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The Uros of Peru's Lake Titicaca
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At altitude of more than 12,500 feet, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world and at first glance it has the appearance of an inland ocean. The massive lake stretches 115 miles along the border between Peru and Bolivia and is at times bustling with activity from both pleasure craft and the vessels of those who make their living from its waters.
Located in the National Reserve in Puno Bay on the Peruvian side is a group of “islands” constructed entirely by hand and made of reeds. They are home to a unique people called the Uros. Lake Titicaca became a refuge for the tribe centuries ago when they fled to the water to escape massacre by the Incas. They’ve been there ever since, first living in boats and finally living on islands they have constructed by using the reeds from the shallow waters of the bay.
About 3,000 people live in the community, which include a hospital and even five schools. The Uros make their living by fishing and making handicrafts, which they sell in the market in Puno or to visitors who venture out to see first hand how they live.
Tour boats will gladly take you to the islands where you are greeted by curious children and women who are selling their wares. The islanders speak Aymara or Quechua and some speak a few words of English. Each experience is different because guides try not to take you to an island that already has tourists there. Some islands may only have four or five people living on it, but most are home to entire families and their extended relatives.
An island will last from five to ten years before an entirely new one must be constructed. The reeds are regularly replenished from up top as the ones below the water’s surface rot away. At its thickest point, the reeds are generally about three feet thick. The Uros' homes are primitive and often made of reeds themselves, but many use solar panels to power radios and sometimes even small televisions.
While fewer tribe members now make their living from fishing, those who do often fish from small reed boats. They construct much larger ones with heads of dragons to ferry the tourists around.
Lake Titicaca itself has been drawing people here for centuries. Legend has it that the first Inca, Manco Capac, rose from the waters of the lake. The legend and the colorful people who now inhabit its shore continues to draw people from across the globe.
While Puno is one of the largest cities in Peru, it is out of the way for most visitors to the country. The nearest airport is more than an hour away in the town of Juliaca and the drive from Cuzco where people visit Manchu Picchu, is eight hours.
for info: http://www.puno.com
http://www.visitperu.com/
Fast Facts:
• Lake Titicaca is 12,507 feet above sea level.
• 60% of Lake Titicaca is in Peru, while 40% is in Bolivia
• It is the 13th largest lake in the world.
• Titicaca covers an area of 5,500 square miles
• It is 115 miles long and 35 miles wide.
• Water is supplied by 35 rivers and only one river, the Desaguadero, flows out.
• It is 900 feet deep at its deepest point.
• Of the Lake’s 54 islands, only nine are inhabited
• Hotels and tour boats usually have oxygen on hand to help visitors cope with the altitude.
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