Titicaca: An ocean in the mountain
March 2016, Peru/Bolivia
At an altitude of 3812 meters above sea level, Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world and the largest lake in South America.
Titicaca is a must see destination, if you pass by Peru or Bolivia. So do I and went to the both sides of the lake, but what impressed me most was located a few kilometers off the lake shores.
Titicaca is a must see destination, if you pass by Peru or Bolivia. So do I and went to the both sides of the lake, but what impressed me most was located a few kilometers off the lake shores.
Peruvian side
Most of the people reach Titicaca lake from the Peruvian side. The biggest cities here are Puno and Juliaca, linked to Cusco by daily buses and Lima by air. I took a bus ride from Cusco to Puno, as the distance is less than 400 km. However, the overnight trip is long due to the mountain roads passing through. I took the bus from Cusco to Puno, which is the biggest city on the shores of Titicaca. It was not hard to notice the big change upon arrival. The city is located at more than 3800 meters above sea level thus reducing the oxygen in the air and lowering the pressure. And the second change was the inhabitants, as I saw many Aymara people and signs in Aymara language, which is official here. In fact, Aymaras first established themselves around Titicaca lake, both in Peruvian and Bolivian sides. That’s why today they are the only locals, that enjoy visa-free travel between Peru and Bolivia. For all these indigenous groups living in the mountains, a hundred-thousand-city like Puno is their entry point to the modern world. The city is growing rapidly but there is just a short flat area between the lake and the mountains, so people are building houses on the hills. Puno is welcoming a lot of tourists due to its proximity to Machu Picchu and you can enjoy many different tours around. Puno is also a good option to get your Bolivian visa in advance, if you are planning to continue your trip to the other side of the lake. The reason is that visa on arrival would cost more than US $50 while visa in the Bolivian consulate in Puno would be free. However, before continuing to Bolivia, it is worth to stop at the port in Puno. It is available for small and medium crafts so it is a great option to make a boat trip to the islands of Taquile, Amantani and Uros, or Titicaca National Reserve.
Uros: The Floating islands
I didn’t had time to explore Taquile and Amantani islands, but I went to Uros (it is almost impossible to skip them while in Puno). It is easy to reach them once the port in Puno or just ask some tour agency to do it for you. The islands are just 5 km east from Puno port so the journey is short. I joined a tour group with English-speaking guide. As we were approaching the islands, we saw the totora plant growing in the lake. The totora reeds are the most important element in the Uros people life, it is their food, medicine, tea as well as a construction material for reed boats and island ground. More than 70 artificial islands were built on bundles of dried totora reeds, where around 2 000 Uros people still live here. Upon arrival in Isla Santa María (the biggest island), the guide showed us a mini structure of the island model and explained about their story. The secret of the living on a floating island is to add more and more totora reeds on the top of the island periodically, as the ones on the bottom are sinking. However, this is not the only fear locals should survive, as the they need to protect themselves from freezing and of course to get a food. Thanks to their trade relations with the indigenous people from the coast, they are surviving. Today, the tourist business is the main income here, so you will be offered to buy souvenirs, place a passport stamp and get a tour on the so called ‘Mercedes Benz’ boat, which is their ‘luxury’ version of reed boat. You will able to visit a local family house and discover the conditions these people live in the 21st century.
Under the water: Atlantis
The depths of the lake have been explored by archaeologists who found remains of mystical metropolis. The underwater ruins lead to many speculations and hypothesis, including the lost city of Atlantis. Divers had discovered U-shaped walls, paved roads and sacred labyrinths in the depths of the lake. Many ocean fossils were also found around the lake and some of the fish species here are saltwater ones. The most mystery evidence found under the water is the ruins of an ancient temple, built of stone blocks. The remains of the city of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia, nearby Titicaca and Nazca lines in Peru, are somehow related to the whole hypothesis of Atlantis in Titicaca lake, but since there are no any evidences, it is just another part of the mysterious puzzle from the Pre-Colombian era in South America.
Bolivian side
My journey around Titicaca continues on the other side of the lake, which makes part of Bolivia. The lake is pretty much the same, however the feeling is different as Bolivia is quite isolated country. It is one of the two landlocked countries in South America, other being Paraguay, but Bolivia has stricter border control. Located between the Andes mountains and Amazon basin, Titicaca lake is of great importance to Bolivia and you will quickly notice this. I am entering the border town Copacabana, which doesn’t have anything in common with the famous beach in Rio except the name. It is home to some 6000 people, working in the tourism, agriculture and fisheries. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed with fried trout fish from the lake and tea from coca leaves. The trout fish here is always fresh and is a popular dish for locals and tourists, while the coca tea is something you can’t skip. While climbing Cerro Calvario, the highest hill of the city, my altimeter hits 4023 meters above sea level. However, I didn’t feel any altitude problems, probably because of the tea – the locals are drinking it every day as a medicine for altitude sickness. After spending more than an hour at Cerro Calvario enjoying the stunning view above the city and the lake, I witnessed a religious ritual on the top of the hill, which is popular site for pilgrims with its 14 Stations of the Cross. Copacabana is a sacred place for Incas and Catholics as well – on the Island of the Sun (Isla del Sol) nearby the city is located Inca’s Temple of the Sun (Tiwanaku), while at the city center you will notice the great 16th century Spanish colonial church Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Copacabana. It is really amazing how such a big church was build so high in the mountains five centuries ago. The tourist area is mainly around Avenida 6 de Agosto reaching the shores of Titicaca, so here you will find everything you need. Copacabana is not linked to the other part of Bolivia, so reaching the rest of the country involves taking a ferry through Tiquina strait. In order to see more from Titicaca lake, I took a hop-on-hop-off bus that made several stops at both sides, but unexpectedly it got broken shortly after leaving Copacabana and it caused a long delay of my journey. The bus lights went off shortly after the sunset, so the driver drop us to the closest city, without using any lights along such a tiny mountain road. It was a reason to get an extra time in San Pablo de Tiquina, a small city on the Tiquina strait, until the next bus arrives from La Paz. The city is really small and has nothing interesting to offer, but its ferry service through Titicaca lake. However, crossing the lake at midnight was a ferry to remember, as the temperature here often falls around and sometimes under zero. It pointed out the conditions, in which people from Titicaca lake are surviving everyday. Living so high and far in the Andes mountains is definitely not for everyone, and despite the recent tourism development, Titicaca reminds all of us to respect the power of the lake.
This article was originally published in The Economist's magazine Bulgarian issue No. 23 of June 2016.
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