Lake Titicaca is located on the border between Peru and Bolivia on the Altiplano high in the Andes. It is located at 12,507 feet above sea level, and is the highest navigable lake in the world. It also contains the most water of any lake in South America.  Western Lake Titicaca is located in the Puno region of Peru; Eastern Lake Titicaca is located in Bolivia’s La Paz department.

Lake Titicaca is fed by melted snow from glaciers on the sierras above the altiplano, and rainwater. Five main rivers feed into Lake Titicaca, and it has 41 islands, some of them populated. There are many tales and legends surrounding Titicaca and it is considered a sacred lake by the indigenous inhabitants of its islands and surrounding regions. According to legend, Mama Ocllo and Papa Inti, the first humans, arose from Lake Titicaca and populated the world with human beings.

The Floating Islands of Uros are a group of 43 artificial islands located in Lake Titicaca that were originally defensive in purpose; the islands are constructed of reeds and can be moved if necessary. Another small island on Lake Titicaca is Amantani, which is inhabited by Quechua indigenous people. There are around 800 families, who make their living with terraced agriculture and raise cattle, sheep and alpacas. The Amantani Islanders host tousists for visits in a special room in their homes.

On the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca, the Isla del Sol is accessible from the town of Copacabana. It is one of the largest islands on Lake Titicaca and houses a temple with a convent for chosen women and a tambo or resting place for visiting travellers.

Another Bolivian site of special interest is the Salar de Uyuni, or the Uyuni Salt Flats, the world´s largest salt flat, which covers 4,085 square miles. The Uyuni Salt Flats are located in the Potosi and Oruru departments of Southwestern Bolivia, near the tallest peak of the Andes.

The Uyuni Salt Flats were once part of the giant prehistoric lake, Lake Minchin. When this lake dried up it left behind two major salt deserts, the larger of which is Uyuni. It is estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt. The salt is mined by a cooperative of local miners, who keep up their strength by chewing coca leaves. The Uyuni Salt Flats are the breeding ground for the Chilean, Andean and James´ Flamingoes.

The region boasts a hotel built entirely of salt for tourists and is a place of great natural beauty, with a panoramic reflection of the sky that creates the effect of infinity. Sunset here is particularly colorful and incandescent.