Once our days in Cusco are over, we set off to get to know Puno. Puno itself does not have many things to visit, but we wanted to include it in our route through Peru to visit Lake Titicaca and the Uros Islands. How to go from Cusco to Puno? (Or vice versa). We ask ourselves this same question, and we look for many alternatives. In this post I talk about the three best options you have to go from Cusco to Puno and on the Ruta del Sol.
HOW TO GO FROM CUSCO TO PUNO, PERU
From Cusco to Puno by direct bus
It is a long journey of almost 7 hours and if your intention is to go directly to Puno without stops (I will talk about this later) the best option by bus is the night bus. They leave at 10pm. And they are "bed" buses, in fact they are not beds like the sleeping buses of other countries like Vietnam, but rather comfortable reclining chairs. They are quite comfortable and you can do the journey at night. The price is 15 euros, approx.
I like a website very much, I use it on all my trips to book transport of this type. 12go.asia (although initially it only sold transports for Asia, nowadays there are many countries). From this website you can always see the transport alternatives, prices...
From Cusco to Puno by luxury train
PeruRail Titicaca, offers routes from Cusco to Puno on trains with various categories. Tickets are not cheap! But if you want to have a comfortable trip it is a good option.
The train is cool! I have only seen it through photos, because paying 260 euros for a one-way ticket per person was not within my budget.
You can see all the information and photos in case you dare. If you do, tell me about your experience! You will do the Ruta del Sol by train, enjoying the comforts they offer you, live shows, food, bathrooms, air conditioning...
From Cusco to Puno by bus with a guided tour of the Ruta del Sol
It was our choice and we couldn't get more right.
We booked a tour that includes visits along the way, so it wasn't so heavy for us. Throughout the tour we stopped to observe beautiful landscapes and some of the ruins that this route offers.
WHAT TO SEE ON THE ROUTE OF THE SUN, PERU
If you decide on this option, once you start the route you will soon reach the town of Andahuaylillas, where you will visit what is considered the Sistine Chapel of America, the church of San Pedro Apóstol. In quite a unique contrast, since the church on the outside is simple, white stucco, where the portico is the most remarkable and once you enter you find works of sack art, and with Baroque and Renaissance details throughout the church.
The next stop on the route of the sun is the archaeological site of Raqchi, where remains of the temple of the god Wiracocha are still found.
The most important structure of the Racchi archaeological site is the Temple of Wiracocha, it is a large two-story rectangular structure that measures 92m long by 25m wide. It has a side wall with windows and doors where the bases of some columns are parallel to each other.
This temple was destroyed by the Spanish when they colonized it. And before this fact, it is believed that the temple had the largest roof in the Inca empire. Near the temple, in the same site, there are 156 colcas or warehouses with a circular floor plan, 8 m in diameter and 4 m high, located in parallel lines. It is believed that they were places to store their crops; corn, potatoes, quinoa…
The entire tour of the site is very interesting.
After following the route, from a stop to eat and another stop at a small craft market in the middle of the road (where all the bus buses stop us) so that you can buy something (if you want) you arrive at the most beautiful landscape in the tour, the pass of Abra La Raya, a mountain pass where the valley, the plains and the mountains make this place a very beautiful place.
And the last stop will be at the Lithic Museum of Pukara.
You will arrive in Puno at night, you will have time to check into the hotel, take a shower and have something to eat. Salchipapa and artisan pizzas with llama meat are very popular in this area.
You can do this same tour vice versa, from Puno to Cusco.
WHERE TO STAY IN PUNO, PERU
I recommend that you stay in the center of Puno. There is atmosphere at night, a variety of restaurants and things to do. In recent years it has become very fashionable to stay in small Lodges on Lake Titicaca in the Uros Islands. I did not try this experience, but I leave you a couple of links.
Hotels in the center of Puno
Hotels in some Lodge of the Uros Islands
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Peru a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!