Puno - Sillustani

Sillustani, just outside of Puno, is the site of some of the areas most impressive funerary towers (chullpas). They were built by the Colla people around 600AD to bury their nobility. Entire families, along with food and personal possessions were buried in these cylinders.

The tallest of the several towers at Sillustani is 12 m / 38 ft. Most of these are set along the bank of Lake Umayo.

The scenery here is beautiful. Visitors walk up a hill from the parking lot to the plateau above. The towers stand at the far end of the field with the lake in behind. Below the parking lot is a small marshy lake where locals can be seen poling along in their boats, harvesting reeds.