Sillustani is at the end of a paved road leading off of the main road that goes between Juliaca and Puno about 34 Km North of the City of Puno, on the shore of beautiful Umayo Lagoon. The junction is roughly half way between the two cities and then you drive another 15 minutes to the end of the road and the site itself. Sillustani is about 13,500 ft above sea level and is only one of many sites in the Puno area that hold mysterious burial towers, called chullpas. It is the most visited. Here we can see the enigmatic chullpas, which were built by the Collas, an Aymara speaking tribe that dominated the Titicaca region before the Incas. Here they would bury the remains of Colla nobility, accompanied by their riches.. Grave robbers have long since removed their contents, even using dynamite, although the towers are still well preserved and worth visiting. Some are over 36 feet tall. The engineering involved in their construction is far more complex than anything the Incas ever built. Two of the towers are unfinished: one with a ramp still in place to raise blocks; the other with cut stones ready to place on a very large dome. The chullpas Torre of Lagartija (of the lizard) and Serpiente (of the snake) are the most prominent. The lizard is a symbol of life since it has the power to regrow its tail! The towers were constructed in the general form of a womans uterus. The Collas believed it to be Mother Earth which created life. Therefore the dead were mummified in a fetal position and placed into the tower in the same position as when they entered the world. The doors of the tombs faced East since that is the direction from which the Sun is born. Also at this ruins we found a young man who comes to this area to play native musical instruments. He says he does it to earn a little extra money and for relaxation from his regular work. We have included an unedited video of his music. Also in the video you will hear the very high winds that appear daily in the late afternoon at Sillustani. We visited this ruins on April 21, 2006 at about 4:00 PM.

Sillustani With Strong Wind Blowing Waves Upon Lake Umayo

Sillustani With Chullpas Towers ("Torre of Lagartija", Tallest Tower Near Center)

Chullpas Torre of Lagartija (of the lizard)(Largest Sillustani Tower)

Sillustani Entrance From Parking Area	Sillustani Entrance From The Torre of Lagartija
Sillustani Terraces And Umayo Lagoon Shore	Potato Field And Harvest
Farmer Coming To Inspect His Potato Harvest	Farmer Inspecting Potato Harvest
Up The Trail To Sillustani Chullpas Towers	Further Up The Trail To Sillustani Chullpas Towers
Steps To The Top Of Sillustani	Steps To The Top Of Sillustani An Easy Hike
Ritual Area Near The Steps To The Top Of Sillustani	Ritual Area Near The Steps To The Top Of Sillustani
Up The Trail Looking Left To The Torre Of Lagartija	Close Up Of The Torre Of Lagartija From The Trail
Up The Trail Looking Left The Torre Of Lagartija	Close Up Of The Torre Of Lagartija From The Trail
Further Up The Trail The Torre Of Lagartija	Close Up We See Damage From Grave Robbers
We Finially Reach The Tower Of The Lizard	Close Up Of The Torre of Lagartija "Lizard"
East Facing Access Door	East Facing Access Door
West Side Torre Of Lagartija	Construction Stones: Note The Removal Of Stone To Lighten It's Weight
More Chullpas Towers SW Of The Torre Of Lagartija	More Chullpas Towers SW Of The Torre Of Lagartija
Other Chullpas Towers	Other Chullpas Towers
Unfinished Stones	Unfinished Stones
George And Our Guide Maria Julia Calapuga Ccari Owner Of Mundo Andino Peru Tours We Highly Recommend Her!	George And Audrey
Peruvian Musician At Sillustani	Peruvian Musician At Sillustani
Peruvian Mother And Daughter	Peruvian Mother, Daughter And Vicuna At Sillustani

Peruvian Musician At Sillustani