The Yavari is a medium-sized, iron-hulled ship, one of two first commissioned in 1861 by the Peruvian government. They were forged in England and then shipped to Peru. What happened next was a fascinating chapter in Peruvian history: the two ships had to be packaged in small enough bundles that they could be carried by mules over stretches of Peru's barren highlands. Parts were lost, the government ran out of money, and a series of calamities threatened to derail the project, but in the end the ships were built and the Yavari was christened in 1870, beginning more than a century of service. In the early years, fuel was so scarce that the ship was modified so that it could run on dried llama dung!

There has been a recent effort to preserve the Yavari, which has met with some success. Today, it is a tourist site and restaurant/cafe popular with visitors. Don't miss it on your trip to Puno.

Location:
on a pier near Puno
Puno, Peru

Restaurant, Historical Building

Regulations: No

Reservation: Not necessary

Park Options: No

Contact Information:
Phone: 051/36-9329

By Christopher Minster

I am a writer and editor at V!VA Travel guides here in Quito, where I specialize in adding quality content to the site and also in spooky things like...

Created: 04 Apr 2007

Updated: 04 Apr 2007

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