The Floating Islands of the Uros peoples are located in Lake Titikaka and just a short boat ride from the Peruvian town of Puno. From Puno you can easily visit Las Islas Flotantes and combine that with a visit to the much larger island of Taquile. There are numerous travel agencies in Cusco or Puno that will arrange your one day tour of both islands. For those that want to experience a bit more of the local color, peoples, and culture, one can also arrange an overnight stay with a family in either Las Islas Flotantes or la Isla de Taquile.
The Uros are an indigenous people that have lived on these floating islands for hundreds of years. The original purpose of the floating islands was defensive–but today the Uros are a fairly sedentary (on the islands) people. They are primarily fishermen and weavers of beautiful textiles–but they also survive off the income brought in by visitors.
One of the most fascinating things about the Uros is their reliance on one plant–the totora. Totora reeds are used to build their islands, their boats, some of their handicrafts, and can be eaten for sustenance as well. The totora is available in abundance, in the lake itself, near their island community.
There are currently roughly 80 individual islands, and generally one extended family lives on an island. The islands themselves take one year to build and last roughly 35 years. The Uros speak Aymara.
We visited an island inhabited by one extended family of 16 beautiful Uros. They welcomed us onto their island, shared with us some their culture and traditions–including the process by which they build their islands–and welcomed us into their homes.
Traveling Fern 