The city of Puno, capital of the region of the same name, is located in southeastern Peru, nestled on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world and a source of life for the peoples who live around it.
Puno, considered a town of legends, offers visitors magnificent pre-Hispanic funerary monuments, colonial churches and rugged natural landscapes covered in ichu grass, providing a spectacular view of life on the Peruvian altiplano.
The Aymara, Quechua, Uro, Pacaje and Puquina cultures developed in these lands; after the Spanish conquest, these peoples blended with elements of the West, giving rise to a rich cultural mix that today is expressed in its varied cultural, artistic and folkloric traditions.
Tourist Attractions
Lake Titicaca
Located east of Puno, at 3810 meters above sea level, the highest navigable lake in the world has a maximum length of 194 km and an average width of 65 km. It is home to birds such as the parihuana (the bird that inspired the national flag), fish, and the totora, an aquatic plant that can grow up to 3 meters tall. The totora is used by the Uros as construction material for their homes and boats, as well as infant food, being a very good source of iodine. Excursions to the Uros, Taquile and Amantani islands depart from the lake port of the city of Puno.
Uros Island
The Uros are a people who live on about 40 floating islands built from totora reeds, occupying a large part of the Titicaca National Reserve. The Uros gather around the highest religious authority of each family: the grandfather; they are mainly dedicated to hunting and fishing, and are also known for their great skill at weaving totora reeds, which they use to make boats, houses and handicrafts.
Taquile Island
This is a peaceful island on Lake Titicaca, located about 35 km east of the city of Puno by boat. Taquile has no roads or electricity, but does have abundant hills and archaeological remains. Its main attractions are the landscape, dominated by terraces where potatoes, corn, quinoa and fava beans are grown; ceremonial centers where rituals are performed to ensure abundant harvests and fishing; and the hospitality of its extremely well-organized people.
Amantani Island
It is inhabited by nine communities that are especially dedicated to growing purely Andean crops such as potatoes, corn and oca. Notable features include its handicrafts, with beautiful textiles and stone carving, and two ceremonial centers located at the highest point of the island, from where you can appreciate the lake in its full extent. The residents offer lodging and the chance to share their way of life.
Sillustani Ruins
34 km north of the city of Puno, on the shores of the beautiful Umayo lagoon, we find enigmatic chullpas (burial towers) built by the Colla people, some of which exceed 12 meters in height. Intended to bury the most important figures of this people, the Chullpa del Lagarto and the Intiwatana stand out.
Aymara Corridor
This route runs along the southern shore of Lake Titicaca, passing through a series of towns rich in tradition and archaeological sites. This corridor is characterized by its abundance of churches and for serving as a natural route between the Inca capital (Cusco) and Upper Peru (Bolivia) since viceregal times.
It begins in Chucuito, a town located 18 km southeast of Puno, where we find the Inca Uyo, a site that is said to have been dedicated to invoking fertility, also known as the Temple of the Phalli. Continuing the route, you visit the towns of Acora and Ilave, considered the region’s second commercial center; passing through Juli, the most important Jesuit religious center; and finally Pomata, a town located 108 km from Puno, notable for the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, carved from pink granite.