Sillustani tour from Puno: Incan funeral towers and Umayo Lagoon

The chullpas stand over 12 meters tall, built in stone by cultures centuries before the Spanish arrived.

A half-day tour from Puno to the archaeological complex of Sillustani, where Pre-Incan and Incan cultures built massive stone funerary towers called chullpas on a high plateau overlooking Umayo Lagoon. The tour includes hotel pickup, a bilingual guide, entrance to the site, and transport back to Puno, departing at 2:00pm and returning around 5:30pm. You'll walk among the tombs, see the tallest chullpa reaching over 12 meters, and visit the lagoon. With luck, spot wild Andean animals like flamingos and wild pigs of the Indies.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Sillustani archaeological site

• Pick up from hotel at 2:00pm
• Travel 45 minutes to Sillustani site
• Explore Incan and Pre-Incan tombs
• Visit Umayo Lagoon
• Return to Puno by 5:30pm

The experience

Sillustani sits on a high plateau ringed by Umayo Lagoon, one of the most important necropolis sites in the Andean world. The chullpas (stone towers built by the Collas and later the Incas) are what draw visitors here. The tallest, known as the Chullpa of the Lizard, rises more than 12 meters and dominates the site. Walking among these structures, you're moving through a landscape shaped by cultures that engineered solutions to survive at altitude: nearby you can see waru waru, artificial earth mounds designed to protect crops against frosts and floods.

The tour runs four hours total. A private bus picks you up from your hotel at 2:00pm and takes about 45 minutes to reach the site. Once there, a bilingual guide leads you through the tombs and explains the construction and purpose of the chullpas. You'll also visit Umayo Lagoon before heading back to Puno, arriving around 5:30pm. The high altitude and open plateau mean weather can shift, and if conditions align, you may see flamingos, wild pigs of the Indies, and other Andean wildlife moving across the landscape.

What’s included

• Sillustani entrance fee.
• bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• private transport from your hotel in Puno to the archaeological site and back.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years)

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.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Planet Odysseys

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup at 2:00pm from your Puno accommodation means you don't need to arrange your own transport or navigate to the site. If your hotel sits outside central Puno, confirm the pickup location when booking, as some outlying areas carry an additional charge.

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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); Infant (1 to 2 years).

What exactly are the chullpas at Sillustani?

The chullpas are funerary towers built in stone by Pre-Incan and Incan cultures to hold their dead. The most famous, the Chullpa of the Lizard, reaches more than 12 meters in height and stands as the tallest structure at the site.

How long is the drive from Puno to Sillustani?

The private bus takes approximately 45 minutes to reach the archaeological site from your hotel in Puno.

Can I see wildlife at Sillustani?

With luck, yes. The high plateau and lagoon support flamingos, wild pigs of the Indies, and other wild animals of the Andes, though sightings depend on the time of day and season.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup begins at 2:00pm, and you return to Puno at approximately 5:30pm, making it a four-hour tour.

What are waru waru, and will I see them?

Waru waru are artificial earth mounds built in the vicinity of Sillustani to protect crops against frosts and floods. You'll see examples of these Pre-Incan agricultural structures during the tour.