Tourism in Puno » Useful Data

Location: Sierra (Andes) south of Peru, Bolivia border.

Extension: 71 999 km2.

Capital: Puno (3827 m).

Altitude:

• Low: 820 m (Lanlacuni Bajo).
• High: 4725 m (San Antonio de Esquilache).

Distances: From the city of Puno to the following cities:

• Juli (Chucuito Province) 79 km / 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Ilave (Province of El Collao) 54 km / 1 hour.
• Huancane (Huancane Province) 99 km / 2 hours.
• Lampa (Province of Lampa) 79 km / 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Ayaviri (Provincia de Melgar) 137 km / 2 hours and 45 minutes.
• Moho (Moho Province) 138 km / 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Putina (Province of San Antonio de Putina) 124 km / 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Juliaca (San Román Province) 44 km / 45 minutes.
• Sandia (Sandia Province) 272 km / 6 hours
• Yunguyo (Yunguyo Province) 128 km / 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Azángaro (Azángaro Province) 148 km / 2 hours
• Macusani (Carabaya Province) 256 km 4 hours

Access roads:

Land

• Lima-Arequipa-Juliaca-Puno: 1315 km (20 hours by car).
• Cusco – Puno: 389 km (6 h)
• Arequipa – Puno: 285 km (5 h)
• Tacna – Puno: 376 km (6 hours) via Laraqueri

Air

Regular flights to Juliaca from Lima (1 hour 40 minutes direct) and Lima – Juliaca with a stop in Arequipa and Cusco 2 hours 40 minutes.

Férrea

Cusco – Puno: 384 km (10 hours).

BRIEF HISTORY

About the year 200 B.C. It was developed in the area the Pukará culture, which is characterized by large buildings in the form of pyramids, stone monuments and wake; as well as for its particular pottery. Later, between 800 and 1200 A.D., the altiplano (shared by Peru and Bolivia today) became the headquarters of the Tiwanaku civilization, whose influence was felt in almost all the Peruvian territory, especially in the religious sphere. The Tihuanacos excelled in architecture, litho sculpture, ceramics and textiles, capturing his pieces a religious iconography that has not yet completely understood. When decaying the Tiahuanaco power, they arose in its former dominions various local lordships, among which were the Collas and Aymaras.

In the fifteenth century the Incas reached the plateau of Collao and violently conquered the Colla groups inhabiting both the top and the lowlands of the region. The Aymaraes or Aymaras never bowed down entirely and their descendants, the Lupakas, Lupajaques or children of the sun, as they called themselves, have been the dominant and most important towns of the highlands.

When the Spanish conquistadors established in the Cusco had news of the riches of the region of Collao, they began to reach the plateau.

A mid-seventeenth century terrible disputes over control of mines Laykakota among the most powerful families of the time, Andalusians and Basques, so that the Viceroy Conde de Lemos himself was forced to travel to the area originated to placate riots, founded the present city of Puno in 1668, with the name of San Carlos de Puno. During the eighteenth century, the indigenous population of the region supported the rebellion of Tupac Amaru II and Tupac Katari, demanding an end to abuses by the authorities.

The peasant tradition has remained in the region, and its main activities continue to be agriculture and livestock with a view to the regional market in the southern Andes.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Puno region has a basically flat geography because much of its territory lies on the plateau of Collao. To the north Carabaya mountain range rises and south Maritime or Volcanic Cordillera.

The city of Puno lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca and is cold and semi-dry climate. The rainy season starts in October and ends in April.

The average annual maximum temperature is 14 ° C (58 ° F) and minimum 3 ° C (37 ° F).