Lake Titicaca Labeled as best place to see ancient Cultures in Peru

July 23, 2011

For decades, Peru has been (and continues to be), one of South America's premier tourism destinations. Its vast territory made of high Andean mountains and hidden valleys, a large portion of the exuberant Amazonian rainforest and a long and stunning coastline, dotted with amazing deserts, beaches and resorts, surfing paradises, historic cities and archaeological sites is, indeed, a formidable kaleidoscope of attractions for world tourism, with a superb combination of nature and culture at their very best.

One of Peru's most remarkable natural and cultural attractions, yet not always so well known or publicized, is Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, located on the eastern border between Peru and Bolivia, high in the Andes. However, a recent publication of the English travel website www.travelbite.co.uk declares Titicaca as "the best place to see one of Peru's oldest civilizations" According to the English website, visiting this remote yet accessible and awesome natural wonder, the huge Lake nestled between high Andean mountains, provides visitors with "brilliant opportunities to learn about some of South America's most ancient and remarkable traditional native cultures".

According to millenary tradition, the very roots of the legendary Inca civilization are found precisely on Lake Titicaca, considered the cradle of the Inca culture.... Among the serene atmosphere of the amazingly calm waterway, locked between mountaintops, many present day indigenous communities still live as their ancestors did many centuries ago. The native inhabitants here wear their traditional clothing, including colorful pleated skirts, woven cardigans and leather sandals. Children with plaits and ladies wearing bowler hats walk gently past the startled visitors.

Within the 36.180 hectares of surface which the Lake occupies, there a considerable number of floating islands, a unique characteristic of this breathtaking water body. Uros, Suasi, Amantani and Taquile are among the best known. A boat ride to Uros will provide visitors with a surprising experience, learning "live" how the local inhabitants set up their homes in houses made out of reeds, which have been taken from the lake. In fact, the local communities make extensive use of the water plant and the tourists may see (or buy as souvenirs), reed boats, toys, huts and a variety of utensils.

Visiting Lake Titicaca for a few days, not just for a brief sightseeing, will allow for a rich learning experience, getting to know the history, traditions and ways of life, just like their ancestors did centuries ago; demonstrating how they can carry on with their normal lives, without the sophistication of modern day urban commodities and technology.  Here you can have a real lesson of the perfect symbiosis between man and its surrounding nature... In this case, the Lake is their main source and supplier of transport, construction, fuel and food.

On a lively description, placed on the mentioned British website, voyagers are encouraged to stay overnight at Taquile, one of the more established islands, where you can enjoy a traditional meal made with authentic cooking methods and strictly local produce and share the daily life of these indigenous and charmingly friendly peoples who maintain the customs, traditions and lifestyles of their ancestors, who lived in the area thousands of years back in time.  This publication, which has created high interest in the tourism and travel industry, is likely to boost travel into the famous Titicaca Lake, which, like all of Peru, continuously prepares and improves for a steadily increasing flow of foreign visitors to the numerous and varied tourism attractions which the Andean country boasts....