Puno full-day tour: Sillustani tombs, Lampa, Pukara Museum

Three archaeological sites in one day trace Peru's pre-Inca and Inca past around Puno.

A full-day guided tour from Puno takes you to Sillustani Tombs, Lampa and Pukara Museum, visiting a funerary complex of the Qolla and Inca cultures, a colonial-era church and a pre-Inca pyramid site. The tour includes a Spanish or English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, local lunch and entrance fees to all three sites. The itinerary spans roughly 10 hours with travel time built in between stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Sillustani, Lampa, and Pukara

• Travel 1 hour to Sillustani tombs
• Explore Sillustani funerary complex
• Travel 90 minutes to Lampa
• Visit Temple of Santiago Apóstol
• Explore Municipal Museum in Lampa
• Travel 1 hour to Pukara Museum
• Tour Pukara archaeological site
• Return 2 hours to hotels

The experience

If you have a full day in Puno and want to see the archaeology beyond the lake, this tour chains three sites that tell the story of the region's pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. You start with Sillustani, a funerary complex on the Umayo Lake peninsula where the Qolla and Inca cultures built a series of impressive stone tombs. The site sits an hour from Puno, so the drive itself gives you a sense of the landscape. From there you travel 90 minutes to Lampa, a colonial-era town where you walk through the Temple of Santiago Apóstol and visit the Municipal Museum to see works by local artist Victor Humareda Gallegos and a book collection assembled by Enrique Torres Belon, a notable figure in the city's history.

The final stop is Pukara Museum, where you encounter the pyramid-shaped terraces and monoliths of a pre-Inca settlement. The main structure, Kalasaya, reveals the hydraulic and architectural engineering of the civilization that built it: underground constructions, ceremonial centers and dwellings all visible in what survives. The museum itself organizes these finds so you can read the progression from pre-Inca to Inca culture. The return journey to Puno takes about two hours, which means you arrive back at your hotel in the late afternoon.

A guide who speaks Spanish or English walks you through each site and explains what you're seeing. Transport is by tourist vehicle, and lunch, a local meal, is included partway through the day. All entrance fees are covered, so there's no stopping to buy tickets at each gate.

What’s included

• A Spanish or English-speaking guide leads the tour.
• hotel pickup and return transport in a tourist vehicle.
• entrance to Sillustani Tombs, Lampa (Temple of Santiago Apóstol and Municipal Museum) and Pukara Museum.
• and a local lunch during the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 25

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 48 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Inca Lake

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you have a full day free in Puno and want to see the pre-Inca and Inca archaeology of the region beyond the lake. The fixed itinerary covers three sites in one loop, so you don't need to arrange separate transport or figure out which sites connect. The guide handles the route and the timing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (3 to 11 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long does the full tour take from pickup to return?

The tour runs for approximately 10 hours total, including the hour-long drive to Sillustani, 90 minutes to Lampa, an hour to Pukara, and two hours returning to your hotel in Puno.

What exactly is Sillustani and why is it worth seeing?

Sillustani is a funerary complex on the Umayo Lake peninsula where the Qolla and Inca cultures built stone tombs. The site shows how these civilizations honored their dead and reveals their architectural skill through the tombs that still stand.

Will I have time to explore each site or is it mostly driving?

Each site gets dedicated time to walk and look around: Sillustani and Pukara Museum are archaeological sites you explore on foot, and Lampa includes a visit to the colonial church and the Municipal Museum. The 90-minute and hour-long drives between stops account for the distance across the region.

What's included in the lunch, and when do we eat?

A local lunch is provided during the tour and is included in the price. The meal is served partway through the day to fuel you between the morning and afternoon sites.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the starting point?

No, hotel pickup in Puno is included, so the driver collects you from your accommodation and returns you there at the end of the day.