Lake Titicaca is one of the top attractions of Peru. But about an hour away, there’s a little-known place called Sillustani. While it’s not a top attraction (by that, I mean you wouldn’t plan a trip to visit this place), it’s still worth spending an hour or so here.
So what is Sillustani?
During the pre-Inca civilization, the ancient Aymara people, who are the original locals in this region – built mysterious, perfectly cylindrical towers, Chullpas, to bury the elite, such as kings, high priests, noblemen, and their extended families.
These tombs are found in many places in South America, but the ones in Sillustani are the most well-preserved.
These tombs are also very scenic – located in a small hillock that oversees Lake Umayo.
How to get there?
If you visit the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca (which is on the banks of Puno), the closest airport is Juliaca. Sillustani is midway between Juliaca and Puno. So, one way to visit this place is to halt briefly while going to or from Puno.
Why visit Sillustani?
For one, it’s incredibly scenic. I landed there one cold, rainy afternoon. When the guide proposed that I hike up a wet, slippery hill to see the ruins, I really had some reservations. Did I really want to risk a sprained ankle for some broken-down-looking tombs? From the bottom of the hill, they didn’t look at all impressive.
But she convinced me to give it a shot. So, after a brief (40 min climb), I saw myself ooh-ing and aah-ing at all that I saw.
The tombs are tall and cylindrical, made of thick, heavy bricks, and look incredibly rugged – as if they could easily survive another couple of hundred years.
On the right, I am standing against one of the larger tombs. It had a small hole in the middle where you could let yourself through (not sure if that is allowed, but everyone was doing it, so 😜). But no mummies are inside, so it’s not worth the hassle.
Amazingly, visitors to these significant sites can walk anywhere, over, or touch almost any artifact. Apart from a little string of yellow tape for safety around some of the more crumbling tombs, no other barriers exist to protect these ancient treasures.
Around the hillock is the beautiful Lake Umayo. It’s pretty huge but doesn’t seem deep – more of a lagoon than a lake. It was once supposed to be a part of Lake Titicaca. It’s stunning, and even though the weather was a bit of a dampener, I loved walking around and clicking photos.
There are a couple of villages around this place that are pretty interesting to visit. We stopped at one of them for a toilet and tea break. It felt a lot like going back in time. The people there are tribal, rely on shamans and witch doctors and live an elementary life relying on local resources. They don’t even visit the nearby towns much!
Overall, what looked like it would be a dull, touristy thing turned out to be quite a nice experience. I am always up for a bit of a hike, and I am so glad that I pushed myself to do this in the rain. I really loved visiting the tombs and seeing how the locals live.
Ending this post with two last photos of this place.
Overall, this was a delightful couple of hours spent here. It’s not one of the famous attractions of Peru, but it makes sense to visit if you’re in the area.
I love to visit places like Sillustani which are not too frequented but have their own charm.Peru is so beautiful and Lake Umayo here looks so serene. Love the looks of the cylindrical towers.
Its a shame that I was not aware of Sillustani when I visited Peru. My main intention of Peru was to do the Inca Trail. I wish I had known about these places, I could have extended my trip a little longer and visited these. I know Peru is so beautiful and every city or town has its own character.
Peru is a lot more than just Machu Picchu. I wish I could have been there longer. Ten days just wasn’t enough!
I would have never guesses that these structures mean that I’m standing on a graveyard with a stunning view. I’m wondering if this is a popular thing for travelers? Or one of those thing you only hear from once you are there.
It’s not a huge attraction. I think most people who visit Lake Titicaca would also visit this place. It’s very remote though.
I love less popular places. Hidden gems. I haven’t heard of Sillustani, and it looks fascinating and has an exciting history of Chullpas. I dream of visiting Peru, so add Sillustani to my list.
I’d love to go to South America just to immerse myself in more of the ancient civilizations and the communities they built. I love visiting these off the beaten path destinations but I’m not the first choice for visitors but can still offer a memorable travel experience, with less crowds
I am still building my list of places to visit when I can re-schedule Peru for a return visit. We are always glad that we still head out to explore when the weather is not perfect. You may not get the blue sky pictures. But you often get a great experience like you did in Sillustani. I know what you mean about being amazed that tourists can walk all over the site. I felt that way when we visited ancient ruins in Turkey. But you sure did get a great view of Lake Umayo from the top.
Sillustani must have been a beautiful experience for you with your description of the place and the people. Lake Umayo looks so peaceful too and I can imagine myself spending hours here. I wonder why the tombs were built so majestically.
It’s so great to read about these lesser known places. I’d never have guessed where Sillustani was, but it is very scenic like you say. Those cylinder statues are incredible, I can’t believe they’re tombs!