The floating Islands of Uros are located 10 km away from Punos port. It is by ship the way to get to this unique place on earth, the boat will lead you through hidden ways in the middle of aquatic plants. Also it will be the perfect moment to watch many kind of birds such as flamingos, ducks, chocas, herons, and many other migratory birds.
It is necessary to mention the whole territory of the Uros belongs to the Great National Natural Reservation of Titicaca. The residing communities of the islands will be conceded soon with the tittle of " Native communal Reservation Uros of Titikaka " with their own life rules, respecting the rights of a community thats been living there since for centuries on this natural reservation.
Everything in Uros daily life is related to totora (common aquatic plant) this macrophyte plant grows protected from the lake open waters and the stems can reach five meters height. The locals use this plant to build these unusual artificial islands since hundreds of years, layers of totora, one on other one layer til achieve the right balance so they can live in the middle of the Lake. Totora is also used to build their houses, their boats, even to feed their animals, locals eat this plant too, the tender part of the plant is called " chullu".
There is more than 40 dispersed islands in this vast floating archipelago. The number of families that live in these islands is very variable from 2 to 20 families. Only about 14 islands are visited and recognized as tourist attraction.
Hunting and fishing are the main activities for the people of the islands, their handcrafts and tourism are complementary activities of the daily life of this peculiar population.
© Christian Nonis
