Puno guide

Getting to Puno, and dealing with the altitude

Puno sits at around 3,827 metres above sea level on the shore of Lake Titicaca. You get there by flying into Juliaca and transferring 45 km, by bus from Cusco or Arequipa, or by tourist train from Cusco. Allow two or three days and take the first afternoon slowly.

Updated October 13, 2026

Puno in six figures

City altitude: 3,827 mOne of the highest cities in Peru
Lake altitude: 3,812 mThe highest navigable lake on earth
Nearest airport: Juliaca, 45 km1 h to 1 h 15 transfer
Best time on the water: April to OctoberDry days, freezing nights
Cash: SolesNo cards and no ATMs on the islands
The big festival: 2 FebruaryCandelaria: two weeks of dancing

This guide gathers what nearly every traveller asks before coming: how to get here, how many days to allow, what happens with the altitude, what the weather does month by month, and what happens in February, when the whole city turns into the Candelaria. The figures are the ones we work with, operating the lake every day.

01 · Getting here

The four ways into Puno

Puno has no airport of its own. The nearest is Inca Manco Cápac in Juliaca, about 45 km away, and the transfer from there takes an hour to an hour and a quarter on the 3S road.

From	How	Approximate time
Lima	Flight to Juliaca + transfer to Puno	1 h 45 flight + 1 h transfer
Cusco	Tourist bus on the Ruta del Sol	7 to 9 h with stops
Cusco	Tourist train	Around 10 h, panoramic service
Arequipa	Bus or private transfer	5 to 6 h
Juliaca (airport)	Private or shared transfer	1 h to 1 h 15

See private transfers

02 · The altitude

What 3,800 metres feels like

Up here the air holds close to a third less oxygen than at sea level. What most people notice is shorter breath when walking fast or climbing stairs, a mild headache on the first day, and lighter sleep the first night. For most it settles within 24 to 48 hours.

How you arrive makes the difference. Coming up from Arequipa, at around 2,335 metres, is gentler than flying straight in from sea level. And if you come from Cusco, at around 3,399 metres, you arrive partly acclimatised.

What we recommend, and what people here actually do: take the first afternoon easy, walk slowly, drink plenty of water, eat light and leave alcohol for the second day. Coca tea is the local custom and every hotel offers it.

Leave your first tour for the day after you arrive, if you can
Walk slowly the first few hours — nothing is gained by rushing up here
Drink more water than you normally would
Eat light on the first day
Alcohol from the second day onwards

Sillustani: half a day, nothing strenuous

03 · How many days

Two days is enough, three is comfortable

Two full days covers the essentials: a full-day Uros and Taquile, and a half-day Sillustani. With three, what people remember most is swapping the full day for the night on Amantani, and adding Sillustani the day after.

If you are doing the two-day Amantani programme, count three days in Puno: arrival, the programme, and the day you leave.

Days	What fits	Pace
2 days	Uros and Taquile full day + Sillustani half day	Tight but comfortable
3 days	Uros, Amantani and Taquile with a night on the island + Sillustani	The one we recommend
4 days	The above + kayaking or biking one morning	Unhurried, with margin

See Amantani, 2 days

04 · The weather

Dry season and rainy season

The altiplano has two clear seasons. April to October is the dry season: strong sun, clear skies and very cold nights, with frost in June and July. November to March it rains, almost always in the afternoon, and the nights are less cold.

For being on the lake and for kayaking, mornings are always better: the water is stillest and the wind arrives around midday. That holds all year.

Months	Season	Day / night	What to expect
January to March	Rainy	Mild / cool	Afternoon downpours, green altiplano, fewer visitors
February	Rainy · Candelaria	Mild / cool	City full for the festival: book months ahead
April and May	Shoulder	Sunny / cold	The best balance: still green, no longer raining
June and July	Dry	Strong sun / below zero	Night frost, clean skies, high season
August and September	Dry	Strong sun / very cold	More afternoon wind; be on the water early
October and November	Shoulder	Sunny / cold	First rains towards the end, few visitors
December	Rainy	Mild / cool	Afternoon rain and long holiday weekends

Kayaking: always in the morning

05 · The Candelaria

February is a different city

The Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria falls around 2 February and is the reason Puno is called the folkloric capital of Peru. UNESCO inscribed it in 2014 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is not one afternoon's parade: it runs close to three weeks of masses, rehearsals, competitions and troupes, with tens of thousands of dancers and musicians filling the whole city.

What you see on the street is two worlds. The autochthonous dances come from the altiplano communities and are performed with local instruments and dress. The traje de luces dances are the Diablada, the Morenada, the Llamerada and the Caporales, in embroidered costumes worth thousands that are prepared over the whole year. The competition decides who dances on the Sunday of the octave, which is when the city genuinely overflows.

If you come in February, the practical part: hotels fill months ahead and prices rise, the centre closes to traffic for several days, and transfers from Juliaca take longer than usual. Lake tours run as normal because the dock keeps working, but it pays to leave early and arrange the pickup with margin. If you want the lake quiet, February is not your month; if you come for the festival, there is nothing like it in the country.

Moment	When	What happens
Dawn mass and alba	2 February	The central day. Mass, fireworks at dawn, veneration of the image.
Autochthonous dance contest	Sunday on or before the 2nd	Altiplano communities at the Torres Belón stadium.
Traje de luces contest	The following Sunday	Diablada, Morenada, Caporales and Llamerada competing.
Parade and veneration	Sunday of the octave	The largest procession: the entire city on the street.
Cacharpari	Final days	The farewell to the festival, looser and neighbourhood-run.

Book hotel and transfers two or three months ahead
The centre closes to traffic for several days: pickups happen on foot to the nearest open point
It is the rainy season: waterproof jacket and shoes with grip
Bring cash in soles, and some patience with the crowds
Lake tours run normally, but take the earliest departure of the day

A transfer arranged around those days

06 · What to bring

The list that actually gets used

The most common mistake is packing for one temperature. A single day here runs from strong midday sun to near freezing at night, so what works is layers.

A warm, wind-proof jacket
Layers: the gap between midday and midnight is large
High-factor sunscreen — the sun is far stronger at this altitude
Sunglasses and a hat or cap
Comfortable walking shoes with grip
Waterproof jacket or poncho if you come between November and March
Refillable water bottle
Cash in soles: the islands do not take cards
Personal medication, and a torch if you are going to Amantani

The above is what we see every day operating on the lake, not medical advice. If you have a heart or respiratory condition, are pregnant, or take regular medication, talk to your doctor before travelling to this altitude.

Frequently asked questions

Exactly how high is Puno?

Puno sits at around 3,827 metres above sea level and Lake Titicaca at about 3,812. It is one of the highest inhabited cities in Peru.

Do I need to acclimatise before arriving?

It is not required, but it helps a lot. Coming from Cusco or Arequipa you arrive partly acclimatised. Flying straight in from sea level, take the first afternoon slowly.

When is the best time to come?

April to October brings more sun and better conditions on the water, but the nights are very cold. November to March it rains in the afternoon and the landscape is greener.

Can I pay by card?

In Puno yes, in hotels and restaurants. On the islands and in the communities no — bring cash in soles.

How long is Cusco to Puno?

Between 7 and 9 hours by bus on the Ruta del Sol, with sightseeing stops on the way. The tourist train takes around 10 hours.

Should I book tours in advance?

In high season it is worth it. For kayaking and biking it is necessary, because they are arranged around the group and the equipment has to be prepared.

What happens if it rains?

Island and Sillustani tours run anyway — altiplano rain tends to be short and in the afternoon. Kayaking depends on the day's conditions and gets rescheduled if needed.

When is the Fiesta de la Candelaria?

The central day is 2 February, but the festival runs close to three weeks around that date, with the dance competitions on the Sundays before and after. It has been Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2014.

Is February a good month to come to Puno?

It depends what you are after. If you are coming for the Candelaria it is the only possible month and it is worth it, but you have to book months ahead because the city fills up. If you want the lake quiet, any month between April and October is better.

Do lake tours run during the Candelaria?

Yes. The dock operates normally and departures to Uros, Taquile and Amantani are kept. What changes is getting across town: with the centre closed, take the earliest departure and confirm the pickup point the day before.

Tours

From Titicaca to Colca

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