Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AROUND PUNO
Sillustani
Standing on rolling hills on the Lago Umayo peninsula, the
chullpas
of
Sillustani
(admission
S10; 8am-5pm)
can be seen for kilometers against the desolate altiplano landscape.
The ancient Colla people who once dominated the area were a fearsome, Aymara-speak-
ing ethnicity, later integrated into the southeastern part of the Inca empire. They buried
their nobility in
chullpas,
which can be seen scattered widely around the region. The most
impressive of these are at Sillustani, where the tallest reach a height of 12m. The cylindric-
al structures housed the remains of complete family groups, along with plenty of food and
belongings for the journey into the next world.
Nowadays, nothing remains of the burials, but the
chullpas
are well preserved. The area
is partially encircled by the sparkling
Lago Umayo
(3890m), which is home to a wide vari-
ety of plants and Andean waterbirds, plus a small island with vicuñas (threatened, wild rel-
atives of llamas).
Tours to Sillustani leave Puno at around 2:30pm daily and cost from S35. The round-trip
takes about 3½ hours and allows you about 1½ hours at the ruins. If you'd prefer more time
at the site, hire a private taxi for S70 with one hour waiting time. Take sunscreen and a hat.
There is no shade to speak of.
For overnight stays in the area,
Atun Colla
( 951-90-5006, 951-50-2390;
www.turismovivencialatuncolla.com
)
offers
turismo vivencial
(homestays). You can help your
host family with farming, hike to lookouts and lesser-known archaeological sites, visit the
tiny museum and eat dirt - this area is known for its edible
arcilla
(clay). Served up as a
sauce on boiled potato, it goes down surprisingly well.
