Private Transfer, Cusco to Puno (Direct)
$350 Full Day
Overview
25 min
By boat, each way
4 hrs
Hotel to hotel
3 a day
9:00, 12:00, 3:00
3,810 m
On the water
The Uros islands sit in the reed beds of the Bay of Puno, about five kilometres out and twenty five minutes by boat. There are several dozen of them, each a platform of cut totora reed anchored to the lake bed, each home to a handful of families. The largest hold a school and a small clinic.
An island lasts because it is never finished. The reed at the bottom is always decaying in the water, so fresh reed goes on top every few weeks, and the surface you walk on is younger than the boat that brought you. Walk to the edge and it gives under your feet like a mattress. That is normal.
The Uros people went onto the water centuries ago, most likely to keep clear of stronger neighbours on the shore. They have since intermarried with Aymara speakers and Aymara is the everyday language now. What has not changed is the material. Reed for the ground, reed for the houses, reed for the boats, and the pale base of the stem for eating.
The tour is short because the islands are close, not because there is little to see. Twenty five minutes out, an hour or more on the islands, twenty five back.
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About the fees
We include the entrance fee.
Some operators leave it off and collect it on the boat. Ours is in the price. The reed boat ride between islands is a separate thing, optional, and paid directly to the family who rows it. Take small notes if you want to do it.
Tour Highlights
- ✓ Nowhere else on earth do communities live on platforms they build from reed and rebuild for as long as they live on them. It is a half hour from your hotel.
- ✓ Morning for calm water and fewer boats, noon for warmth, afternoon for the light. Pick the one that suits your day rather than the one that suits ours.
- ✓ The community fee is included. You only reach for cash if you want the reed boat ride.
- ✓ You sit, you look, you step onto reed. It is the tour we recommend for the first day in Puno while your body catches up.
- ✓ The demonstration is for you. The school boat is not. Knowing the difference is what makes the visit worth having.
- ✓ Four hours door to door. Pair it with Sillustani in the afternoon and you have seen the two things Puno is known for in one day.
What to Expect
Short, easy, and more staged than you might want, and more real than you might expect.
Expect a hotel pickup and a ten minute drive to the port. Expect a shared motor boat through the channels in the reeds, and the city disappearing behind you faster than seems possible. Expect the first island to come up as a low yellow platform with houses on it and people waiting.
Expect a demonstration. A family president explains how the island is built, with a cut section of reed and a model, and it is given several times a day in a set format. Expect to be invited into a house. Expect handicrafts laid out afterwards and a polite expectation that you will look.
Expect, at the same time, children going to school by boat, reed being cut, and a way of living that carries on whether you came or not. Expect your guide to say plainly which parts are for visitors and which are not, because that is the question everyone has and few operators answer.
Expect to be back at your hotel about four hours after you left it, with the rest of the day free.
Best Time to Visit Uros Floating Islands
Green is the season we recommend Red is the wet season, when afternoons can be rough
May to September
Best
What to expect
Dry, bright, cold mornings, calm water
Our view
The season. The 9:00 AM boat on a June morning is about as good as the lake gets.
April and October
What to expect
Shoulder. Some cloud, some wind in the afternoons
Our view
Fine. Take the morning departure if you can.
November to March
What to expect
Rain in the afternoons, occasional rough water
Our view
Runs all year. Morning departures are more reliable than afternoon ones in these months.
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The one thing to avoid
Runs every day of the year.
The islands do not depend on light the way a mountain does. The one thing to avoid is a windy afternoon in the wet season, which makes the crossing choppy. In those months, book the 9:00 AM boat.
Choosing between them
Which Lake Titicaca Day Is Right for You
We run the lake three ways from Puno. This is the shortest. Green marks the better option on that row.
Uros half day
Uros and Taquile full day
Uros, Amantani and Taquile, 2 days
Time
About 4 hours
About 10 hours
Two days
Boat time
50 min total
Around 5 hours
Around 6 hours over two days
Walking
Almost none
40 min climb on Taquile
Two climbs, one to 4,150 m
Islands
Uros only
Uros and Taquile
Uros, Amantani and Taquile
Lunch
Not included
On Taquile, included
Four meals included
Night on the lake
No
No
Homestay on Amantani
Best for
Half a day, or a first day at altitude
One full day on the lake
Anyone who wants to sleep on an island
In short. Choose the half day if you have an afternoon, a morning, or a body that is still adjusting to the altitude. If you have a whole day, the Uros and Taquile full day adds the island most people remember. If you have a night, the two day homestay is the one.
Tour Itinerary
1
Pickup in Puno
We collect you from hotels in central Puno and drive ten minutes to the port. Bring sun protection and a layer. It is cooler on the water than on the street.
Altitude 3,827 m
2
Out through the reeds
3
On the islands
4
Back to Puno
✓
Inclusions
- ✓ Hotel pickup and drop off in central Puno
- ✓ Shared motor boat to the islands and back
- ✓ Bilingual guide, English and Spanish
- ✓ Entrance fees to the Uros Floating Islands.
- ✓ Community entrance fee to the Uros islands
- ✓ The construction demonstration and a visit inside a reed house
- ✓ Opportunity to purchase handmade souvenirs from the Uros people.
X
Not Included
- X The reed boat ride between islands, paid to the family (15 Soles)
- X Meals and drinks
- X Travel insurance
- X Tips for your guide and boat crew
- X Pickups outside central Puno (Can be arranged at an additional cost)
- X Any additional costs outside of those explicitly mentioned in the tour package.
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About the exclusions
Bring a few small notes.
For the reed boat ride, for a drink at the port, and for anything you decide to buy. There is nowhere to change money on the islands and nobody takes a card.
Departure Information
Available: Daily departures
Group Size: Up to 25 people
Start Time: 0900 AM | 12:00 Noon | 03:00 PM
Pickup: Puno Hotel Transfer
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Uros Floating Islands tour?
A cultural half-day tour from Puno to the floating reed islands built and maintained by the Uros community, including island visits, cultural insights, and scenic lake views
What is the duration of the Uros Floating Islands half-day tour?
When does the Uros Floating Island tour start?
What is included in the Lake Titicaca Half Day tour?
Can I buy crafts directly from the Uros people?
Are there any age restrictions for the tour?
Is the Uros Floating Islands tour easy?
What should I bring for the Uros Flotating Islands Tour?
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