PUNO

Altitude: 3,827 m
Climate: –5 to 18 °C | Cold, especially at night, dry from April to October
How to get there: Bus from Cusco (6–7 hours) or Arequipa (5 hours), or via Juliaca airport (1 hour from Puno)

Puno lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The city itself is nothing spectacular, but it’s the gateway to explore the lake and its islands.

The Uros Islands are the famous floating islands. Yes, they truly float. They’re made entirely of totora (a plant that grows in the lake). The Uros people have lived there for centuries. Every so often they have to add new layers of totora because the lower layers decay. Walking on them feels strange, like walking on something spongey.

Taquile Island is another. The people of Taquile are famous for their textiles, declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage. The men weave (yes, the men), and the designs have specific meanings based on colors and patterns. If a man wears a red cap with a white tassel, he is married. If he has a multicolored tassel, he’s single. That’s how they identify themselves.

Some agencies offer homestays on the islands, where you stay with a local family, eat with them, sleep in their houses. It’s a powerful cultural experience, not a tourist hotel.

The lake itself is incredible. Deep blue, huge (shared with Bolivia), surrounded by mountains. The water is freezing. It’s not for swimming unless you’re extremely brave.

Practical tip: Puno is nearly 4,000 m altitude, so the altitude hits. Don’t come straight from sea level — pass through Cusco or Arequipa first to acclimatize. Nights are very cold, bring good warm clothes. Soroche (altitude sickness) is real, take things slowly.