Lake Titicaca Homestay

By Freyja Ellis

My first stop after arriving in Puno for the trip to Lake Titicaca, was the Uros Floating Reed Islands. The area consists of 45 artificial Totora Reed islands, anchored by poles in the ground, although only a few are accessible to tourists. On the island, I was treated to a tour and introduction to the Uros who still live a traditional lifestyle of hunting and raising cattle, although signs of the 21st century are evident in solar power panels and TV!

Whilst on the island I was offered the chance of riding on one of the traditional reed boats, something that is not only relaxing, but also a good insight into how the Uros travel.

After an hour, I boarded the boat again and headed a few hours across Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,800 metres (12,467 feet), to Amantani Island. Here, we disembarked and the guide assigned us our families, trying to closely match them to our preferences. I was assigned, with two others, to a family with four children and the lady of the house met us at the pier. The host families live in simple houses and the accommodation offered is basic. My family had no electricity and only an outside toilet with a single room for guests. Conversation can be difficult as Quechua is the primary language, although our guide gave us a basic phrase sheet prior to our arrival. Luckily the children spoke Spanish, so with the help of phrase books and sign language, we managed some basic conversation.

After a quick settling-in period, we were offered lunch which consisted of potato soup, followed by potatoes and boiled eggs. Afterwards the locals and boat passengers enjoyed a game of football before a tour around the island, with our guide explaining the history of the island and islanders. The island itself is barren, but beautiful, with a handful of villages and ruins situated between the two peaks of the island, Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth). A walk three times around the ruined temple at the top of the island is said to grant wishes.

After watching the sunset, we headed back to our respective families for dinner and the evening’s entertainment. We were dressed in traditional dress. Men wore ponchos and hats whilst the women wore petticoats, bulky skirts, white embroidered blouses and black embroidered scarves. A dance was put on in the local school to the music of local bands. The dancing was traditional, but easy to follow. The cold beer and the beautiful, clear night sky rounded out a fun night.

The following day, after a breakfast consisting of coffee and pancakes, we were taken down to the pier, where we said goodbye to our host families and sailed the short distance to neighbouring Taquile Island, where roles are reversed and the men are renowned for their knitting. Whilst still protective of its local customs, the islanders have adapted to tourists and there are several small restaurants and a co-operative store.

The island itself is rugged with many Inca and pre-Inca ruins dotted on the hillside and the paths alongside the terraced hillside are shared by an assortment of cows, sheep and locals. Traditional dress is also worn on Taquile Island, and the men wear embroidered, woven red waistbands (fajas) and embroidered wool stocking caps that indicate marital status; red for married men and red and white for those who are single. After a time exploring the island we headed back to the boat and I relaxed on the deck as we sailed back to Puno, arriving late afternoon.