Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, with a surface area of 3305 square miles. There are multiple options for visiting the lake, since the Peruvian side of the lake touches the provinces of Puno, San Román, Azángaro, Huancané, Moho, El Collao, Chucuito and Yunguyo, all located in the Puno region.
Mount of the Puma The name Titicaca has it’s roots in two Quechua words Titi which means Puma and Caca which means mount. A remarkable fact is that according to the natives, who live close to the lake, that if you put the map of the lake upside-down it has the shape of a puma eating a hare.
This theory has a strong value for the locals, you can tell because many of the boats that are located in the lake have puma mask on their prow, these mask are made of reed. Reed is a vegetal material that is used in the everyday life of the local natives, including their houses and floors.
Inhabitants
In pre-Inca times one of the cultures that lived around the lake were the Chiripa , they lived on the south side of the lake, leaving many archaeological sites ceremonial kind. On the north side of the lake lived the Pucará culture, who domesticated Llamas. To the north of the lake, the Pucará culture was another town that lives near the lake, who domesticated Llamas another southamerican camelids.
Inca Period
The beginning of the Incas starts with a mythical legend, according to many chroniclers, the first two Incas that ever exist came out from the Titicaca Lake, send by his father and creator, the Sun (Inti).
Colonial Times
The creation of the Viceroyalty was the beginning of the control by the Spanish authorities 1542 until 1777, year that was created the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata, becoming part of this new State.
Republican times
When the army of San Martin came to Perú, the lake become binational, divided between Perú and Bolivia (1825).
Location
The Titicaca Lake is located in the plateau of the central Andes, with an altitude of 3812 meters over the sea level, between the countries of Perú and Bolivia, with an extension of 8562km, with a depth of 281 meters. The Lake is divided in two parts: The major lake called Chucuito, with a surface of 6450km, and the minor Lake called Huiñamarca with a surface of 2112km.
It is the biggest, navigable lake in the world.
Flora and Fauna
The majority of animals that live in the lake are ducks, flamingos and guallatas. In the lake you can find fishes like the trout, suche, and the carachi. The only amphibian that is living there is a giant frog. The flora consists out of 12 different aquatic plants and reed, which exists and is used in many different ways. The terrestrial animal that live there are for example foxes and guinea pigs.
Main touristic attractions
Textile art on the Taquile Island: This is a great experience to see how life was many centuries ago, the women of Taquile still preserve the techniques of sew and spin the fabric use on his creations.
Uros, the floating islands: One of the most unique people are living here. Ther are using the earlier mentioned reed, they take advantage of this vegetal in every kind of shape, it is also used to creat the reed horses, a kind of boat that float gracefully on the waters of the lake.