cloudy at this time of day and it seems that it wants to rain in a little while, so as soon as we arrive at the port of Puno and come to pick us up the car to take us to the hotel (included in the tour to the Uros and Taquile Islands), we asked him how he sees Sillustani go with this weather that seems to threaten rain from one moment to another.
He tells us that if we do not entertain ourselves much, being now 4 in the afternoon, in 45 minutes we can be there and make a quick visit before nightfall.
We don't think about it too much and accept the 120 soles that he asks us for this visit to Sillustani from Puno.
This excursion can be done with an organized circuit, leaving from Puno, but all are done in the morning, so if we want to go to know the famous funerary towers, we have no choice but this and seeing what time it is and how it is On time, we prefer not to take risks and accept this price.
In addition, from what we are perceiving, it is clear that prices in Peru have risen and everyone has agreed to collect the same.
We cross the city of Puno and as we go the sky is covered with a black that how could it be otherwise, begins to download a rain that makes us look at us with a crooked smile.
My face is a poem, but Roger insists that we be positive that it will surely stop as soon as we move forward.
Stop? But if all that lies ahead is black like coal.
But as it happens to us in the great majority of occasions in the trips, when the precise moment arrives, things change and they do it for good. As we get closer we see how the sky begins to clear and just above Sillustani appear some sun rays. We can not believe it ourselves.
We arrived at Sillustani at 4.30 in the afternoon, we paid 10 soles per person at the entrance and again we face a climb to get to the place we want to meet.
But every effort is worth it, we have a unique view and history in front of us.
That's why it's worth the effort.
Arriving in Sillustani
The entire area of Lake Titicaca was dominated by the colla people, an ancient warrior tribe of Aymara language that would later become an ally of the Incas.
The colla and their Lupaca rivals buried their nobles in monuments in the form of towers, called chullpas.
Sillustani in Puno
The most imposing towers of this type are found in Sillustani, where the highest reaches a height of 12 meters. The cylindrical structures once housed the remains of complete lineages, along with food and personal belongings that would be useful for them on their trip to the other world.
Chullpas in Sillustani
The only opening was a small hole in the east face, large enough for a person to fit, which was sealed immediately after the burial.
Today there is nothing left of these burials, however, the chullpas are very well preserved and worth seeing them, both for what they mean and for the views they have from their location.
Views from Sillustani
Amazing sunset in Sillustani
We spend more than an hour in Sillustani and when it is almost 6 in the afternoon, at the moment when we are entering the parking lot where our taxi driver is waiting for us, we look at the sky and notice that drops of water begin to fall ...
I have already commented on several occasions and although I still think it may sound ridiculous, I firmly believe that there is someone who protects us from bad weather and allows us to fully enjoy the places we visit.
And with the thought put in the advisable thing that is this excursion, although we had to pay more for wanting to do the same day tour to Uros and Taquile and Sillustani islands, we had a talk with the driver about the habit of chewing coca.
We can never forget the phrase and especially the tone with which it states:
"I can leave the tour that is, that I, if there is no coquita I do not go. I always go with my bag of coquita chewing and so I do not sleep and the trip passes me faster"
After having a good laugh with the subject of chewing coca always, we arrive at the Plaza de Armas of Puno after 6.30 in the afternoon and the first thing we do is locate with the GPS that we carry on the mobile of the CityMaps2Go application and seeing that It is still early, we will go for a walk through the Plaza de Armas and the main street that leaves the square, where we enjoy a most pleasant atmosphere at these times in which it seems that everyone has come out to celebrate that The rain has stopped.
Puno Cathedral
After 7 pm we decided to go to the Mosha restaurant, which we recommended yesterday and we have seen that it is number 2 on Tripadvisor and when we are at the door, coincidences of life, we find a couple and a woman who are in our hotel and by chance they have also done the Uros and Taquile Islands tour this morning with us, so we asked for a table for 5 and enjoyed our last hours in Puno in the best company.
After 9 pm we return to the Qelqatani Hotel, we say goodbye to our makeshift companions and ask for a taxi that takes us by 7 soles to the Cruz del Sur station in Puno, from where our night bus to Cuzco at 10 pm.
We take things easy and when we go to pick up the tickets they tell us that we have to pay 1 sun per person for boarding fees. So we run to buy the rate (a small ticket) at a ticket office at the other end of the station and embark on our VIP seats on the Cruz del Sur bus.
We spent the first few minutes between dreams, listening to the movie they put on us and looking at the camera of the boy who happens to record us inside the bus before starting.
A night awaits us by bus ... Cuzco awaits us.
Uros Islands
Day 10 CUZCO IN ONE DAY
