Qhantati, one of the floating islands of Los Uros will stay close to my heart. My experience there was peaceful and perfect. The way of life is simple and beautiful. On Lake Titicaca, I (La Americana) traveled with Estefanía (La Española), and Perrine (La Francesa). Qhantati was the first, and by far, the best island we visited, hands down.
Los Uros are floating islands, man-made from totora, a reed like plant that grows naturally in the lake. These small island communities use totora to build nearly everything, including the ground, the huts, the boats, and other household items. On Qhantati, there are 6 families and they operate as a very tight community. I believe there are 40 something islands and most of the people live their entire lives there, not straying far from home.
My friends and I, all three of us, were so ecstatic upon arrival and were warmly welcomed by the family of Cristina, her husband Victor, their daughter Maribel, and her boyfriend Abram. Estefanìa connected with Cristina through a co-worker in Lima and therefore we had the opportunity to fully experience the island instead of just pass through it. Our overnight visit there was far beyond what the average tourist experiences on the floating islands (which I have read that many see as floating souvineer stands). This particular family is very interested in hosting kind, caring visitors, but the tourism they seek is far from mainstream as they wish not to exploit the authentic, fragile nature of Los Uros. They are working hard toward shaping and maintaining a specific type of tourism for their island. Solely through word of mouth, they invite travelers to learn about one of the oldest communities in the world, that of Los Uros.
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