How To Spend 24 Hours In Puno Peru

Puno is where it all began according to Inca legend. From Lake Titicaca the first Inca emerged to found the Inca empire and the lake has since been an important part of Inca mythology and tradition. No trip to Peru is complete without going to Puno and spending a day out on the water. Here’s how to do Puno and Lake Titicaca in a day.

The lake

Lake Titicaca is where you’ll want to be spending most of your time in Puno—it is the reason everyone comes. The first thing to do is to figure out what lake trips you want to do. There are one-day and two-day options. The two-day and one-night option is the best because you’ll be participating in a home stay and living with a local family on one of the islands for the night. If that’s not a feasible option due to your time constraints, a one day tour is fine, but there are some spots you need to make sure you see.

The Uros

Taquile island

Until recently, no one knew about this island’s inhabitants. Out on one of the furthest islands from Puno live the Taquile people. Theirs is one of the best examples of traditional Andean life and they have only recently opened their shores to visitors. Their knitted items are renowned as some of the best made in the world and were awarded a UNESCO cultural award as a result. Their traditions and lifestyle are unique and well worth the stop—really, a must see.

The plaza

The plaza is where most of the life happens in Puno and where you can unwind after your lake adventures. There are restaurants with great views of the plaza and church, which offer some delicious food to munch on.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.