Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ichu
Ten kilometers out of Puno, on the lake's southern shore, this rural community is spread
across a gorgeous green valley that is home to a little-known ruin with superb views - a
multilayered temple complex with breathtaking 360-degree vistas. It's a great place for a
hike.
To get there, leave the Panamericana at Ichu's second exit (after the service station) and
head inland past the house marked 'Villa Lago 1960.' Continue on for 2km, bearing left at
the junction, aiming for the two small, terraced hills you can see in the left of the valley.
After bearing left at a second junction (you'll pass the school if you miss it), the road
takes you between the two hills. Turn left again and head straight up the first one. Fifteen
minutes of stiff climbing brings you to the hilltop complex.
This can be done as an easy half-day trip from Puno. Taxis from Puno can take you to
the top of the hill and wait while you hike. Take plenty of water and food; there are no fa-
cilities.
Chucuito
About 19km south of Puno, this little village (population 1100) on Lake Titicaca's south
shore offers one outlandish attraction: the
Templo de la Fertilidad
(Inca Uyu; admission S5;
8am-5pm)
. Its dusty grounds are scattered with large stone phalluses, some up to 1.2m
in length. Local guides tell entertaining stories about the carvings, including tales of maid-
ens sitting atop the stony joysticks to increase their fertility.
Further uphill from the main road is the
main plaza
, which has two attractive colonial
churches,
Santo Domingo
and
Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
. (Ask around for the elu-
sive caretakers if you want to get a glimpse inside.)
If you fancy spending the night, try the unmissable
Taypikala Hotel
( 79-2252;
www.taypikala.com
; Km18 Panamericana Sur)
, a new-age confusion of model condors and artifi-
cial rocks. Rooms have lake and garden views. Across the highway, its swanky new sister
fers better views, with understated luxury and more subtle architecture.
Otherwise, agencies in Puno offer day trips.
