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Lake Titicaca, high plains, mountains and jungle.
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The Titicaca Lake in Puno is probably the most prominent destination of the Altiplano region, but it only shows one aspect of the Puno region. It is often forgotten that Puno not only consists of the altiplano or high plains, but also has a considerable mountain range and, to many people’s surprise, a nice chunk of Amazon Jungle.
The presence of the altiplano, the Lake Titicaca National Reserve, mountain ranges, the Amazone Jungle and everything in between, makes Puno one of the most bio-diverse regions in Peru, and therefore in the world .
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Lake Titicaca, Cradle of civilizations
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The importance of Puno stretches far back. Lake Titicaca is not only the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, it also gave origin to an important number of civilizations that have left a high number of archeological remains in the Puno region.
According to the Inca mythology, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo emerged from Lake Titicaca and later moved to Cusco to found the famous Inca Empire. It proves how important the Lake has always been in the mind of the people in South Peru.
The Incas may have been the most prominent pre-hispanic civilization, but it certainly wasn’t the first one, nor the longest lasting. Their culture was built on the shoulders of giants like the Pukara culture or the Tiahuanacu, just to name a few.
The ancient civilizations were the ones that mastered the cultivation of the potato (or “papa” as we call it in Peru) and the domestication of the llamas and alpacas. Both had an impact that went far beyond their original territory.
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Tourism in Puno.
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The major attraction of the Puno region is Lake Titicaca of course. The communities around the lake and the islands of Lake Titicaca attract thousands of visitors every year and all are charmed by the authenticity and diversity they find.
The well-conserved traditions, the strong ties to their past and the organizational structure of the villages and communities around the Lake have positioned Puno as the perfect pilot for Community Based Tourism.
Many communities have chosen for tourism as a way to increase their low income without entirely having to give up their old way of life. They became conscious that their rites and traditional clothes do have value and tourism has become an extra motivation to maintain their cultural values.
The last few years, under the impulse of the local Destination Management Organization, more initiatives have been taken to broaden the horizon of visitors to the Puno region, so they can visit more of this amazing region.
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Puno City
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The city of Puno lies at the shores of Lake Titicaca, in what is called the Puno Bay. It is only a stone’s throw away from the floating Uros Islands. The city has excellent lodging facilities for all kind of budgets in the city center and more upgrade hotels on the shores of the Lake.
The heart of the city is Jirón Lima, the pedestrian street that connects the Plaza de Armas with Parque Pino. The city of Puno is quite small, so here, you are bound to walk into fellow travelers you met in other destinations in Peru. Here you can find all the shops you need and many excellent restaurants.
Apart from the cathedrals, there are several small museums of interest, the best ones being the Dreyer Museum on the Plaza de Armas, and the Yavarí Boat Museum. If you want to take pictures of the city, you can do this on the panoramic views of Huachsapata, Puma Unta o Kuntur Wasi (the statue of the condor).
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The number one destination in Puno, less than 15 minutes from the Puno port by boat. The once almost extinct Uros Islands have now grown to more than 50 floating islands, each one with 3 to 5 families.
The islands are made of (totora) reeds that are permanently maintained by the Uros People, one of the oldest inhabitants of Lake Titicaca, in the Puno Bay.
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The most visited islands of Lake Titicaca are Taquile island and Amantani. They are situated on each end of the Puno Bay, behind the Chucuito and Capachica peninsulas, respectively. Depending on the speed of the boat you can get there between 1,5 H to 4 hours. Both islands have very special clothing and well preserved ancient traditions.
Taquile's prowess in producing magnificent textiles has been recognized by the UNESCO in 2005. Both men and women produce the colorful "chullos" and the famous waist bands. Since the initiative of the Community Based Tour Agency, Munay Taquile, it is also possible to overnight with a family on Taquile.
Amantaní is the second biggest island of Lake Titicaca, and well-known for the hospitality of its families that offer homestead tourism in their homes. The island is very quiet and beautiful and has two pre-inca temples, the Pacha Tata and the Pacha Mama.
Suasi Island is a privately owned island with upscale hotel accomodations provided by a Peruvian hotel chain. It is on the other side of Lake Titicaca, close to the Bolivian border. It is very neat, well maintained and has some fine endemic species of fauna and flora of the Altiplano.
The island of Anapia is in the "Minor Lake", dwarved by the majestic mountains of the Cordillera Real in Bolivia. The local Community Based Association offers homestead tourism. They take you in their little sailboats to the Yuspique Island, where you can spot wild vicuñas.
The Moon and Sun Islands are on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca, close to Copacabana, right across the border (Kasani-Yunguy). They were very important during the Tiahuanacu reign and for the Inca culture and have some important remains. The Sun Island offers cheap hostels with great views.
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Chucuito and Capachica Peninsula
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The Chucuito peninsula offers some of the best accommodations for homestead tourism in Luquina Chico and Karina. The district capital, Chucuito used to the royal thesaurus during the Spanish colonization, and also has some intriguing remains.
Capachica, on the left side of the Puno Bay has been making its name in Community Based Tourism for several years now. Especially Llachón and the small island of Ticonata have some very well organized communities that offer excellent accommodations. Several other communities are developing alternatives for the classic Uros-Amantaní-Taquile tours.
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The enchanting chullpas of Sillustani
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At about 45 minutes from the city of Puno, lies Sillustani, on a peninsula within Lake Umayo. It is an enchanting place, great for taking pictures and charging your spiritual batteries. The chullpas on the island are Inca and Pre-Inca funarary towers for the local aristocracy. It usually takes 3-4 hours to visit Sillustani, usually in the afternoon so you can witness the spectacular sunset.
On the route to Moquegua, at about 1.5 hours from Puno, similar, older and well-preserved chullpas can be found in Cutimbo. They are on top of small table mountains close to the road. They are a lot less visited, but nevertheless absolutely worth the visit.
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Lampa, the Pink City
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Lampa is a hidden treasure, half an hour from Juliaca. It is a small city where time stood still since the colonial area. The city has a very particular archictecture, with its red roofs, adobe houses and doorsteps in the pink volcanic sillar stone that gave the city its name.
The Santiago Apostol church is a gem, one of the most beautiful churches in South-America, with lots of paintings from the Cusqueña School and a mausoleum in marble stone with a copy (in aluminium) of the Pietá by Michelangelo.
Lampa is highly recommended if you like colonial architecture, culture, churches and above all peace and quiet. Lampa is also the starting point of the spectacular Andean Circuit, also named the route of Men and Stone. On this 1-day excursion you can see an enormous amount of Puya de Raimondi, the biggest flower in the world, which can reach up to 12 meter high, and the Tinajani Canyon with its huge rocks in all kind of forms.
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Pukara, the oldest culture of the Altiplano
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About one hour and a half from Juliaca, on the route from Puno to Cusco, lies the village of Pucará. There lie the remains of the Kalasaya temple, which was part of the first city of the altipano, more than 6,000 years ago.
The village is also famous for its pottery, especially the “torritos de Pucará”, two small bulls that are placed upon the rooftops to bring prosperity. Even though the bulls are obviously a Spanish theme, this tradition goes back about a thousand years.
Several bus companies stop in Pukará as part of the extended bus ride between Puno and Cusco which visits several, otherwise often neglected but worthwhile, attractions on the route.
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The Aymara circuit
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The city of Puno is the only city in Peru that has native speakers of both Quecha and Aymara, and as thus reflects the division of the region.
South-east from the city of Puno, towards Bolivia, Aymara is the native language. They are the heirs of an ancient culture and many villages still maintain their traditions.
This circuit starts in the Chucuito Peninsula, passing along the spectacular beaches of Charcas and returning to the main road along the shores of the Lake Titicaca. It passes through Juli, often called “The small Rome of the Americas” because it has several churches and because it was the starting point of evangelization in South-America.
Pomata is called the “philisophical balcony of the altiplano”, it has a great view on the Lake and a beautiful colonial church.
Between Pomata and Juli, lies Challapampa, a small village with a surprisingly well decorated church, the oldest colonial church in Peru.
From there you can go to La Paz through the Desaguadero border and make a detour to visit the Tanka-Tanka ruins on your way, but a more touristic option is to cross the border in Yunguy. From there you can go to Anapia (through Punta Hermosa) or to Copacabana in Bolivia.
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Altitude sickness
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Don’t forget Lake Titicaca and the Altiplano region are at 3,810 m (12,500 ft) or more, so take your precautions against altitude desease, or “soroche” as it is locally called. The lack of air pressure reduces the intake of oxygen in your body, and it takes some time before your body starts producing the necessary red blood cells to compensate. Be rested and don’t strain yourself, and you will be able to enjoy your trip to the fullest.
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The Interoceanic Road and the Amazone Jungle.
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Going from Puno to the Amazone jungle used to be a very long, tiresome and uncomfortable voyage, but with the construction of the Interoceanic Road that connects the Peruvian coast with the Brazilian beaches everything changed. Through Juliaca, Azangaro, Macusani, Olloachea and San Gabán, it connects with the road that comes from Cusco close to Inambari, and passes through Puerto Maldonado before crossing the border with Brazil.
This means that a triangle of perfectly maintained road exists between Cusco, Lake Titicaca (Puno) and the Amazon Jungle of Puerto Maldonado, in the Madre de Diós region.
The stretch from Puno, Juliaca to Puerto Maldonado, is truly spectacular, as it climbs over peaks of almost 5,000 m (16,400 ft) before plunging into the jungle area at about sea level. On your way down you can witness the transition between these two extreme ecosystems and the enormous variety of fauna and flora that lies in between.
Close to the Interoceanic Road is the Bahuaja Sonene Natural Reserve, also called the “Jungle without men”, one of the most bio-diverse areas on our planet.
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Transportation Connectivity.
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The south of Peru has excellent connections by road and air. Puno can easily be reached by road, from Cusco, La Paz, Arequipa or Moquegua (see map of the main tourist routes in Peru).
The Juliaca airport is only 45 minutes from Puno and has connections with just about any airport in South Peru or from Lima. Transfers from the airport to Puno city are available or provided by hotels.
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Hotel Qalasaya
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Region: PUNO
Detalle: Edificio de 11 pisos con servicio de ascensor...
Fecha: 15/05/2011
Categoria
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Precio desde:
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US $72.60
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