Amantani is a traditional island made of rock and soil with grazing animals and crops such as potatoes and grains. Amantani is a popular tourist stop with an interesting twist. The elder residents of the island typically control the local tourism business on the island. Visitors arrive by boat, break up into pairs, and may stay overnight with a host family. Dinner is generally provided by the host family along with lodgings, traditional native dress, and dance lessons for the party hosted every evening.
Taquile Island is located on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. Although the elder inhabitants of the island will provide direction for lodgings and meals to those who wish to stay overnight, tourism on Taquile Island is not as pronounced. A natural island without electricity or motorized vehicles, Taquile has been inhabited roughly 10,000 years and offers stone ruins, stunning views, and walking trails.
The Island of the Sun, or Isla del Sol, is the biggest island on Lake Titicaca. It is well known for the Gold Museum, which houses a large display of Inca treasures, and the Fountain of Youth. Sunset on the island is a major tourist draw and best viewed from the island's lighthouse, which offers a vantage point at 13,441 feet.
Known primarily as the sister island or female counterpart to the island of the sun, the Isla de la Luna is identified in legend as the place where the god Viracocha created the Moon. The Island of the Moon is small and easy to navigate for a day trip spent walking and exploring old ruins.
The Uros Islands are also known as the Floating Islands because they float on the surface of the water. Completely man-made, this chain of approximately 35 small islands serves as home to about 1,000 individuals in over 250 familes. Uros means "wild animal" in Quecha, and the islands are made of locally grown reeds woven together so thickly they can support multiple families. The locals make repairs to the floating islands as needed several times a year, adding new reeds on top as the older layers break down. The Uros Islands are a major tourist attraction, which draws thousands of visitors every year, who come to see the islands, meet the locals, and purchase handmade crafts and goods.
