Activity Puno, Peru
Cultural Tour to Uros Floating Island - Non touristic
4.9
(16 reviews)
2 h 45 min
Free cancellation
out of 5
16 reviews
About this activity
Most visitors see the Uros floating islands from a tour boat and move on. This experience puts you on the islands themselves, working alongside the families who've built and rebuilt their homes on layers of totora reed for generations.
You'll cut fresh reeds from the lake and help lay them down — the same maintenance routine the Uros follow every couple of weeks to keep their islands from sinking. There's also a chance to set up fishing nets along the shore using traditional methods, and if you'd like, you can try on traditional Uro clothing for a while.
Between activities, the community opens up about their daily craft work. You'll watch them weave textiles and shape intricate jewelry, and they're happy to walk you through the process. Waterfowl come and go across the lake the whole time, so there's always something happening around you — part of what makes the islands feel less like a destination and more like someone's living, working home.
Nature and Wildlife Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Sustainable Tours
Eco Tours
Water Tours
Car Tours
Excellent Quality
At a glance
- Duration
- 2 h 45 min
- Confirmation
- Instant confirmation
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group
- Up to 15 people
- People per booking
- 1–15
- Guide
- English, Spanish
- Operated by
- Inca Lake
Ages: Adults (8–99 years)
What is included
Included
- Included: Professional guide
- Included: Motor boat
- Included: Cultural activities
- Included: Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
Not included
- Not included: Food and drinks
- Not included: Reedboat ride while in Uros (20 soles per person)
Itinerary
-
one hour Admission included
This tour skips the usual tourist circuit and takes you straight into daily life on the Uros floating islands. You'll cut totora reeds right from the lake, help set up fishing nets along the shore, and even dress in traditional Uro clothing — the kind of things most visitors to Lake Titicaca never get to do.
Between activities, keep an eye on the water: ibises, coots, and other waterfowl are constantly moving through the reeds around you. Your Uro hosts will walk you through how they craft everything from miniature boats to woven tapestries, explaining techniques passed down over generations. It's less of a show and more of a conversation — a chance to see how this community actually lives on the lake, not just how it's presented to tourists.
-
30 min Admission included
Your route crosses through the Titicaca National Reserve, where the landscape shifts between open water, dense totora marshes, and clusters of floating islands in the distance. Grebes, Andean gulls, and cormorants are a common sight here — your guide will point them out as the boat moves through the reserve.
Once on the islands, you'll see firsthand how the Uros maintain their home: cutting fresh totora reeds and layering them over the island's surface to keep it firm and buoyant. You're welcome to grab a knife and join in. It's physical, a little muddy, and one of the clearest ways to understand how deeply this community's daily life is tied to the lake around them.
Meeting point and pickup
You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.
Meeting point
End point
Pickup points
- Hostel Sillustani Inn Puno
- Mosoq Inn
- Hotel Casona Colon Inn
- Colonial Plaza Hotel
- Mirador del Inka Inn
- Hotel Kuntur Inn
- Hotel Italia
- Plaza Mayor Hotel
- Hotel Hacienda Plaza de Armas
- Royal Inn Hotel
- Intiqa Hotel
- Hotel Conde de Lemos
and 28 more pickup points
Wait us in the lobby of your Hotel, Hostel or AirBnb if it's located near plaza de Armas of Puno
Using your ticket
- Not recommended for pregnant women
- Not recommended for participants with back problems
Hotel pickups commence prior to this time
Cancellation
Free cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
| If you cancel | You get back |
|---|---|
| At least one day before | 100% |
| Less than a day before | 0% |
- The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.
Good to know
-
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Traveller ratings
4.9
out of 5 · 16 reviews
- 5
- 94%
- 4
- 6%
- 3
- 0%
- 2
- 0%
- 1
- 0%
More well rated activities in Puno
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Activities, prices and reviews are from Viator. Booking and payment happen on Viator; Vacantier may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cultural Tour to Uros Floating Island - Non touristic
Pick a day to see the times and the price