Taquile Island

Name: Taquile Island
Address: Taquile Island, Taquile Island, Taquile, PE

Nature spots ·Taquile

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About

Taquile Island: a Lake Titicaca island on Peru's side, about 45 km from Puno, known for handwoven textiles. Farming terraces cover its hillsides.

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Why go

Men's knitting, which starts at age eight, in the island's high-quality handicrafts.
Chumpi belts, woven by the women, with 12 symbols tied to farming cycles.
Pre-Inca ruins on the highest part of the island, 4,050 m above sea level.
The Fiesta de Santiago on 25 July, when islanders honour their patron saint.

With kids Tips for your visit Best time to visit Know before you go

With kids

Typical island lunch: vegetable soup, fish with rice and a tomato and onion salad.

Tips for your visit

Only a few small shops sell basic goods, so bring what you need.
Local guides receive about two years of training.
Islanders speak southern Quechua, so learning a few words may help when you talk with them.

Best time to visit

Clear nights, when the island is ideal for watching stars.

Know before you go

There are no cars or hotels on the island.
About 40,000 visitors a year stay in private homes arranged through a central booking.
Dogs and cats are banned on the island.
The cooperative runs on three rules: do not steal, lie or be lazy. As a result, the island has no police unit.

History

For a long time the residents hid so well that outsiders thought the island was uninhabited. Tourism later slipped out of local hands, and a residents' travel agency was set up to win it back.

pre-IncaRuins on Uray K'ari and Hanan K'ari probably date from the Tiwanaku culture.
15th centuryThe island was part of the Inka realm.
colonial periodColonial rule banned traditional dress, so islanders took up peasant dress.
1930sThe island served as a prison, holding former president Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro.
1970sTourism began on the island, and islanders later lost control of day tourism to outsiders.

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LaterMunay Taquile, a travel agency owned by residents, was set up to regain local control over tourism.
2005Taquile and its textile art were proclaimed a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Accessibility

Parking No cars run on the island, so there is no car parking.

Shorts

Interesting facts9

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Taquile measures about 5.5 km in length and at most 1.6 km across.
Taquile - Wikipedia
The cantuta, Peru's national flower, grows on the island.
Taquile Island - Wikipedia
Four apus, the Andean mountaintop deities, receive offerings from the islanders.
Taquile Island - Wikipedia
Kolle trees roof the houses and supply firewood.
Taquile Island - Wikipedia
Six sectors called suyus are used to rotate crops.
Taquile Island - Wikipedia
The radio station runs on generators, but the community chose solar cells for power.
Taquile - Wikipedia
The island's cooperative runs tourism, and so far it has stopped every hotel from being built.
Taquile - Wikipedia
All age groups here actively speak Quechua.
Taquile - Wikipedia
Most islanders are Catholic, blended with Andean belief, and Pachamama is the main Andean deity.
Taquile Island - Wikipedia

Sources: Taquile Island - Wikipedia · Taquile - Wikipedia · Taquile - Wikipedia · checked 19 Oct 2026

Where

Taquile Island, Taquile Island

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

How far is Taquile Island from Puno?

Taquile Island lies about 45 km offshore from Puno, on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.

Does Taquile Island have cars or hotels?

No. The island has no cars and no hotels, because the cooperative has blocked every hotel construction.

Do I need to book a place to stay on Taquile Island?

Yes. Stays are arranged through a central booking of private homes. Community tourism also offers lodging, transport and meals.

When is the best time to visit Taquile Island?

The Fiesta de Santiago is held each year on 25 July, when islanders honour their patron saint. On clear nights, the island is ideal for watching stars.

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