The floating islands of Lake Titicaca are definitely a sight to be seen. The locals of Isla Uros built their islands using reeds and dirt and holy crap it take a lot of work. The concept is fairly simple (dirt bottom layer and then criss-crossing layers of reeds stacked one atop another) but they have to continually maintain their islands and every twenty years or so build brand new ones. It makes you wonder why they do it (spoiler: the answer likely largely has to do with tourism).
Weather (Celcius)
Elevation (m)
Boat Tour to Uros
30 soles for the tour.
- Lake Titikaka. Titi in Aymara means puma. Kaka is Quechua means great color or a stone.
- The lake looks like a puma catching a chinchilla.
- Small lake is a chinchilla.
- The reeds on the lake are edible and used to make the islands. The white part beneath the water is edible.
- White part of reeds is the “fruit of the uros”, or “banana” because of how it’s peeled.
- They cut blocks of earth from beneath the lake using a giant saw.
- These blocks float and form the foundation.
- They put 2-3 meter eucalyptus posts into the earth and then tie them together to create islands.
- The materials for the islands have to be replaced about once a year.
- The islands are anchored beneath the lake. Eight anchors on the one we’re on.
- Every month they add a new layer of reeds.
- Every eighteen to twenty years they make a new island.
- They have solar-powered tvs and radioa.
| Time | Location |
|---|---|
| 9:10AM | In our shuttle from Hostal Margarita. |
| 9:34AM | On the boat! |
| 9:40AM | On our way. |
| 10:10AM | At the islands. |
| 11:01AM | On a local boat getting rowed around the islands for 10 soles each. |
| 11:39AM | On our way back. |
| 12:08PM | Back. |
Scale Model
This is a model of the islands and how they’re structured.
"Banana"
The locals eat this part of the reed by peeling it and chewing the center.
Local Boat
These boats largely made of reeds and wood are capable of transporting 30 people.
Floating Market
