Visit Puno during the Candelaria Festival in February that honors the patron saint, the Virgin of Candelaria. Explore Lake Titicaca, a geographic landmark at the crossroads of the Andes and the Andean plateau and the world's highest navigable and South America's largest lake. Overnight on Amantani Island for homestay for cultural experience. Spend a full day in Puno witnessing this folkloric festival with its traditional dances, costumes, music, and story-telling.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
A morning flight from Lima (or a bus from Cusco to Puno) takes us to the shores of mystical Lake Titicaca. Legend has it that the first Inca rose out of its azure waters. Transfer to your hotel and then explore the town in the afternoon.
Depart this morning with your guide to the floating islands of the Uros people. Peru's floating islands are built using the buoyant totora reeds that grow along Lake Titicaca, and these reeds are interwoven to make homes, boats, and crafts.
We continue to Amantani Island, a quiet island known for its hilltop ruins that honor Pachamama and Pachatata (Mother and Father Earth). Here we meet our host families whose generosity is apparent with their open arms (and open doors to their homes) and smiles. Explore this island with your guide and then settle in to share a short day in the lives of the Aymara.
After breakfast and bidding farewell to your host family, travel to Taquile Island. Climb the steps to the plaza at the center of the island for breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
In the afternoon, return to Puno and relax this evening on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
The exact origins of the Candelaria festival are debated, but its significance and vibrance continues with dance and music groups from Peru and Bolivia converging on Puno, a melting pot of native culture: the two largest Andean ethnic groups --the Quechuas from the north, the Aymaras from the south. The festivity is related to the traditional farming cycles of planting and harvesting (worshipping Pachamama or Mother Earth), as well as with the region’s mining activities.
We spend a full day watching the parades that focus on storytelling in the form of costumes, masks, and music. Your guide is there to help explain the sights and sounds and to translate, and you will have great seats along the procession route that the dancers follow to pay their respect to the Virgin. The devils dance is one of the main themes and is based on a story of a group of miners who when trapped in a cave, saw images of the Virgin of Candelaria.
Day 5: Return to Lima (or Cusco)
1 Breakfast
Catch a flight to Lima today. For travelers choosing this Lake Titicaca extension prior to your visit to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu PIcchu, transfer by bus to Cusco.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Notes
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Contact us for internal flight costs and overland transportation to join this extension. This tour can be added on to the front or back of the Machu Picchu by Train or Machu Picchu Pilgrimage tours.
Initial deposit is $400, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
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Lindsay Gompf
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For our first trip to Costa Rica, Adventure Life designed a tour that meets the interests, ecological and adventure, of our party; but also takes into account our physical limitations sine we are all septuagenarian. We are looking forward to the trip.