Things to do in Lake Titicaca
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Govinda
True to form, the Hare Krishna-run Govinda serves up its hippie vegetarian menús without burning a hole in your pocket. The environs are cramped and dank, though.
reviewed
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Yavari
The much-loved Yavari is the oldest steamship on Lake Titicaca. In 1862 the Yavari and its sister ship, the Yapura, were built in Birmingham, England, of iron parts - a total of 2766 for the two vessels. These were shipped around Cape Horn to Arica, from where they were moved by train to Tacna, before being hauled by mule over the Andes to Puno - an incredible undertaking that took six years to complete.
The ships were assembled in Puno and the Yavari was launched on Christmas Day 1870. The Yapura was later renamed the BAP Puno and became a Peruvian Navy medical ship; it can still be seen in Puno. Both had coal-powered steam engines, but due to a shortage of coal, the eng…
reviewed
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Islas Uros
Just 5km east of Puno, these unique floating islands are Lake Titicaca’s top tourist attraction. They’re built using the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The lives of the Uros people are interwoven with these reeds, which are partially edible (tasting like hearts of palm) and are also used to make their homes, their boats and the crafts they churn out for tourists.
The islands are constructed from many layers of the totora, which are constantly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom, so the ground is always soft and springy. (Be careful not to put your foot through any rotten sections!)
reviewed
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Coca Museum
Puno’s tiny, quirky Coca Museum offers lots of interesting information – historical, medicinal, cultural – about the coca plant and its many uses. Presentation isn’t that interesting, though: reams of text (in English only) stuck to the wall interspersed with photographs and old Coca-Cola advertisements. The display of traditional costumes is what makes a visit to this museum worthwhile. Though its relation to coca is unfathomable, it’s a boon for making sense of the costumes worn in street parades.
reviewed
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Inka Express
- Puno, Peru
- Activities › Other
The most enjoyable way to get to Cuzco is via Inka Express, whose luxury buses with panoramic windows depart every morning at 8am. Buffet lunch is included, along with an English-speaking tour guide, who talks about the four sites that are briefly visited en route: Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Abra la Raya and Pucará. The trip takes about eight hours and costs S135 from Inka Express. You may well be able to persuade a travel agency to cut into its commission and sell you a ticket for less.
reviewed
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Inka Express
- Puno, Peru
- Activities › Other
The most enjoyable way to get to Cuzco is via Inka Express, whose luxury buses with panoramic windows depart every morning at 8am. Buffet lunch is included, along with an English-speaking tour guide, who talks about the four sites that are briefly visited en route: Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Abra la Raya and Pucará. The trip takes about eight hours and costs S135 from Inka Express. You may well be able to persuade a travel agency to cut into its commission and sell you a ticket for less.
reviewed
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Cutimbo
Just over 20km from Puno, this dramatic site has an extraordinary position atop a table-topped volcanic hill surrounded by a fertile plain. Its modest number of well-preserved chullpas, built by the Colla, Lupaca and Inca cultures, come in both square and cylindrical shapes. You can still see the ramps used to build them. Look closely and you’ll find several monkeys, pumas and snakes carved into the structures.
reviewed
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CEDESOS
CEDESOS offers fully guided, standard and tailored trips to the Capachica Peninsula communities and others in the area. This NGO works to improve local income and standards of living through tourism. It offers villagers training and cheap credit to ready themselves to receive tourists. Tours are not cheap, but they’re well organized and come highly recommended by many.
reviewed
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Smooth Jazz Bar
Absolutely nothing like its name implies, this tiny hole in the wall (holding 25 at a pinch) wins hearts for its phone-book-like list of drinks: three pages of cocktails and five different kinds of alcoholic hot tea are just the beginning. The music videos blasting from the TV in the corner are more likely to be Rod Stewart than Miles Davis, but 34 different piscos later, who cares?
reviewed
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Dóminos Megadisco
If you want to see how the locals get down, this is the place for you. Multi-leveled mayhem, a karaoke lounge, a dance floor that explodes to salsa, reggaetón (a blend of Puerto Rican bomba, dancehall and hip-hop) and rock, and cuba libre (rum and cola) by the jug: it all adds up to a great night, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
reviewed
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Vida Natural
- Puno, Peru
- Restaurants › Other
The grubby, plastic-heavy ambience doesn’t do Vida Natural any favors, but the vegetable-deprived will appreciate its good-value set meals and the long menu, which includes soy versions of Peruvian favorites, from lomo saltado (strips of beef stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, potatoes and chili) to hamburguesas (hamburgers).
reviewed
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IncAbar
This stylishly low-slung, cheerily chic restaurant does creative international food with a local twist. The massive Andean platter – bread, chips, to-die-for olives, cheese, ham, avocado and more – is a favorite. A deservedly popular stop on the Gringo Trail, as evidenced by the pinboard full of expat business cards on the front wall.
reviewed
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Keros
Low-key Keros has a full bar and is heated by a sometimes-stifling open fire. It’s a great place to try two Peruvian classics, sopa a la criolla (a creamy noodle soup with beef and peppers) and tiradito, both of which it prepares to perfection. Its motto is ‘Eat like an Inca, pay like a peasant.’
reviewed
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Casa del Corregidor
The 17th-century Casa del Corregidor, one of Puno’s oldest residences, houses a cultural center where exhibitions, workshops and concerts take place. There’s also an art gallery and a bookshop. Its cafe-bar is a great place to hobnob with local expats and artists over a cappuccino and a pastry.
reviewed
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Cathedral
On the western flank of the Plaza de Armas is Puno’s baroque cathedral, which was completed in 1757. The interior is more Spartan than you’d expect from the well-sculpted facade, except for the silver-plated altar, which, following a 1964 visit by Pope Paul VI, has a Vatican flag to its right.
reviewed
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Colors
- Puno, Peru
- Restaurants › Other
Colors is Puno’s best kick-back couch cafe – with free wireless, naturally. The Andean-Greek–Middle East–Asian menu features fusion treats such as Andean cheese fondue and smoked trout ravioli in vodka sauce. There are reasonably priced breakfasts and great coffee too – hmm, you could lose a whole day here.
reviewed
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Huajsapata Park
A 10-minute walk west of the Plaza de Armas brings you to Huajsapata Park atop a little hill crowned by a larger-than-life white statue of the first Inca Manco Capac looking out over the legendary site of his birth. The view is excellent but don't walk here alone - several robberies have been reported.
reviewed
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Positive Vibrations
- Puno, Peru
- Entertainment › Bar
This rock and reggae travelers’ haunt is always jumping. The enthusiastic young staff all dream of being DJs someday, and friendly service lives up to the promise of the bar’s name. The eye-popping, UV-painted toilet is a little hard on the cortexes by the end of happy hour, but nobody’s complaining.
reviewed
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Kamizaraky Rock Pub
This can be said to be southern Peru’s best watering hole; this place feels like your best friend’s living room. It has a classic-rock soundtrack, unbelievably cool bartenders and liquor-infused coffee drinks essential for staying warm during Puno’s bone-chilling nights. It’s a hard place to leave.
reviewed
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Puno Cathedral
On the western flank of the Plaza de Armas, Puno's baroque cathedral was completed in 1757. While its facade is well-sculptured, the interior is surprisingly spartan apart from the silver-plated altar that, following a 1964 visit by Pope Paul VI, had a Vatican flag placed to its right.
reviewed
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Balcones de Puno
- Puno, Peru
- Restaurants › Other
Offers traditional local food with an emphasis on desserts, but what really sets it apart is its nightly show (7:30pm to 9pm), which stands out for the quality and enthusiasm of its performers, and the lack of cheese – no pan pipe butchering of El Cóndor Pasa here.
reviewed
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La Cayma
Hidden well away from Calle Lima, this courtyard restaurant doubles as a local art gallery. Here you can dine on nouveau Andean fusion fare while gazing at impressive photographs of ancient ruins. The atmosphere is as warm as a ski hut, and there's a good drinks list.
reviewed
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Rock Pub
With our vote for southern Peru's best watering hole, this place feels like your best friend's living room. It has a classic rock soundtrack, unbelievably cool bartenders and liquor-infused coffee drinks essential for staying warm during Puno's bone-chilling nights.
reviewed
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Mojsa
- Puno, Peru
- Restaurants › Other
Mojsa lives up to its name, which is Aymara for ‘delicious’. It has a thoughtful range of Peruvian and international food, a design-your-own salad option and a menu full of random and interesting facts. Did you know that astronauts eat quinua (quinoa)?
reviewed
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Ekeko’s
Travelers and locals alike gravitate to this tiny, ultraviolet dance floor splashed with psychedelic murals. It moves to a thumping mixture of modern beats and old favorites, from salsa to techno trance, which can be heard several blocks away.
reviewed
