Titilaka - that's a play on the location:
Lake Titicaca. There's a joke that goes with the name of the lake, but we'll skip that here.
Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America, spanning some 3200 square miles. At an altitude of 12,500 feet (that's 2.36 miles high!), it is considered the highest navigable lake on earth. It is fed by rain, glacial melt, five major rivers and numerous small ones, and yet water exits the lake in only one place. There are 41 islands, mostly uninhabited, and more than 40 artificial islands.
Artificial islands? Yes, those made by man from the totora reed, which grows in shallow waters. Cut enough totora reeds, pile them up and bingo, you have an island - and people live on these islands. In houses of reeds. The best known is Uros, easily accessible from Puno.
Legends say Lake Titicaca is the birthplace of the Inca. As the legend goes: the earth was plunged into cold and dark for an extended time, and mankind was lost. The creator god, Viracocha, rose from the depths of the lake, commanded the sun, moon and stars to rise and then went to the island of Tiahuanaco (today it is 12 miles from the lake shore) and recreated man and woman from the stones. And from there, the Incas began the Inca Empire.
Traditionally a stop at the lake was 2 nights to have a day to take a trip on the lake to visit the Uros floating islands and perhaps Taquile island.
But Titilaka, the new upscale lodge with a funny name, is going to transform not only why the lake is visited, but for how long the stay will be. Titilaka provides a variety of quarter, half and full day new, active options to explore the lake, its islands, its birdlife, the countryside and the culture of the Indians. They've creatively developed enough options that you can easily fill three days, which means a four night stay.
And after all that energy output at 2 1/3 miles high in the sky, you return to Titilaka, located on a peninsula with a 270 degree panorama of the lake. Here you have total comfort. There is a dining room, lounge, bar, wrap around terraces, massage rooms, living rooms and heated swimming pool with views of the lake.
There are five Dusk Suites (537 sq feet) and 13 Dawn Suites (494 sq feet), all with exceptional views of the lake, and all the amenities you could want: plasma TV, personal safe, iPod, minibar, and bathrooms with heated floors, overflow bathtub and separate shower.
Oh, and portable oxygen bottles.
Lake Titicaca. Now available Titilaka style.
