Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Information
Bring small bills in local currency, since change is elusive and there is no place to ex-
change foreign money. There is limited electricity, but it's not always available. Pack a
flashlight for overnight stays.
Getting There & Away
Ferries
(round-trip S20)
leave from the port of Puno for Taquile starting at about 6:45am. If
the ferry stops at the Islas Uros, you will also have to pay the admission there. There's a
ferry from Amantaní to Taquile every morning.
Isla Amantaní
The more remote
Isla Amantaní
( admission S5)
, population 4000, is a few kilometers
north of Taquile. The island is very quiet (no dogs allowed!), boasts great views and has
no roads or vehicles. Several hills are topped by ruins, among the highest and best known
of which are
Pachamama
(Mother Earth) and
Pachatata
(Father Earth). These date to the
Tiwanaku culture, a largely Bolivian culture that appeared around Lake Titicaca and ex-
panded rapidly between 200 BC and AD 1000.
Trips generally involve an overnight stay, in which guests help cook on open fires in
dirt-floor kitchens. The villagers sometimes organize rousing traditional dances, letting
travelers dress in their traditional party gear to dance the night away. Don't forget to look
up at the starry night sky as you stagger home. It is an unforgettable experience.
