taytrum travels

Lake Titicaca, located 240 miles (390 kilometers) miles away from Cusco, is a terrific visit on a Peru itinerary. I spent a long weekend here and was stunned by the preserved beauty and milky way skies at night.

I saw the best night sky I have ever seen in my life here and countless shooting stars crisscrossing through the black night. It is easily one of the prettiest places in Peru.

What is Lake Titicaca known for?

Lake Titicaca is perhaps best known for being highest navigable lake in the world, situated at an altitude of about over 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) above sea level. It straddles the border between Peru and Bolivia in the Andes Mountains, making it an alluring draw for people looking to see impressive natural landscapes and visit multiple countries.

One of the other things most people come to see at the lake are the unique Uros floating islands. These “islands” are actually tightly bound reeds assembled by the Uros people who live on these floating reeds.

Where is Lake Titicaca?

Lake Titicaca is found up in the Andes Mountains on the border between Peru and Bolivia in South America. The lake is divided between the two countries, with roughly 60% of its surface area belonging to Peru and 40% to Bolivia. It is in the southeast corner of Peru and northwest corner of Bolivia.

How to Get to Lake Titicaca

Getting to Lake Titicaca is no small feat to be honest. It is a long bus ride from Cusco for most people visiting from the Peru side like I did. In my journey, there was even a roadblock due to political protests which had us get out and walk a fair distance for a new bus and route. Even with that experience, I’d go back to Lake Titicaca in a heartbeat.

The Peruvian side is accessed primarily through the city of Puno, while the Bolivian side is accessed through the town of Copacabana.

From Lima, Puno is at least a full day’s journey by car or bus. It is about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) between Lima and Puno. Cusco to Puno will take about 8-10 hours by road. The distance between Puno and Cusco is about 240 miles (390 kilometers).

The distance in Bolivia is much closer. From La Paz, journey by car or bus will take about 3-4 hours. From La Paz, getting to Lake Titicaca in most cases also involves a ferry ride.

You can book your own bus fare to and from Puno or Copacabana and explore on your own. This can be done directly at the bus station. I recommend the bus over a rental car in Peru as some roads can be quite narrow and a bit tricky. Most buses have curtains on the windows and at least one bathroom. They make pit stops along the way.

There is also a train option on PeruRail. This is the most expensive option and the slowest. A train between Puno and Cusco would take about 10-11 hours.

Best Tours for Lake Titicaca

Because of the distance, you may want to book a tour for Lake Titicaca. Here are four top rated options with a variety of durations and price points.

1. Lake Titicaca Multiday Tour from Cusco

The simplest tour option if you’re in Cusco is a multiday tour from Cusco to Lake Titicaca. In this 2 day Lake Titicaca tour they include the hotel, hotel pick up, bus tickets, a guide, visits to the islands, and several meals.

The biggest pro is that this tour takes all the planning out of it. The biggest con in my opinion is that it is the most expensive, starting at about $250 as of 2024.

2. Lake Titicaca Day Trip from Puno

The next Lake Titicaca tour idea is a simple day trip from Puno. This Lake Titicaca tour includes a visit to the Uros floating islands, time on Taquile Island, lunch, entrance fees, hotel pick up, a boat ride, and a professional guide.

For this tour, you’ll need to book your bus tickets from Cusco on your own. This is one of the cheaper options. If you are already in Puno, this is an easy and quick option.

3. Overnight Day Trip from Cusco to Lake Titicaca

If you’re heading to Lake Titicaca from Cusco and tight on time, this one-day, overnight trip might be perfect for you. Departing late at night from Cusco, this tour utilizes an overnight bus service. You arrive to Puno early the next morning and explore Lake Titicaca for just the day before heading back on the night bus.

With this tour you likewise see all the main sites and it includes many of the meals, plus of course a professional guide.

4. Six Day Grand Tour for First Timers

The most expensive option in this round up is a multiday trip that takes you to Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca. This takes a ton of planning and logistics work out the equation for you. This is a top rated 6-day organized tour offered in Spanish and English. It starts at about $800 per person as of 2024. It includes several hotel stays and breakfast options.

What to Pack for Lake Titicaca

Considering the high altitude, you should pack warm clothes. Layers are the best thing to wear at Lake Titicaca.

When I visited in July, I wore mostly long pants and/or leggings, a base layer like a tank top, and a warm sweater or jacket. During the day, it could be quite warm in the sun, but by night it gets chilly.

You’ll do a lot of walking in most cases, so I recommend a comfortable pair of sneakers. Hiking boots would be overkill.

Swimming at the lake is not very common in part due to the very cold water temperature and water pollution issues in some places. Because of this you, don’t need to pack beachy types of items.

While you don’t need a swimsuit, you do still need sunscreen. The sun can be very intense in high altitudes due to thinner atmosphere.

A small day backpack is good choice for a day trip tour. You should pack a few snacks, plenty of water, and other basics like sunglasses, ChapStick, and an extra layer of clothing. This layer can even be used as a pillow on the bus ride.

If you are on an overnight trip with a stay in Puno, you’ll of course need to bring a larger back with more supplies, but your tour agency will help keep your bag secure, so you don’t need to carry it around with you. That said, you should still use normal precautions like locking your bag, especially if you are carrying expensive items and/or cash.

If you plan to cross over into Bolivia, you will need your passport.

Is Lake Titicaca worth visiting?

Absolutely! Lake Titicaca is surrounded by the impressive Andes Mountains. At night, the sky is alive with shooting stars and an incredible milky way. During my time there, I ate delicious homemade food at a homestay and loved how peaceful the lake was. It is such an unbelievably large lake that even though many people make a long journey to get here, you still feel uncrowded and can rest.

Truthfully, while the Uros floating islands are very cool, they feel a bit commercialized and are oriented toward welcoming tourists. They are a can’t miss feature for their uniqueness but were my least favorite part of the visit. Puno is a lackluster small town, but you really don’t come all this way for Puno or even the Uros islands. The lake itself is worth the journey.

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