Just 5km east of Puno, these unique floating islands are Lake Titicaca’s top tourist attraction. They’re built using the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The lives of the Uros people are interwoven with these reeds, which are partially edible (tasting like nonsweet sugarcane) and are also used to make their homes, their boats and the crafts they churn out for tourists.
The islands are constructed from many layers of the totora, which are constantly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom, so the ground is always soft and springy. (Be careful not to put your foot through any rotten sections!)
