Puno

History in Puno

Puno originally in the ancient times PUNU named in Aymara and Qechua mixed language. The history of Puno goes along with ancient Tiawanacos the largest and oldest civilization from 500BC.

Some historians discovered Tiawanaku culture related to Titicaca Lake, surrounding the lake is evidence of ancient temples and palaces built in order to worship their Gods and the royalty by offering human sacrifices sometimes being their enemies after the conquest new tribes. Titicaca Lake is known in the world as the highest navigable lake. Puno sits at an elevation of 12,560ft. Its economy was based on potatoes, fava beans, and by utilizing the water from Titicaca Lake.

When air traffic started, they discovered the ridges and developed a new agriculture tactic in the highlands. They found that the water from rainfall sat between the ridges and with daytime temperature heating the water for the evening cooler temperature changes provided humidity that was ideal for Potatoes and some other crops. Puno main economy today is based on tourism and mine industry with its population of 150,000 people in it’s still developing region of Peru. Tourism in Puno is a hit with the amazing resorts on the surrounding of Titicaca Lake ranging from star hotels to budget places to stay. Offered are day tours from island to island, departing from the port every morning for visitors to experience the most colorful floating island Uros.

Uros is called the floating island due to when locals started to develop a fishing economy by working with Totora lake plants to make their boats, their transportation was not big enough or have enough resources to bring their families to navigate the lake for months.

They started to use the ancient traditions of making floating houses to go fishing with their families and with the time to stay safe from storms they started to join their floating houses with others to become a community. As you continue exploring Titicaca lake you will find Amantani island where you can have an overnight stay in the local houses becoming a member of their community and even dressing in traditional clothing to share and be part of their local traditions. The next day according to your trip plan will be an early morning port departure to head over to Taquile island for a highland hike to enjoy the amazing views over Titicaca lake. Puno is a multicultural and biodiverse place to visit full of history and traditions.