Amantani, Lake Titicaca, Peru: My Relaxing Time With a Quechua Host Family

After a traumatic night in Pisco, Peru, having been present during the huge earthquake that virtually destroyed the city on August 15, I was in need of some rest, peace and quiet. I found exactly what I was looking for a few days later on the island of Amantani, which lies in the middle of the shimmering turquoise waters of Lake Titicaca.

I embarked on my journey from the dock in Puno, with a roundtrip, two-day boat ticket that cost me 30 Soles (about $10 USD). After a quick stop at the floating islands of Uros, we traveled three more hours, until floating up to the dock of Amantani. When we disembarked we were met by residents of the island who organized the newcomers and designated host families for us. The stay with the host family, including delicious home-cooked meals and a beautiful hike costs 30 Soles per person. Each family on Amantani is only allowed to receive tourists once a month in order to maintain their culture and to keep tourism equitable and in the islanders' hands.

My husband and I were paired with two French travelers and were led by Juana, a pleasant Quechua woman in her twenties, to her house. During the ten minute walk I discovered that the plain looking terraces that I had seen from off-shore were actually intricate stone pathways, walls, and terraces that were zigzagged all over the island, making it feel a little bit like we were walking through a labyrinth in paradise.

When we arrived we met Juana's ten-year-old daughter, Maria, her elderly grandfather, who's Spanish was laced with a thick Quechua accent, and her grandmother who only spoke Quechua. We were given a very comfortable room with unbeatable views of the island and the sparkling waters that surrounded us. The women began working in the kitchen over the wood burning fire where they prepared us a delicious lunch. We then had free time to rest, wander, and talk to the family.