Puno is a city on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is located at over 13,000 feet in Elevation, so temperatures can be quite cold, and altitude sickness is a possibility. Lake Titicaca is home to the indigenous Uros people who live on floating islands. The islands are made out of reeds. You can reach the islands by taking a tour in a reed boat.
We didn't go to Puno, so I will share Sister Sullivan's notes.
Staying in Puno
Hotel and Transportation
You can get to Puno by air or by bus. If you are going to tour Colca Canyon while in Arequipa, you may want to book a tour that takes you on to Puno, since Colca Canyon is about half-way between Arequipa and Puno. One option I found was to ride in a bus overnight. The bus came equipped with beds.
Sister Sullivan says, "We stayed at Eco Inn Hotel. It was nice but definitely far from town. Taking the combi was easy though and made us feel pretty adventurous. Taxis are also readily available."
Hotel RecommendationsHealth
Puno's altitude is 12,420 ft. and is likely the highest you will reach while traveling in Peru. Altitude sickness is a real possibility. See the health page for information about preventing and treating altitude sickness.
Weather
The elevation can also cause extreme temperatures. Puno is the coldest major city in Peru, and can reach below freezing (32 degrees F) at night. The average temperature year-round is 44 degrees F. Make sure to bring a jacket or sweater, and possibly a hat and gloves especially during the rainy season. Like the rest of Peru, the rainy season is from November-March. If you travel during these months, prepare for rain.
Floating Islands
Sister Sullivan shares, "We visited the Uros Isles there on Lake Titicaca. Lots of boat tours, private tours, whatever you’re looking for there. It was pretty commercial but it was still fun and interesting."
There are 42 floating islands that the people have made out of bundles of dried reeds. Buildings are also made out of reeds. There is an LDS population on the floating islands, and if you're there on Sunday, you could arrange to attend church there.