Lake Titicaca

There are nine Lake Titicaca tours on this page. Six leave from Puno, one of them across the border into Bolivia, and three start in Cusco. They range from half a day to six days, and from 23 to 822 dollars. The cards below are the products. This is the guide to choosing between them.

Half a day

The Uros floating islands take a morning: out through the reeds, an hour on the islands, back for lunch. 23 dollars. Sillustani takes an afternoon, leaving at two for the tower tombs above Lake Umayo. 26 dollars. Together they make a full first day in Puno with no boat longer than half an hour.

A full day

The day tour to Uros and Taquile is the one most people take. Uros first, then two hours across open water to Taquile, lunch at the top of the island, home by five. 44 dollars. If the towers matter more than the knitting, take the Uros and Sillustani day. Reed islands and tombs for 60.

A night on the lake

The Amantani homestay tour sleeps in a family's house on the island the day boats never reach. Three islands in two days, four meals, the sunset climb to Pachatata. 67 dollars. The two day Lake Titicaca and Sillustani tour sleeps in Puno and adds the towers to the islands. 68 dollars.

Coming from Cusco

The two day Lake Titicaca tour from Cusco puts the Route of the Sun and the full day on the water into one booking. The hotel night in Puno is in. 180 dollars. The sky glamping tour sleeps in a clear roofed dome among the Uros islands after a night bus from Cusco. 282 dollars.

The six day Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca package does both ends of southern Peru. The road is in the middle. 822 dollars.

Into Bolivia

The Copacabana and Isla del Sol tour crosses the border at Kasani for the day, with the boat to the island where Inca legend says the sun was born. 195 dollars.

Two things before you choose

The lake is at 3,812 metres. Arrive after two or three nights in Cusco rather than the other way round. Our note on Cusco before Puno explains why. And a day trip from Cusco is not possible.

The road alone fills a day each way, and every way of making it is compared in one place.

Getting to Puno

Our night bus from Cusco is 45 dollars and arrives before the boats leave. The Route of the Sun day bus is 55 with five stops and lunch. A private car is 350 for the vehicle, door to door in seven hours. From Juliaca airport, the transfer to Puno is 45 for the car.

What is worth doing on the lake, in what order, and the honest verdict on each is in our guide to things to do in Lake Titicaca. Still deciding which side of the lake to see? Peru or Bolivia answers that.