In the morning, your guide will take you by boat to visit the famous Uros floating islands, near the Titicaca National Reserve. Here you will meet one of the traditional families that inhabit these unique islands. The Uro-Aymara people are a proud culture, where the men skillfully traverse the lake with rafts made from reeds, and the women are expert weavers. Calling themselves kot-suña or, “people of the lake,” the Uro-Aymara were once persecuted by other groups and forced to relocate to Lake Titicaca, where they found refuge by creating the islands out of “totora” reeds. Considering themselves guardians of Titicaca, the Uro-Aymara claim to have black blood that supposedly makes them impervious to the cold.

Continue on to Taquile Island, where you will explore Quechua beliefs and culture through the islands’ rich weaving tradition. Declared a part of UNESCO’s masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Taquile’s vivid textiles convey complex messages about the wearer’s social status and life. As the island enjoys a privileged microclimate, you’ll likely see men weaving wonderful pieces outdoors. During your Taquile visit, you will enjoy a picnic against the stunning backdrop of Titicaca’s deep blue skies, the lake’s sapphire waters, and on the horizon, Bolivia’s Cordillera Real, or Royal Mountain Range. Return to the lodge around 4:30 pm.