Titicaca Lake

Titicaca Lake - a lake in the mountains of the Andes, located on the border between Peru and Bolivia, the Altiplano plateau. This is the largest lake in South America and the world's highest navigable lake.

25 rivers flow into the lake which are flowing down from the glaciers surrounding the Altiplano and follows the river Desaguadero. Water salinity is about 1 ‰, so Titicaca is a freshwater lake.

Titicaca Lake is the largest alpine lake in the world, it 'climbed' to a height of 3,812 meters. Alpine basin is formed as a result of ancient tectonic events, it is assumed that the lake was part of a larger body of water, sea or ocean.

There are different opinion on how to translate the name of the lake. "Titicaca Lake" is translated from the Aymara means "sacred stone". Another legend says that Lake Titicaca - is a "stone cougar", if you look at him with a bird's-eye view, you can see the outlines of this animal, surrounded by mountains. The second translation is "tin box". This justifies the name of a specific color of the water in the pond.

Tourists familiar with Lake Titicaca in Puno start - a city founded in 1668 near the mine, where silver was mined. Beside the lake, and tourists interested in the islands, which are naturally swim on the lake with all its population. A total of 32 natural lake of the island. 6 of them became a shelter for foreign tourists, they are called - "the island hotels". This Estebes, Amangani, Taquile, Soto - in the Peruvian part of the lake and Sun and Moon Islands are in the territory of Bolivia.

In addition to these "settled" Islands in the Bay of Puno there are also 44 floating islands - artificial one. They are collectively known as "Uros" - on behalf of their inhabitants - the Indians, numbering about 1200 people.

Titicaca Lake

Titicaca Lake: on the border of Bolivia and Peru

Lost in the Andes and covered with legends, Titicaca awakens the imagination, makes one want to visit its shores. But the real attraction here is not visible - a few dozens of floating islands.

The lake itself had contrived to climb to an altitude of 3820 meters. Occupying the lower part of the highlands stakes Titicaca belongs to 2 countries - Peru and Bolivia. The maximum width of 80 kilometers, and the total surface - 8300 square kilometers, most of whom are located in Peruvian territory. Tourists traveling to Peru, familiarity with the lake beginning in Puno - a city founded in 1668 near the mine, where silver was mined. The town stands on a hillside on the slope increases, and he has nowhere else to grow. For three centuries, the population had accumulated to 100 thousand. There is speculation that the Titicaca - part of the ocean was cut off from him after the lifting of the Western Cordillera Oriental. This theory is confirmed by the presence on the Bolivian gigantic salt mines.

But most tourists are interested in the islands, which naturally float on the lake with all its population. It's hard to believe but it is true: Hundreds of people are born, grow up, spend their entire lives and leave them without leaving these islands, floating in the cool depths of nowhere over the lake.


"Lake Titicaca" in translation from the Aymara means "sacred stone". He was in the temple of the sun, and he in turn - on the island of the Sun, the largest of the entire lake archipelago. Unfortunately, from the temple itself remained only ruins. Tempered rather wayward Titicaca. Most steep it in the rainy season - from December to February. At this time, the river brings a lot of the red and the color of water in the lake is changing. In February, the level of the mirror is increased by half a meter, and maybe more. In the flood Titicaca overflows its banks, flooding fields and even the lower part of Puno, along with the pier. And when zaduyut winds up a big wave. Besides the lake there are ebbs and flows like the ocean, but water level fluctuations were modest - up to 80 centimeters. And yet, in such circumstances to live on the islands drifting, perhaps quieter than on the coast.