Lake Titicaca - Peru - page 383

In Desaguadero, visit the Peruvian Dirección General de Migraciones y Naturalización to get stamped out of
Peru. Then head to the building that says 'Migraciones Desaguadero,' to the left of the bridge, to complete Bolivi-
an formalities.
Catch a triciclo to the Bolivian-side transport terminal, from where you can get to La Paz in 3½ hours either by
combi or colectivo (shared transportation; B$30).
The border is open from 8:30am to 8:30pm Bolivian time.
Note: the Peruvian police have a bad reputation here, sometimes demanding a nonexistent 'exit tax.' You are
not required to visit the Peruvian police station before leaving the country, so if anyone asks you to accompany
them there, politely but firmly refuse. There are no ATMs in Desaguadero, so bring cash from Puno if your na-
tionality requires a tourist visa.
Getting Around
A short taxi ride anywhere in town (and as far as the transport terminals) costs S4. Moto-
taxis are a bit cheaper at S2, and triciclos cheapest of all at S1.50 - but it's an uphill ride,
so you may find yourself wanting to tip the driver more than the cost of the fare!
Around Puno
SILLUSTANI
Sitting on rolling hills on the Lake Umayo peninsula, the funerary towers of Sillustani
(admission S10; 8am-5pm) stand out for miles against the desolate altiplano landscape.
The ancient Colla people who once dominated the Lake Titicaca area were a warlike,
Aymara-speaking tribe, who later became the southeastern group of the Incas. They buried
their nobility in chullpas (funerary towers), which can be seen scattered widely around the
hilltops of the region.
The most impressive of these towers are at Sillustani, where the tallest reaches a height
of 12m. The cylindrical structures housed the remains of complete family groups, along
with plenty of food and belongings for their journey into the next world. Their only open-
ing was a small hole facing east, just large enough for a person to crawl through, which
would be sealed immediately after a burial. Nowadays, nothing remains of the burials, but
the chullpas are well preserved. The afternoon light is the best for photography, though
the site can get busy at this time.