Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [162]
ORIENTATION & INFORMATION
A stairway of more than 500 steps leads from the dock to the center of the island. The climb takes a breathless 20 minutes if you’re acclimatized – more if you’re not.
Take in the lay of the land while it’s still light – with no roads, streetlights or big buildings to use as landmarks, travelers have been known to get so lost in the dark that they end up roughing it for the night. (A limited electricity supply was introduced to the island in the 1990s but it is not always available, so remember to bring a flashlight.)
Make sure you already have lots of small bills in local currency, because change is limited and there’s nowhere to exchange dollars. You may want to bring extra money to buy some of the exquisite crafts sold in the cooperative store.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Taquile’s scenery is beautiful and reminiscent of the Mediterranean. In the strong island sunlight, the deep, red-colored soil contrasts with the intense blue of the lake and the glistening backdrop of Bolivia’s snowy Cordillera Real on the far side of the lake. Several hills boast Inca terracing on their sides and small ruins on top. Visitors are free to wander around, explore the ruins and enjoy the tranquility. The island is a wonderful place to catch a sunset and gaze at the moon, which looks twice as bright in the crystalline air, rising over the breathtaking peaks of the Cordillera Real.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
The Fiesta de San Diego (Feast of St James; July 25) is a big feast day on Taquile. Dancing, music and general carousing go on for several days until the start of August, when islanders make traditional offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth). Easter and New Year’s Day are also festive and rowdy. Many islanders go to Puno for La Virgen de Candelaria and Puno Week (Click here), when the island becomes somewhat deserted.
SLEEPING & EATING
There are many hospedajes (small, family-owned inns) on Taquile, offering basic accommodation for around S15 a night. Options range from a room in a family house to small guesthouses. Most offer indoor toilets and showers with electric hot water.
There are plenty of restaurants too, all offering the same fare of sopa de quinua (quinoa soup – absolutely delicious everywhere on Lake Titicaca) and lake trout for S18. Consider eating in the Restaurante Comunál, Taquile’s only community-run food outlet (Click here).
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Ferries (round-trip S20; admission to island S5) leave from the Puno port for Taquile at 6am and 7.45am, and return at 5:30pm. There’s a ferry from Amantaní to Taquile every morning at 8am, and it’s also possible to get here by ferry from Llachón.
Isla Amantaní
Amantaní Island (admission S5), population 4000, is a few kilometers north of the smaller Taquile. Almost all trips to Amantaní involve an overnight stay with islanders. Helping them cook on open fires in dirt-floored kitchens and meeting small children who walk an hour each way to school every day is humbling and sometimes life changing. Commercial as Amantaní has become, a stay here is unforgettable.
The villagers sometimes organize rousing traditional dances, letting travelers dress in their traditional party gear to dance the night away. Of course, you’ll look quite comical in your hiking boots! Don’t forget to look up at the incredibly starry night sky as you stagger home.
The island is very quiet (no dogs allowed!), boasts great views and has no roads or vehicles. Several hills are topped by ruins, among the highest and best-known of which are Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Pachatata (Father Earth). These date to the Tiwanaku culture, a largely Bolivian culture that appeared around Lake Titicaca and expanded rapidly between 200 BC and AD 1000.
As with Taquile, the islanders speak Quechua, but their culture is more heavily influenced by the Aymara.
SLEEPING & EATING
When you arrive, island families will allocate you to your accommodation according to a rotating system. Please respect this system and, if you’re