Duration: 1 Day From $ USD 50.00
Embark on the Uros y Sillustani Full Day Tour, an enriching cultural and historical journey departing from Puno that showcases two of southern Peru’s most iconic attractions — the floating islands of the Uros people and the ancient pre-Inca burial towers of Sillustani. This full-day experience blends breathtaking Andean landscapes, traditional living culture, and fascinating archaeology into a single unforgettable adventure.
Your day begins with a scenic drive along the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Upon reaching the lake, board a traditional boat to explore the Uros Floating Islands, a unique human-made archipelago constructed entirely of totora reeds. Here, you’ll meet members of the Uros community, learn about their centuries-old way of life, and understand how floating islands are built and maintained using ancestral techniques passed down through generations. The visit includes opportunities to interact with locals, see reed crafting, and witness daily life intimately connected to the water and land.
After exploring the serene waters and remarkable engineering of the Uros, the tour continues toward the highland plains to visit Sillustani, an extraordinary archaeological cemetery perched above Lake Umayo. Sillustani is famous for its towering circular stone tombs — known as chullpas — built by the pre-Inca Qulla culture and later used by the Incas. These ancient funerary towers offer a unique glimpse into Andean cosmology, death rituals, and architectural ingenuity. Set against a dramatic backdrop of rolling hills, glistening water, and open sky, Sillustani is both visually stunning and spiritually evocative.
Throughout the tour, your experienced guide will share insights into regional history, ancestral traditions, and the cultural significance of each site. The Uros y Sillustani Full Day Tour is more than a sightseeing trip; it’s a meaningful cultural immersion connecting you with living communities and ancient civilizations that shaped the Andean world. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, culture lover, or curious traveler seeking authentic experiences, this tour delivers unforgettable moments and deep understanding in one full day.
Explore the Uros Floating Islands, a unique human-made archipelago on Lake Titicaca
Connect with the indigenous Uros community and learn about their ancestral way of life
Enjoy a scenic boat ride on the world’s highest navigable lake
Discover the impressive Sillustani chullpas, ancient pre-Inca and Inca burial towers
Gain deep cultural insight with expert local guides specializing in Andean history
Take in breathtaking high-Andean landscapes and panoramic views of Lake Umayo
Experience a perfect blend of living culture, archaeology, and nature in one full day
8:50 a.m. Transfer hotel – port to visit one of the Floating Islands of the Uros (5 km west of the Port of Puno, 20 minutes by boat), unique in the world, formed based on Totora (aquatic herbaceous plant), inhabited by Uro-Aymara families who build and roof their houses with Totora mats. They are called “the people of the lake” and its origins date back to before the Incas. They maintain the tradition of artisanal fishing, as well as hunting wild birds. The men are skilled drivers of Totora rafts and women are expert weavers.
Return to Puno, transfer port – hotel arriving at approximately 11:45 a.m.
2:00 p.m. Visit to the archaeological complex of Sillustani (34 km north of Puno, 35 minutes by car), located on the shores of the Umayo lagoon. It is famous for its Chullpas, which are circular stone towers erected to house the funerary remains of the main authorities of the ancient Incas.
Return to hotel in Puno arriving at approximately 5:15 pm.
This is a group of more than 100 man-made islands made entirely of an aquatic plant found on the shores of the lake, called Totora. These islands are home to the Uros people, a civilization that, according to historians, dates back to the most ancient regions of the Collasuyo.
The Floating Islands of the Uros have become very popular among tourists, here you will learn about the customs and culture of its inhabitants, as well as learn how they manage to build and maintain the floating islands among other important details.
This island has an area of 5.72 square kilometers and is famous for being one of the most notable producers of high quality textiles in all of Peru, a tradition that has continued through generations.
Taquile Island has a population of about 2,200 inhabitants and is the second largest island in the lake. Although there are no hotels or hostels in this location, some families offer their home as lodging, making this a more intimate and enjoyable experience.
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Located 45 km from the city of Puno, it has approx. 2000 inhabitants, they are of Quechua origin and are characterized by the rootedness of their traditions, customs, colorful clothing and beautiful hand-woven textiles. The Taquileños have demonstrated advanced techniques in Textile, receiving the award by UNESCO “as the best weavers in the world”. It is worth mentioning that spinning is mainly done by men, starting at the age of eight years old, and women dedicate themselves exclusively to weaving once the yarn is ready.
The activities to which they are dedicated are: fishing, agriculture and very little livestock. They also offer services of restaurants, rural lodging (typical houses), this activity is nowadays part of their economic sustenance.
Incredible as it may seem, some of the floating islands of Uros include accommodation specially designed to receive visitors.
However, these spaces are usually quite simple, but they still provide a unique experience to connect much more with the spirit of the place.
One of the reasons why Lake Titicaca is one of the most visited places in Peru is that in it we will find several indigenous communities, mainly the descendants of the ancient Uro.
In this sense, the most outstanding are the Uros on the floating islands, the Quechua speakers on the island of Amantani and the Taquile people on the island of Taquile.
Well, you already know that the first thing you have to do if you want to visit the Peruvian Lake Titicaca is to get to Puno. I will tell you the ways you have available to do it:
There are three ways to get to Puno, the first is by train with the company Andean Andean Spirit, a trip that lasts 10 hours in which you will enjoy the beauty of the Andean landscapes. The other way is by direct bus from the city of Cusco in an average of 9 hours; finally, a great way to get to Puno is with the “Tour of the Route of the Sun”, a trip that lasts a whole day (10 hours) from Cusco and you will visit important tourist destinations along the way.
It is according to your choice, you can do the 1 day tour, where you will visit 2 islands: The Uros and Taquile, or if you want the tour of 2 days and 1 night with an overnight stay on the island of Amantani. By staying overnight in Amantani you will have the chance to live with the people and learn a little more about their dances, music and customs in general.
No, since you will be transported in a yacht or motorized boat on Lake Titicaca, in a completely safe way; visiting the islands will not be tiring or difficult, in Los Uros you can take a ride on a totora reed boat to know the floating islands as a whole. In Taquile there is a bit of walking because you go up to know some archaeological sites that it has and in Amantani the tiredness could be for having danced and enjoyed the popular festival, it is not so tiring or difficult, but it is comforting.
Because of the altitude of the city, you could have some small discomforts such as headache and/or a little listlessness or exhaustion, but this does not affect all people equally; remember that each of us has a different organism than others. For this we recommend taking coca tea or muña, if the pain is very strong during the tours the guide will recommend the appropriate pills, we also suggest you not to eat heavy food during the days of the tour and it is always recommended to consult with your doctor before starting the trip.
It is not necessary, in Puno there are tourist restaurants that sell a variety of typical food and at comfortable prices, in the case of Lake Titicaca in each island you will also find food made with local food. If you travel with us the food is included, in the case of the 1 day tour lunch will be in Taquile and in the 2 day tour the food will be in the islands of Amantani and Taquile, both prepared with local food.
Of course, there is no problem, in fact, this is one of the ideal trips that you can enjoy with your family, it is so relaxing and at the same time fun that the children will also be distracted and it will not be boring for them. Besides that, in the islands, they will meet children of the same age and when they get to know them, they will learn another type of culture and it will be a great learning experience.
In Puno it is usually very hot in the mornings, so it is good to wear light clothing, a hat and use sunscreen because the sun is really intense due to the altitude. At night it is cold, so you should still wear warm clothes, a jacket is good and you can buy hats, gloves and shawls from the handicraft market at low prices.
In the city, there are hostels and/or hotels that offer different services according to your needs and according to your economy. It is preferable that you reserve your rooms in advance for security and also to avoid mishaps and even more if you come with family or in a group of friends, we can help you in this.
Thank you for your interest in traveling with us, just fill out the following form and we can learn more about your travel preferences, and a local specialist will attend your request, if you wish we can call you by phone and show you everything you can experience on your next vacation travelguide in Peru.
The best experiences in the Peruvian Andes
Real contact with the people of the Andean region
We believe in respect for the environment and its importance in our travels.
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