4-day adventure
Lake Titicaca Extension
Peru
- Kandoo Trekking
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£299
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Our local team
Our team in Peru has been running since 2012 and is lead by the highly knowledgeable José Quispe. He is passionate about his home country and showing others the amazing historical and natural phenomena that live there. Nothing is ever too much trouble for José and he will always be found with a huge smile on his face. He leads an incredible team, decked out in full Kandoo orange, they are hard to miss on the trail. They will do everything they...
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Kandoo's view
Squeezed between the mountains of Bolivia and Peru, Lake Titicaca is one of the most fascinating lakes in the world. It is the world's highest navigable lake at over 3800 meters and is a sacred place for the Inca civilization, as their mythology says that the first Inca king, Manco Capac, was born here.
The highlight of this fascinating area is the amazing floating islands of Uros located a 2 hour boat ride from Puno. Built entirely from the special type of giant bulrush, called totora, that grows in the shallows of the lake the inhabitants still follow the traditions going back centuries.
We can arrange an extension to your Machu Picchu trek to visit this region or incorporate this into a longer circuit visiting all of the best of Peru. Our most popular itinerary is set out below but this is just a suggestion. If you are interested give us a call to discuss the fantastic range of options.
The highlight of this fascinating area is the amazing floating islands of Uros located a 2 hour boat ride from Puno. Built entirely from the special type of giant bulrush, called totora, that grows in the shallows of the lake the inhabitants still follow the traditions going back centuries.
We can arrange an extension to your Machu Picchu trek to visit this region or incorporate this into a longer circuit visiting all of the best of Peru. Our most popular itinerary is set out below but this is just a suggestion. If you are interested give us a call to discuss the fantastic range of options.
Trip highlights
- Discover the beautiful Taquile Island
- Take a swim in the cold waters of Titicaca
- Visit the floating islands of Uros
Experiences
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Kandoo Trekking
Our core collection of treks and hikes, through some of the world's most outstanding landscapes
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Itinerary
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Day 1
FLY TO JULIACA FOR PUNO AND LAKE TITICACA
You will be met at Juliaca Airport and transferred to your hotel in Puno. The rest of the day will be free time in Puno. If you are arriving by train, you will be met at Puno train station.
- Transport: Private transfer
- Accomodation: Hotel
- Meals included: Breakfast
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Day 2
ISLANDS OF UROS AND TAQUILE ISLAND
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel at 07.30 hours to be transferred to the port of Puno where you will board a motor boat and travel across the lake for about 40 minutes to visit the floating islands of Uros. Here a family will welcome you, invite you into their homes and explain about their customs and way of life. You will then have time to make a short tour on the reed boats (Totora) around the islands.
You then continue across the lake and after a 3-hour journey arrive at Taquile Island. There, a long gradually ascending path will take you to the village. It takes approximately 50 minutes to walk up to the village to visit the communal cooperative, where you can watch the islanders making traditional textiles and clothing. You have lunch at one of the local restaurants with magnificent views of the surrounding area. After some free time in the afternoon, your guide will take you for a hike to the highest point of the island to watch the sunset.- Transport: Private transfer
- Accomodation: Home Stay
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 3
TAQUILE ISLAND AND RETURN TO PUNO
After breakfast you leave your host family and hike for around 2 hours to the far end of the island, passing through local communities and with some great views across the lake. Your trek will end at a quiet beach, where you have time to relax, and take a swim in this famous lake. Lunch is taken at a restaurant overlooking the beach. You return to Puno, a 3-hour return journey, at about 13.00 hours. Upon arrival at Puno, at approximately 16.00 hours you are transferred to your hotel.
- Transport: Private transfer
- Accomodation: Hotel
- Meals included: Breakfast
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Day 4
DEPART FROM PUNO
Depending on your itinerary you will be transferred either to Puno station to catch the train to Cuzco, or to the airport at Juliaca for your onward flight.
- Transport: Private transfer
- Meals included: Breakfast
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Details
Trip information
Difficulty
This trip is not overly strenuous and is achievable by anybody with a reasonable level of fitness and a Kandoo attitude. Lake Titicaca sits at over 3500m above sea level and you should be prepared to feel the affects of the altitude even on an easy walk.
Food & drink
Breakfasts are included at your hotel in Puno and your stay on Taquile Island will be full board. Whilst visiting the islands you will enjoy freshly cooked local cuisine with your hosts. The hotel in Puno will provide a range of international and Peruvian dishes for you to choose from.
Accommodation
In Puno you will stay in a comfortable hotel in twin or double room with en-suite facilities.
On Taquile Island you will stay with a local family. Private twin or double rooms are provided and there will be shared bathroom facilities.
Luggage
Your luggage will be transported with you in vehicles or boats and can be left at your accommodation while you are out and about.
How do I get there?
There are two options for reaching Lake Titicaca after your trek. It is possible to get the train from Cuzco to Puno or to fly from Cuzco to Juliaca. The train journey, although a fantastic experience, is very long. Many people choose to travel one way by train and then return by air. Please let us know your travel arrangements and a member of our team will meet you at either the train station in Puno or the airport in Juliaca.
Tips
May be offered to the guides or staff at the lodge, at your own discretion.
Formalities & health
Passport
Please double check that your passport is valid for 6 months beyond the date of arrival in Peru. We recommend that you take a photocopy of your passport and keep it separate from the original, and this will be useful if the original is lost while you are travelling.
Visa
Most visitors (including nationals from the UK, Europe, USA and Australia) do not require a visa to enter Peru, and will generally be granted a 183 day stay. You will need at least two blank visa pages in your passport. Certain nationalities not mentioned above must apply for a visa in advance, so check with your local Peruvian Embassy. On arrival you will need to complete a tourist card in duplicate, and will be given one copy to hand back in when you depart. Keep this tourist card safe, as you will receive a fine if you do not still have it when you leave the country. You will also be required to present it when checking in to hotels or you will be charged additional taxes.
Vaccinations
The standard vaccinations required for Peru are diphtheria, tetanus, typhoid and hepatitis A, but you should always consult your doctor or travel clinic for the most up to date advice. Yellow Fever is recommended for some areas of Peru, which includes the Amazon basin.
Insurance
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses. Most of our treks in Peru do not exceed 4700m with the exception of the Ausangate Trek which will reach 5200m. If you are only doing the Short Inca trail your trek will not exceed 3500m. Please ensure that your insurance policy covers you for trekking at these altitudes.
We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.
We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.
Health
Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness, called soroche in Peru and also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) or hypobaropathy, is an illness caused by exposure to low air pressure, especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many climbers experience at high altitudes. AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatised. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 metres. Our routes have been designed to aid your acclimatisation wherever possible, but the following will also help your body adjust:
Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. There is no pressure on you to keep up with other members of your group.
Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatisation dramatically. You need to drink at least three litres each day.
Diamox
There has been a lot of research on Diamox that shows that it has been reasonably well proven to be helpful in avoiding AMS by speeding up the acclimatisation process. In the UK it is a prescription drug which must be prescribed by a doctor, but some doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The concern is that by taking Diamox, people believe that they are immune from AMS and can ignore the symptoms. In reality, although Diamox can help prevent the symptoms, should symptoms still develop it means that you are not acclimatising and you have to take notice. Diamox is taken before you start treking to prevent altitude sickness, not once you are on the mountain and symptoms have developed.
Malaria
There is no risk of malaria in Cuzco or on the Inca Trail due to the altitude. However, there is a risk of malaria in rural areas of Peru below 2,000m. This would include Tambopata National Park, so if you are planning an extension to the Amazon Rainforest, you need to plan anti-malarial medication for this part of your trip. In addition to taking medication, we would recommend you take every precaution to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved trousers and shirts at dusk and dawn when the mosquitos are active, and by using a DEET based mosquito repellent. If you are planning on taking Diamox, please let your doctor know, as daily malaria tablets taken alongside Diamox can cause an upset stomach and nausea. A weekly malaria tablet may be a better option, but you would need to discuss this with your doctor.
Dehydration
You can easily become dehydrated at high altitudes. The lower air pressure forces you to breathe more quickly and deeply, and you lose a lot of water through your lungs. You will also be exerting yourself, and sweating, and may even suffer from diarrhoea. As a result, you will have to drink much more water than you normally would and you should drink at least 3 litres of fluids every day while climbing. Even when you do not feel thirsty you have to drink this amount as a minimum preferably more. Stay on the look-out for signs of dehydration in yourself and your fellow climbers. The most common symptoms include thirst, dry lips, nose or mouth, headache and feeling fatigued or lethargic.
Altitude sickness, called soroche in Peru and also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) or hypobaropathy, is an illness caused by exposure to low air pressure, especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many climbers experience at high altitudes. AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatised. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 metres. Our routes have been designed to aid your acclimatisation wherever possible, but the following will also help your body adjust:
Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. There is no pressure on you to keep up with other members of your group.
Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatisation dramatically. You need to drink at least three litres each day.
Diamox
There has been a lot of research on Diamox that shows that it has been reasonably well proven to be helpful in avoiding AMS by speeding up the acclimatisation process. In the UK it is a prescription drug which must be prescribed by a doctor, but some doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The concern is that by taking Diamox, people believe that they are immune from AMS and can ignore the symptoms. In reality, although Diamox can help prevent the symptoms, should symptoms still develop it means that you are not acclimatising and you have to take notice. Diamox is taken before you start treking to prevent altitude sickness, not once you are on the mountain and symptoms have developed.
Malaria
There is no risk of malaria in Cuzco or on the Inca Trail due to the altitude. However, there is a risk of malaria in rural areas of Peru below 2,000m. This would include Tambopata National Park, so if you are planning an extension to the Amazon Rainforest, you need to plan anti-malarial medication for this part of your trip. In addition to taking medication, we would recommend you take every precaution to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved trousers and shirts at dusk and dawn when the mosquitos are active, and by using a DEET based mosquito repellent. If you are planning on taking Diamox, please let your doctor know, as daily malaria tablets taken alongside Diamox can cause an upset stomach and nausea. A weekly malaria tablet may be a better option, but you would need to discuss this with your doctor.
Dehydration
You can easily become dehydrated at high altitudes. The lower air pressure forces you to breathe more quickly and deeply, and you lose a lot of water through your lungs. You will also be exerting yourself, and sweating, and may even suffer from diarrhoea. As a result, you will have to drink much more water than you normally would and you should drink at least 3 litres of fluids every day while climbing. Even when you do not feel thirsty you have to drink this amount as a minimum preferably more. Stay on the look-out for signs of dehydration in yourself and your fellow climbers. The most common symptoms include thirst, dry lips, nose or mouth, headache and feeling fatigued or lethargic.
Medication
It is always a good idea to carry a small first aid kit with elasticated bandages, plasters, pain killers, antiseptic cream and any personal medication.
Equipment & clothing
Clothing to bring
At more than 3800m above sea level it can get cold in the evenings so bring some warm clothes along. A thin base layer is a good idea as it is not too bulky to carry but you will also need a warm fleece or softshell jacket and a waterproof. You may also want to bring along your swim suit and a travel towel.
Price
Prices start from £299 / $385 per person
Want to ask us a question or book a private trip? Don't hesitate to contact us!
Contact usPrice includes
- Accommodation as per your itinerary
- A private tour guide
- Boat transportation on Lake Titicaca
- Transfers to Juliaca airport / Puno train station
Price does not include
- Airfares and departure tax
- Tips and gratuities for local guides and hotel staff
- Meals and drinks not specified
- Deviation from the itinerary
Extensions
