Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lake Titicaca Highlights
Visit the tiny island of Pariti, with its lovely museum (
Click here
) featuring
exquisite Tiwanaku finds from a recent excavation
Discover vestiges of the Inca culture in and around Copacabana (
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)
Check out a baptism (or even a vehicle blessing!) at Copacabana's cathedral
(
Click here
)
Travel through lakeside villages (
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) between Copacabana and
Yampupata, and take a spin in a reed boat
Explore Isla del Sol (
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) on foot, hiking from tip to tail over a few
days
Head out to Isla de la Luna (
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)
for spectacular lake views, ancient
ruins and landscapes straight out of the Mediterranean
Eat fresh grilled trout on a floating island (
Click here
) with a cold Paceña
to keep you company
Watch the sunset from the deck of your hotel, a humbling and truly awe-
some experience
History
When you first glimpse Lake Titicaca's crystalline, gemlike waters beneath the looming
backdrop of the Cordillera Real in the clear Altiplano light, you'll understand why pre-
Inca people connected it with mystical events. Those early inhabitants of the Altiplano be-
lieved that both the sun itself and their bearded white god-king, Viracocha, had risen out
of its mysterious depths. The Incas, in turn, believed that it was the birthplace of their
civilization.
Archaeological discoveries indicate that the areas around the lake have been inhabited
since about 1500 BC by organized civilizations like the Tiwanaku, Aymará and Inca. The
recent discoveries of a subaquatic temple and ancient wall have led some scientists to
speculate that the lake area was inhabited as far back as 6000 BC, when it had much lower
water levels. And while the nearby Tiwanaku ruins are the largest in the area, there are nu-
merous pre-Columbian sites surrounding the lake.
