Which lake in the Andes is often called the highest navigable lake in the world?

Lake Titicaca is often called the highest navigable lake in the world.

The lake sits about 3,812 metres (12,507 feet) above sea level in the Andes, on the border between Peru and Bolivia. Its great elevation, broad open waters and long history of commercial navigation make the description widely accepted when “navigable” refers to substantial vessels rather than tiny mountain lakes.

Titicaca is also South America’s largest lake by surface area and water volume. It has two main basins, linked by the narrow Strait of Tiquina, and receives water from numerous rivers. Most of its water is lost through evaporation; a smaller amount leaves through the Desaguadero River toward Lake Poopó.

A common mix-up is treating the phrase as meaning the world’s highest lake of any kind. Small crater and alpine lakes occur at much higher elevations, including lakes on high volcanoes. The distinctive claim about Titicaca concerns navigable waters and sizable craft, not the absolute altitude record.