Fed by glacial melt, Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake

From the shore, Lake Titicaca looks like an endless ocean ringed by distant gleaming peaks.

The water is ice-cold, fed by glacier melt, and in some places is crystal clear. When the sun hits the lake, its a startling cobalt blue reminiscent of the Mediterranean Sea.

Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake, resting at 3800 metres, and it is extremely deep so the temperature doesn't change much year-round.

Marooned out in this lake is the Inca birthplace of the sun - Isla del Sol - the Island of the Sun. The island is crisscrossed with Inca irrigation terraces still farmed by hardy villagers and dotted with important ruins. A recent underwater archaeological dig off the island uncovered a treasure trove of Inca artifacts thought to be thrown into the lake as offerings to the Sun God.

Along with its natural beauty and Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca's prime attraction is the Uros - an indigenous people who live on 43 artificial islands made with floating reeds. They originally moved out onto the lake to evade the Inca who occupied the area. Little did they know their unique way of life would one day make them a leading tourist attraction and provide a steady income. Regular tours depart daily from Puno, a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. While the Uros rely on tourism to survive, it has become a double-edged sword for them as the very lake water they drink is becoming increasingly contaminated by the frequent boats that plow the lake. As well, the hotels and restaurants of Puno are pumping an ever-increasing amount of sewage into the water.

Some 40km from Puna, the picturesque non-floating islands of Taquile and Amantani are also major tourist draws. While most of the people here only speak Quechua (the language of the Incas), and there is no grid electricty on the island, it is nonthelss possible to stay a night with a family in their basic, mud-brick home. The easiest way to visit these islands is on one of the  two-day/one-night tours that depart from Puno.