The Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America and is located in the Andes plateau. It is two-thirds in Peru, one-third in Bolivia.
places
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- Puno (Peru)
- Copacabana (Bolivia)
Other goals
background
Lake Titicaca, at an altitude of 3800 meters, is the highest navigable lake in the world, and about two thirds of it belongs to it Peru and to one too Bolivia. With an area of 8562 km², it is almost 13 times larger than that Lake Constance, it is 195 km long and 65 km wide. It lies entirely on the plateau of the Altiplano and is not connected to either the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean. The narrow point Estrecho de Tiquina divides the 304 meter deep lake into the larger Chucuito lake (25 islands) and the six times smaller Winaymarka lake with six islands. After the last ice age, the lake extended over 400 kilometers further south and covered almost the entire Altiplano. Today only two comparatively small lakes remain there, namely Lago Poopó and Lago Uro Uro, both of which are supplied with water from Lake Titicaca via the Río Desaguadero.
Titicaca is composed of two Aymara words, Titi means puma and Caca Rock, i.e. puma rock. There are also numerous legends surrounding the much-described lake. For example, once the god should Con Ticci Wiracocha Having risen from Lake Titicaca and created the sun, then in Tiwanaku the world and people. Tiwanaku (100 BC - 1200 AD) remains one of the most mysterious cultures in South America. The former capital Tiwanaku lies approx. 20 km inland of Bolivia, also the sun and the moon island belonged to the empire earlier. It is possible that Tiwanaku was previously located directly on the lake shore, as the lake used to be larger. Allegedly, after the conquest of the Inca Empire by the Spaniards, the temple guards of the sunny island sank the never-found treasure in Lake Titicaca, where it was repeatedly sought unsuccessfully. When the Inca conquered the area in the 13th century, they raised the former island of Titicaca to the island of sunshine, but without wiping out the customs and language of the Aymara who lived there. Only the aristocratic caste were allowed to enter this sacred place. In a cave-like labyrinth completely lined with gold, the highest rites were performed by the Inca himself to pay homage to the sun god Inti.
Pollution does not stop at this most sacred of all lakes. The lake surface can vary up to 6 meters per year, despite 25 different tributaries there is only one real outflow, the Río Desaguadero. However, this is not water-bearing all year round and only contributes a meager 5% to the drainage of the lake. The rest evaporates due to the strong mountain sun and covers the surrounding land with salt residues. The result is the loss of the surrounding vegetation through overgrazing and erosion, the reduction of aquatic vegetation, declining fish populations, and the contamination of the Bay of Puno by biological sewage. The pollutants, mainly from sewage from the city of Puno, and from heavy metals from the nearby mines, remain in the lake. The algae problem, on the other hand, is exaggerated by the media, it is limited to the Bay of Puno, the rest of the lake shines in a brilliant blue. The European Union is now trying to improve the living conditions of the residents and to protect resources. Sensible water regulation through small dams on the Río Desaguadero in connection with irrigated agriculture should help.
language
The main language in the Lake Titicaca region is Spanish. In addition, a large number of indigenous languages are spoken. An example of this is the Quechua of the people of the same name.
getting there
mobility
Tourist Attractions
- Isla de la Luna
activities
kitchen
nightlife
security
climate
With a temperature of 10 to 12 degrees, Lake Titicaca is quite cool, but its size makes it indispensable as a heat store for the surrounding fields. Peas, quinoa, corn, barley and potatoes all thrive around it, with Lake Titicaca being the origin of potato cultivation. The lake is also known for its abundance of fish. Search, Carachu, Ispi, Mauri and Boga occur here, since 1937 trout and salmon have also been used, which developed excellently and today form the foodstuff for the numerous fishermen in the region. Ducks, ibises, herons and cormorants are also native here, and almost all known animal species of the Andean region live around the lake, from guinea pigs to chinchillas, pumas, llamas, vicunas, alpacas and guanacos.
In 1986 it became clear that the lake not only nourishes the highland inhabitants, but can also be dangerous for them. Due to the heaviest rainfall in living memory, the lake overflowed its banks and flooded numerous villages and streets.
The Chacaltaya Glacier, formerly visible from the lake, was once the world's highest ski area (including lift) at 5300 m. In the twenty years between 1980 and 2001, 80 percent of the ice melted due to global warming, and in 2009 the glacier had completely disappeared.
trips
- Uros Islands. Also the Floating islands called.
