Pirwa Hostels is excited to announce that Pirwa Puno has recently moved to a larger, more central, building just two blocks from Puno’s main square! The five-story building boasts views of Lake Titicaca and Kuntur Wasi (House of the Condor) Lookout from its rooftop terrace, and it’s only a short walk from the hostel to Puno port.
In Andean myths, Lake Titicaca, the sun, moon and stars came out of Lake Titicaca, as did Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, the legendary founders of the Inca civilization. The lake and some of its islands are still considered sacred sites in Andean culture to this day.
Most travelers cross the Peru – Bolivia border by buying a tourist-class bus ticket from Puno to Copacabana. Almost all of these buses cross at the border town of Yunguyo and depart Puno daily, such as Panamericano and Tour Peru. Disembarking at Copacabana allows you to explore the Lake Titicaca’s famous Isla del Sol (Sun Island), although you can also opt to continue on to La Paz. The 7hr trip from Puno to La Paz boasts scenic views of the villages alongside the lake and involves a ferry ride across the the lake’s Tiquina Strait.
The direct route from Puno to La Paz crosses the border at the small and filthy town of Desaguadero rather than Yunguyo. Ormeño buses depart Puno along this route at 5:45am each day, and although you won’t have a scenic trip, the total time gets cut down to 5 hours, and you will catch a glimpse of the Tiwanaku ruins en route.
Rather than take a bus from Puno’s main terminal (the terminal terrestre), you can take a colectivo from the corner of Bolivar and 1 de Mayo two blocks away. Although these shared vans are a cheaper option, you won’t be guaranteed a seat and have to deal with overcrowding and possible pickpockets. If you have luggage with you, you will find this an uncomfortable option.
2½hr Puno – Yunguyo: US$3.00
30min Yunguyo – Copacabana: US$0.50
5hr Copacabana – La Paz: US$4.00
The cheapest way to cross the border is by colectivo vía Desaguadero. It takes about 4 hours and US$2 to get from Puno to Desaguadero, and 4 more hours and US$3 to make it to La Paz from Desaguadero (with colectivos only leaving up to 5pm).
The colectivos stop at Desaguadero’s town center, only about 600 feet from the border stations, located along the bridge over the river of the same name. On the left of the bridge is the Peruvian immigration exit station. Officials here will check and collect your TAM, and stamp your passport, at which point you can walk across the bridge into Bolivia. Once you arrive on the Bolivia side, the entry station will be on your right.
At The Border
The Peru-Bolivia border is open from 8am–midday and from 2pm–7:30pm, and crossing is relatively quick and stress-free. Although you should confirm if this applies for your own country of origin, most tourists only require a passport and an entry/exit card which is provided for them. For example, in the case of Bolivia, North & South Americans, New Zealanders, and Australians won’t need entry visas, but French nationals must arrange this ahead of time. In the case of Peru, citizens of all of the countries in North America and South America, all countries within the European Union, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are not required to obtain visas from the embassy in advance (among other exempt countries).
The card that you receive upon entering Peru or Bolivia is the TAM (Tarjeta Andina de Migración), which you will be required to produce it in order to leave the country. If you are flying into Peru, you will receive the card during the flight and must fill it in and present it upon arrival. As it is required for exit, if your card is lost during your visit, you will need to visit the local immigration office for assistance in procuring a new one. (If, on the other hand, you lose your passport, you should contact your embassy.)
The TAM will specify how many days you will be staying in the country. You will probably receive 90 days by default if you don’t ask for more, but you may request for up to 183 days in Peru. The Bolivian TAM is generally made out for 30 days, although the visa is valid for years. If you overstay the allotted days, you will be fined US$1 for every day before being permitted to exit the country.
If you are crossing the border from Peru to Bolivia, you will surrender your TAM for Peru at the Peruvian border post, and then receive a new one at the Bolivian entry post.
While most travelers will be stamped into Bolivia as quickly as they were stamped out of Peru, United States’ citizens will need to pay the US$135 entry fee- make sure you have pristine bills or they won’t be accepted. You will also need to provide a passport-sized photo for a visa which will be good for 5 years, and complete the visa application. (If you don’t have a photo they will sometimes search for a close match in the leftover pile, but you might as well come prepared if you can.) Avoid problems by ensuring that your passport still has at least six months validity remaining, and a free page to affix the Bolivian visa. If you’d like to save time, you can fill out the visa application online before heading for the border.
Technically, you can be asked to show your outbound flight or bus ticket, reservation information, or proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entering Bolivia or Peru. Most of the time these inquiries aren’t made, although you are most likely to be asked about the first.
The route from Arequipa to Colca Canyon is marked by open plains surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes. Along the way, we make several stops: at the Pampas Cañahuas Reserve to watch the grazing herds of alpacas and vicuña, at the town of Viscachani to stretch our legs and enjoy a coca tea or coffee, at the Mirador of the Andes Lookout (4850masl) to take in some dazzling expansive views of the surrounding landscape. The lookout is located at the highest point of the crossing, meaning that you will probably be feeling a little fatigued from the altitude! (Check out an earlier post if you’re looking for tips to prevent and deal with altitude sickness….you’ll probably be glad you did.)
At Chivay, we’ll enjoy a buffet lunch where you can sample alpaca and other local dishes. Chivay is considered the canyon’s principal town and entry point, so this is where visitors must purchase their entry, which is presently S/35 Peruvian nuevos soles.
Continuing on to the town 
of Coporaque, you can get settled in our inn for the night before exploring the town with our local guide. Evenings can be quite cold in the canyon, but you can warm up in the La Calera Hot Springs if you desire. The entry cost is S/10 Peruvian nuevos soles. (The inn can provide towels, so you just need to bring sandals and your swimsuit.) The pools are surrounded by beautiful mountains. Dinner will be accompanied by a folkloric show highlighting the canyon’s two pre-Columbian cultures, the Collagua and the Cabana.
After an early breakfast on the second day, we head to the viewing platform of Condor’s Cross, the most famous site in the canyon, stopping along the way to enjoy views of the canyon and its river as well as thousand year old cliff-side agricultural terraces and pre-Columbian hanging tombs. As the sun’s rays begin to warm the canyon, the endangered Andean condors rise from their nesting colony deep below Condor’s Cross, circling ever higher in search of food. The sheer size of the world’s largest birds of flight is stunning to see at close range, especially in the setting of the canyon’s natural beauty. There are some small trails in the area that we can walk as well. During the return to Chivay for lunch, we’ll visit some of the tiny towns of the canyon.
Then, it will be time to depart from the canyon and begin our journey over the altiplano, the high Andean plains. Depending on the time of year, we may see Andean flamingos feeding on the shores of Lagunillas Lake. At the end of the journey, you will be dropped off at your hotel or hostel in Puno.
Although Puno itself is not a large city, the islands of Lake Titicaca will surely be calling to you. Most visitors choose to see at least the Floating Islands of Uros, and if time allows the islands of Amantani and Taquile. For more detailed information on things to do in Puno, here’s a selection of earlier posts on the topic:
Many travelers pass through Puno to visit the islands of Lake Titicaca or to cross into Peru or Bolivia in the most economical way possible. The city, its outskirts, and the lake are worth stopping to explore, however. In honor of all that little Puno has to offer, here are our suggestions for how to spend your time in Puno, ranked in no particular order:
at Puno’s port. It’s housed in the world’s oldest single-propeller iron ship, which was carried on mule-back through the Andes in the 1800s.
to seek out, including a quinoa fish stew known as chupe de quinua, a pig’s head soup called huarjata, a humble tuber and meat soup called chairo, breaded and fried chicharron de alpaca.
festivals, the Virgen de la Candelaria Festival.If you need any assistance with guided excursions, bus transport, or any other aspect of your trip, feel free to contact the experienced specialists of Pirwa Travel, who have been providing travel services throughout Peru for ten years.
It’s no secret that when it comes to where to stay, we think that Pirwa Puno Hostel is the best choice for budget-conscious travelers! We’re located just a couple of blocks from the city’s main square, and a 15 minute walk from the port of Puno.