Stephanie Barnaba is a student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Cusco, Peru.
I recently spent a weekend island hopping around Puno and Lake Titicaca while on an excursion with ISA. This trip was filled with once in a lifetime experiences and gorgeous views from mountaintops. Here are some pictures from the weekend:
We visited four islands that were each uniquely different and each had their own quiet beauty. When we arrived at the first island, Paramis, we had the opportunity to fish with the locals on Lake Titicaca:
Later that evening we had a huge bonfire on the side of the island, and danced under the brightest and most breath-taking starry night sky I have ever seen.
The next day, as the morning sun rose over the lake, we set sail for the second island, Uros, which also happened to be a floating reed island. Here, we took a ride in a reed boat, and learned how an island of reeds is constructed to stay afloat.
We only enjoyed the reed island for about an hour before sailing off to the third island, Amantaní, where we were greeted by the local people with necklaces made of the Cantuta, the national flower of Peru.
That evening, we trekked the steepest hike of my life, and watched the amazing sunset over Lake Titicaca on the mountaintop.
On the final day, we visited the beautiful island of Taquile, and as for any good view, we had to hike for it.
Our trip was completed with lunch overlooking this fantastic view, followed by a dip in the lake!
The World Awaits…Discover it.