The largest alpine lake in the world is Lake Titicaca, located on the plateau in the Andes between Bolivia and Peru. The attraction of both countries is also considered the world's highest navigable lake and one of the largest in terms of fresh water reserves. Titicaca attracts thousands of tourists every year.
general characteristics
Titicaca is located at an altitude of 3820 m above sea level with a total area of more than 8000 sq. km. Hundreds of mountain rivers flow into the lake, so the water temperature in it does not rise above 10 ° C. The depth of the lake is on average from 150 m to 280 m. The water level can rise up to 4 m after many weeks of downpours. On the surface of Titicaca, there are many inhabited islands. If the indigenous people live on natural islands, mestizos predominate on artificial islands.
The body of water is considered a small piece of the ancient ocean. After all, you can find representatives of the oceanic fauna in it - salmon trout, marine invertebrates. Some sources even mention the existence of sharks in the lake.
The weather on the territory of Titicaca is different - multi-day rains are replaced by the scorching sun and strong winds. Due to the evaporation of a huge volume of water, eucalyptus trees brought from Australia, the forest of kebracho and kashuar feel good here.
Attractions Titicaki
The blue, clear waters of the lake hold many secrets. Since ancient times, Titicaca was a sacred place among the Incas, because it was here that the ancestors of this people were born. Each island, and there are more than 40 of them here, is known for something. On the island of Uros, there is an open-air museum on the floating islands. Weaving craftsmen live in Taquila, and reed boats are built in Suriki. Other islands contain stone graves and underground tunnels. But the main attractions of these places are the islands of the Sun and the Moon, where ancient temples and Inca settlements are located.
Around Titicaca, there are many catacombs and tunnels that store items of ancient Indian culture. Copacabana city, located on the shore of the lake, attracts hundreds of pilgrims every year. Here you can see old cathedrals and statues.
The lake and its surroundings are a national reserve, home to various species of birds, mammals and amphibians. And here, somewhere in the catacombs, there is that world-famous lost city of the Incas.
How to get to the lake
To see Titicaca, you need to get to the city of Puno in Peru. Here, among the religious and historical monuments, new hotels and hotels have been built. Puno is located right on the lake. Various excursions to several islands of the lake are organized from the city. Tourists come here to plunge into the world of the past, see the ancient civilization of the Incas and admire the picturesque surroundings.
