Lake Titicaca - Lonely Planet

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Lake Titicaca
Why Go?
Copacabana .................... 73
Copacabana to
Yampupata ...................... 82
Isla del Sol....................... 83
Isla de la Luna (Koati) .... 89
Huatajata ........................ 89
Islas de Wiñaymarka ...... 89
Around Lake Titicaca ......90
Best Places to Eat
» La Cúpula Restaurant
(p79)
» La Orilla (p79)
A visit to the world’s largest high-altitude lake feels like a
journey to the top of the world. Everything – and everyone –
that sits beside this impressive body of water, from the traditional Aymará villages to the glacier-capped peaks of the
Cordillera Real, seems to fall into the background as the singularity, power and sheer gravity of the lake draws all eyes.
It is not hard to see how Inca legends came to credit Lake
Titicaca with the birth of their civilization.
Set between Peru and Bolivia at 3808m, the 8400 sq km
lake offers enough activities to keep you busy for at least a
week. There are trips to the many islands that speckle the
shoreline, hikes to lost coves and floating islands, parties in
the tourist hub of Copacabana and chance encounters with
locals that will provide new insight into the culture and
traditions of one of Bolivia’s top attractions.
» Isla Flotante Kalakota
(p82)
Best Places to
Stay
» Las Olas (p78)
When to Go
Copacabana
°C/°F Temp
» Hotel Rosario del Lago
30/86
(p78)
20/68
» La Estancia Ecolodge
(p87)
Rainfall inches/mm
40/104
8/200
6/150
4/100
10/50
2/50
0/32
0
-10/14
J
F
M
Feb–Nov Sunny
by day, but
there’s often a
cool wind off the
lake and bitterly
cold nights.
12-lake-titicaca-bol8.indd 71
A
M
J
J
Feb–Apr Festivals include
Semana Santa
and the Fiesta
de la Virgen de
Candelaria.
A
S
O
N
D
May The Fiesta
de la Cruz (Feast
of the Cross) is
popular around
the lake.
25/02/2013 9:25:47 AM
72
History
their bearded white god-king, Viracocha,
had risen out of its mysterious depths. The
Incas, in turn, believed that it was the birthplace of their civilization.
Archaeological discoveries indicate that
the areas around the lake have been inhabited since about 1500 BC by organized
civilizations like the Tiwanaku, Aymará and
When you first glimpse Lake Titicaca’s crystalline, gemlike waters beneath the looming backdrop of the Cordillera Real in the
clear Altiplano light, you’ll understand why
pre-Inca people connected it with mystical
events. Those early inhabitants of the Altiplano believed that both the sun itself and
50 km
25 miles
L AKE TITICACA
Huancané
Lago
To Cuzco Arapa
(345km)
108
Moho
Taraco
Tilali
Juliaca
Aeropuerto
Juliaca
Italaque
Charazani
(Villa General José Pérez) Aucapata
Ayata
Río Mapiri
15º30'S
Isla
Amantani
Lake Titicaca
Chucuito
Isla
del Sol
Acora
3
113
PERU
Yampupata
Villages &
floating islands
Copacabana
Yunguyo
Juli
Pomata
Carabuco
Sorata
Chaguaya
Ancoraimes
Warisata
Isla de la Luna
(Koati)
Illampu
(6360m)
Ancohuma
(6429m)
16ºS
Achacachi
San Pablo
de Tiquina
Chúa
Huatajata
Huarina
Puerto To La Paz
Isla Pérez (40km)
San Pedro
de Tiquina Suriqui
Isla
Batallas
Isla Pariti
Kalahuta
Lago de
Wiñaymarka
16º30'S
Ancoma
Quiabaya
de
o
ch na
tre ui
Es Tiq
Ilave
32
BOLIVIA
Escoma
Isla
Campanario
Isla
Taquile
Chimu
16ºS
68º30'W
Pumasani Pass
Puerto Acosta
Isla
Soto
Laguna
Umayu
Puno
69ºW
Conima
To Arequipa
(279km)
112
69º30'W
To Curva;
Pelechuco
(60km)
Río S
uc
he
s
0
0
Pucarani
16º30'S
Zepita
Tiwanaku
Desaguadero
Guaqui
70ºW
To Tacna
69º30'W
69ºW
Tiwanaku
68º30'W
Lake Titicaca Highlights
1 Visit the tiny island
of Pariti, with its lovely
museum (p90) featuring
exquisite Tiwanaku finds
from a recent excavation
2 Discover vestiges of the
Inca culture in and around
Copacabana (p73)
3 Check out a baptism
(or even a vehicle blessing!)
at Copacabana’s cathedral
(p75)
12-lake-titicaca-bol8.indd 72
4 Travel through
lakeside villages (p82)
between Copacabana and
Yampupata, and take a spin
in a reed boat
5 Explore Isla del Sol
(p83) on foot, hiking from tip
to tail over a few days
6 Head out to Isla de la
Luna (p89) for spectacular
lake views, ancient ruins and
landscapes straight out of
the Mediterranean
7 Eat fresh grilled trout on
a floating island (p82) with
a cold Paceña to keep you
company
8 Watch the sunset from
the deck of your hotel, a
humbling and truly awesome
experience
25/02/2013 9:25:55 AM