Lake Titikaka

[grace]

I'm interested in visiting the floating islands of Lake Titikaka - Amanti and Taquile, in particular, with an overnight stay in Amanti w/a family. From all the info I've read, they suggest not booking tours with travel agencies. And to just book the arrangments with locals. Unfortunately, I do not have much time to spend there. Only 2 days and 1 night. So I am tempted to book in advance with a travel agency. What are my chances of being able to walk to the dock early in the morning to arrange for a trip that day with the locals? And how do you distinguish the tour boats from the local boats?

[Ruby]

Hi there,

You can rent a lancha or small passenger boat in Puno with the locals on th same day. Rates are by the hour or day. This is the most economical way to see various sites around the lake. The great thing about this, it's that you can talk to the captain and customize the excursion to fit your individual needs.

To give you an idea of prices, you can secure transportation from Cusco to Puno for as little as $5 on a bus, obtain a lancha to the islands for $12, and book lodging in a Lake Titicac hotel for $20 or a hostel for less than $10 per night. Standard rates for meals in the area run $2.50 for an American breakfast, $3.00 for a fixed menu Peruvian lunch, and $8 for a full course Continental.