Puno is a bustling city in southern Peru, nestled on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The main draw of the city are the floating islands of the Uros people. This one-of-a-kind experience is one that you will only find in Peru. For those backpacking long-term throughout South America, visiting Puno is a no-brainer, especially if one plans on moving onwards towards Bolivia.

However, for people who only plan on sticking to Peru or don’t have a significant amount of time to spare, Puno might seem very out of the way. It is a long bus ride away from Cusco or Arequipa, unlike other one-day stops like Huacachina and Nazca that are firmly on Peru’s gringo trail. It is a reasonable question to ask whether or not visiting Puno solely for the floating islands is worth it. I passed through Puno my first time in Peru en route to Bolivia and didn’t even visit the floating islands myself then.

But fortunately, on my third visit to Peru, I was finally able to visit the islands for myself. It far exceeded my expectations, and really solidified the fact that Peru is one of the most diverse countries you could ever visit. As a traveler, that goes for both its cultures and its activities.

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Table of Contents

• Are Puno and the Floating Islands Worth Visiting?
• How To Get to Puno
• How Much Time To Spend in Puno
• Beyond the Floating Islands: Other Day Trips From Puno
• Practical Tips For Puno
• More on Peru

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Are The Floating Islands of the Uros Worth Visiting?

Is Puno worth visiting? Yes. For travelers going between Peru and Bolivia, stopping at Puno is almost a no-brainer. It is an excellent way to break up the otherwise lengthy journey. Most travelers will opt to stop at both Puno and Copacabana, with perhaps a detour to Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna. Beyond being a convenient spot to break up the journey, Puno offers a unique cultural experience that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

The Uros people have lived on self-constructed floating islands on Lake Titicaca for centuries. The islands themselves are built from totora reeds — the same reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake — layered and woven together until they form a floating platform that can support houses, boats, watchtowers, and entire communities. The islands require constant maintenance. New layers of reed are added as the bottom layers rot away. Seeing this firsthand felt like experiencing an unfathomable way of life.

Although the people of the floating islands have definitely begun to cater more towards international tourism, they still maintain some of their old traditions and lifestyles. These days, it’s hard to blame them for transitioning when they can sell a blanket for 100 soles, likely more than they would earn in weeks doing whatever they did before.

You will also get a chance to ride one of their traditional boats made of reeds and straws. These boats are beautiful and unique, and unlike any boat you’ve ever seen before. I paid an additional 10 soles for this but considering the already cheap price of the tour, it was definitely worth it to end the trip with a sunset ride around Lake Titicaca.

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How Much Does the Tour Cost? — 2026 Update

Best of all, a 3-hour tour will only cost you about $10 to 20 USD. If the main goal is to see the islands and witness the culture firsthand, then it’s excellent bang for your buck. Don’t worry, for a more immersive experience, there are itineraries for that, as well.

First things first, book in Puno. Not online. It will be cheaper than booking on tour aggregator platforms. Walk along the waterfront or ask at your hostel for reputable local operators. Here are the costs that you can expect. They can vary wildly depending on your group size, bargaining skills, and the tour’s inclusions. Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to pay more if extras are included. The lower-end prices are what you can expect for the very basics.

Tour Type	2026 Cost
Half-day Uros only (3 hours, shared boat)	$9–22 USD depending on operator
Full-day Uros + Taquile (speedboat)	$24–55 USD including lunch
2-day tour (Uros + Amantani homestay + Taquile)	$61–89 USD
3-day package (+ Sillustani)	$83–145 USD
Private full-day tour	$119–150 USD
Reed boat ride (add-on)	~20–30 soles on top of tour price

If using PeruHop, they can also include the Uros tour as part of their Puno stop, which is useful if you’re moving between Cusco and the Bolivian border and don’t want to manage the logistics independently. Regardless, once you’re here, then there is no reason not to visit the Floating Islands. They are among the most unique destinations in all of Peru.

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How To Get To Puno, Peru

Puno is a bit out of the way for travelers situated in Cusco or Arequipa. It doesn’t fit in nicely with the rest of the gringo trail, although it also isn’t too far out of it. From Arequipa to Cusco and vice versa, you will pass through the city of Juliaca. From Juliaca, you can take a colectivo or a bus for about an hour to Puno. You can take buses directly to Puno from Cusco and Arequipa, as well, but know it will add a couple of hours to your journey between Arequipa and Cusco.

If you are coming from Bolivia, then Puno is actually on the way to the rest of Peru’s best destinations. You’ll likely cross the border near Copacabana, and from there, Puno will be the first major city that you hit. It is about 3 hours from the Bolivian border and can be a good place to break up a lengthy journey from La Paz or Copacabana to Cusco or Arequipa.

How Much Time Should You Spend in Puno?

For me, Puno was a one hit wonder. After visiting the floating islands, there was not much else that warrants one’s attention. I might have had some travel fatigue after months of traveling through South America, but there was nothing in particular about the city that stood out. The Plaza de Armas was under heavy construction, although it definitely has the potential to be beautiful. The intricate details of the church were the most similar to the stunning city of Cajamarca’s that I had seen.

The food is cheap and there are a decent number of okay restaurants in the area. However, Puno is far from a gastronomical capital of Peru. Being on the shores of Lake Titicaca makes for beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I didn’t even spend the night in Puno, and that felt like enough time for me. I did the tour of the floating islands and spent the other three hours eating or roaming around the city.

However, if you do end up spending more time in this area, there are a few other day trips and excursions to consider.

Beyond the Floating Islands: Other Day Trips from Puno

On my first South America backpacking trip in 2016, I did quite a few similar things on the Bolivian side of the lake. I visited Isla de la Luna and Isla del Sol, did an overnight homestay, and spent 2016 Election Night completely off the grid. The three-hour boat ride back to the mainland was dead silent once news from Copacabana reached us that we were now living in Trump’s America. Whether it was PTSD or the sentiment that the Peruvian side might have been too similar to warrant another overnight homestay on Titicaca, I opted against it. Here are some ideas if you are considering it, though.

Taquile Island – Authentic Addition to Uros Tour

If you’re going to spend a full day on Lake Titicaca, adding Taquile Island to your Uros tour is the move. Taquile is an inhabited island home to a Quechua-speaking community with a textile tradition that UNESCO has inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The island has no cars and a quiet that feels removed from the worries of the world. The hike to the central plaza takes about 45 minutes and offers panoramic views of the lake and the Bolivian Andes on a clear day. Most full-day tours include Taquile with lunch of traditional trout, quinoa soup, and chicha de jora on the island. For a more immersive trip, the Taquile add-on is worth the extra hours and extra cost.

Sillustani — Pre-Inca Funerary Towers

About 30km outside Puno, Sillustani is an archaeological site containing chullpas. These tall, cylindrical funerary towers were built by the Colla people before the Inca conquest. Some stand over 40-feet-tall and are decorated with carved serpents and pumas. The setting on the shores of Laguna Umayo is dramatic, particularly at sunset when the towers are silhouetted against the water. Half-day tours from Puno run about $22 USD and are frequently combined with the Uros islands in a 2-day package. It’s one of the more underrated archaeological sites in the region and easily paired with Puno.

Overnight Homestay on Amantani Island

For travelers with more time, Amantani Island offers something unique: an overnight homestay with a local Quechua family on an inhabited island with no hotels, no electricity grid, and no cars. Community families host visitors in their homes, providing dinner, breakfast, and a window into island life that no day tour can replicate. Typically combined with Uros and Taquile in a 2-day package. If you want the most immersive Lake Titicaca experience available, this is it.

Practical Tips for Puno

• Bring cash in soles — card acceptance on the islands and at smaller restaurants is unreliable. The tour price, any add-ons, and market purchases will all be cash only.
• Dress in layers — Puno’s altitude means cold mornings and evenings even in dry season, with warmer afternoons. On the lake, the wind can be biting regardless of the air temperature. Bring a warm jacket and sunscreen simultaneously.
• Negotiate the reed boat ride directly on the island — the add-on is worth doing and the price is more flexible than the main tour cost.
• If you’re sensitive to altitude, take it easy on day one. The Uros tour involves a boat ride rather than strenuous hiking, so it’s manageable even if you’re not fully acclimatized — but don’t rush straight from a flight.
• eSIM for Peru — connectivity in Puno and on the lake is patchy but present. I recommend Saily — use my code eli5 for 10% off
• Travel insurance — SafetyWing covers Peru and altitude-related incidents are worth having covered given Puno’s elevation.

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