Some 3,600 Quechua-speaking people live on Amantani, and upon arrival visitors are assigned to a family where in their adobe homes, they provide spartan accommodation, simple homemade meals, and maybe even an evening traditional dance.
Families will also arrange guided hikes around the scenic island to explore and climb two mountains, Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth). Pre-Columbian temples top both peaks and are still used by the locals on traditional feast days. As on Taquile, Amanti islanders knit and weave the region’s renowned textiles, which are offered for sale around the island.
Amantani Island is a Peruvian island in Lake Titicaca, which is located on the border between northern Bolivia and southern Peru. Daily morning boats leave Puno, Peru around 8:30pm; expect about a 4.5-hour ride. If arriving from Taquile Island, the ride is about 2 hours. A popular route is to take a boat to Uros, followed by Amantani (a stay overnight there), and then Taquile Island on the way back the next morning.
Lake Titicaca (and Amantani Island) are accessible year-round, but the most pleasant time to visit in terms of weather is from February through November, when days are spring-like with virtually no rain. December and January are usually quite rainy. The lake is 12,4673 feet (4,800 meters) above the sea-level, which means nights can get chilly during any time of the year.
Travelers with the time should visit neighboring Taquile Island, a dramatic rocky windswept isle with pre-Columbian ruins, and talented locals weaving knitwear and textiles that have been cited by UNESCO as Masterpieces of Intangible Human Heritage. About 28 miles (45 kilometers) from Puno, many travelers opt to spend the night on this island as well.