Lake Titicaca - The Floating Islands of Uros

In Inca mythology, Lake Titicaca is the lake from which the world began.  As the legend goes, the Inca god of creation emerged from the lake to create the sun, moon, stars, and all mankind.  The lake is a sacred location as the birthplace of the Inca Empire. 

Titicaca is the largest lake in South America, roughly the same size as Puerto Rico.  At an altitude of over 12,000 feet, surrounded by the Andes mountains, when I was standing on the shores, it did in fact feel mythical.  Maybe it was the altitude or perhaps my tendency to romanticize ancient legends, either way this place feels special.

The main reason to visit Titicaca is to explore the unique island communities and the city of Puno is where your explorations will likely begin.  Puno is a difficult place to describe.  It is gritty and urban at the center yet surrounded by luscious green farmland.  The streets are ladened with potholes, the buildings are mostly old, and the traffic moves along in a chaotic manner due to the lack of traffic lights, crosswalks or lane markers.  The port area next to the city center is lined with local vendors selling Pucara bulls, chollo, and other hand made items.  Amidst all the muddled confusion there is a brightness that shines through.  The people of Puno seem happy.

What you won’t find in Puno (especially when traveling during the off-season) are tourist from the U.S.  At least none traveling outside of an organized group.  When I was looking at tours for Uros and Taquile, most were conducted in Spanish. I did manage to find one that was bi-lingual Spanish and English.  As it turns out most of the participants spoke Spanish and the ones that didn’t were relying on English because the tour wasn’t offered in their native language of Portuguese, Italian, Hungarian, etc.  I was the only one out of 30 that was a native English speaker.   I felt only mildly self-conscious as it became easy to blend in with the larger group.

I had arranged a pickup from my hotel to the location where I was to meet the tour.  The process was smooth and easy.  I boarded the boat with the rest of the participants and before leaving the dock we were treated to some traditional dancing down the aisle of the boat.  The dancers were entertaining, and for a small fee you could have your photo taken with the group while wearing a traditional headdress.

When the boat departed the dock our tour guide gave us an overview of what to expect from the day.  He was well spoken and gave a lot of information.  Especially, the kind of information that a history geek such as myself is interested in.  The boat was okay, it was lined with windows so provided great views of the lake but just like economy seats on planes, the rows were so close together the ride was a tad uncomfortable given my height of 5'10.

Fortunately, we arrived at Uros within 30 minutes of departure.  These Islands are like no other place on earth.  The Uros are a tribal people who pre-date the Incas.  According to our guide the Uros initially created these floating islands as a means to escape from the oppression of the powerful Incas.

The Islands are made from totora roots and are generally two meters in depth and covered with reeds from the same plant.  As the roots slowly rot from the bottom, new reeds are added.  Stepping onto the islands is a strange experience as you feel your feet slightly sink into the reads making each step tentative and unsteady.

The number of islands varies depending on the source.  Our guide indicated that there were about 120 islands and tourist visits were rotated between each island so that all the families could share in the income.  

The inhabitants of the island seemed happy to see us and we were welcomed warmly as we disembarked.  We learned about how the islands were created and maintained.  We learned how the inhabitants lived in much the same way as their ancestors in small huts made out of reeds.  Traditionally, the Uros were fisherman and traded fish for potatoes and other necessities.  They were largely self-sufficient and lived off what the lake provided. 

After a short tour of the island, we had the opportunity for a short ride in a balsa, one of the large boats also made from the totora reed.  As you would expect, these boats do not operate on motors or sails but solely on manpower.  Two rowers take their position on the back of the boat and guide us between the islands. We dock at the main island, the one with the welcome sign, a small snack shop and restroom outfitted with chemical toilets.  I guess no matter how much tourist enjoy taking a journey into the past, there are still a few creature comforts that we don’t want to do without.

As we slowly sailed past the islands, we could see small solar panels and satellite dishes, and were told that most islands have a TV.  A few rooftops once made of reed are now covered in tin and all the islands now have a potable water source. A few have even created semi-modern cabins where tourists can stay for the night.  The Uro have their own language, but all children learn Spanish so that if they choose, they can leave the islands for the mainland. 

It is estimated that there are about 2,000 Uros living in Peru with 1,200 living on one of the floating islands.  Today the Uros are no longer fishermen. Their sole source of income comes from tourism.  The price that the tourist boats pay to dock, the cost of riding in a balsa, the purchase of homemade crafts, and the overnight homestays.   It’s impossible not to wonder how the Uros really feel about the tourist.  Gratitude, resentment, ambivalence or some combination of all three? After visiting their home I only wish I could have spent more time there to learn more about how they live and what they think about the thousands that visit each year.