Perched on a peninsular bluff overlooking Laguna Umayu, a salt lake situated in the midst of the altiplano, Sillustani harbors some of the most intriguing and best preserved ruins on the Peruvian end of Lake Titicaca. The gravity-defying towers, which have an uncanny resemblance to upturned inkwells, showcase the Colla's masterful stonemasonry skills. These stone tombs, or chullpas, served as the final resting places for entire families and their riches. Whether the Collas developed this unique architecture to show off their engineering prowess or to prevent looting is not clear.

Today, this ancient burial site is still used by Sillustani's chamani, or spiritual guide, who performs an annual agricultural fertility ceremony in the temple adjacent to the tombs. Not for the feint of heart, the ceremony includes the sacrifice of a pregnant llama. The fetus is extracted and presented as a symbol of future agricultural prosperity. Be sure to check out the ingeniously constructed waru waru, an agricultural device developed during the Tiwanaku Empire to protect crops from frosts.

One of the best ways to see Sillustani is through a Puno tour agency, which will pick you up at your hotel and provide a guided tour of the ruins (in English and Spanish). Most trips also included a brief stop at a local family’s house.

6 a.m. - dark 

Cost

$3

Ruin

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