Overview
The Amantani Tour 2 Days Without Accommodation covers the classic Lake Titicaca circuit from Puno, with one key difference: the night on the island is paid directly to the host family rather than bundled into the tour price. Boat transport, guide and island entrance fees are all included.
Departure is from the port of Puno in the morning. The first stop comes after about 30 minutes of sailing, at the floating islands of Uros, roughly 5 km from the mainland. Around 90 families still live on these platforms built from layers of totora reed.
The reeds rot from below and need fresh layers added every two or three weeks, which is why the surface feels soft underfoot. Residents explain the construction process on site, and short rides on traditional reed boats are usually available for a small extra fee.
From Uros the boat continues 36 km east to Amantani, a three-hour crossing. The island has no cars, no hotels and no street lighting, so evenings are quiet and the sky is unusually clear at 3,817 m above sea level.
Two peaks rise above the terraced fields: Pachatata at 4,150 m and Pachamama at 4,130 m, each crowned by a pre-Inca ceremonial site. The climb to either summit takes around 45 minutes and is normally done in the late afternoon, in time for sunset over the water.
Because this version runs without accommodation included, travellers settle the homestay cost directly with their family on arrival. Meals are still part of the programme, cooked in the family kitchen and usually based on quinoa soup, potatoes, fresh cheese and muña tea.
On the second morning the route heads to Taquile, about 12 km away. The island is known for its textile tradition, recognised by UNESCO, where men knit the caps and women weave the belts that signal marital status and community role.
The main path climbs from the pier through stone arches to the central plaza at 3,950 m, a walk of roughly 45 minutes. After lunch and free time, the boat returns to Puno, arriving in the late afternoon.
Nearby communities such as Llachon and Luquina, on the Capachica and Chucuito peninsulas, follow similar homestay models and are often combined with this route by travellers spending longer on the lake.