Sillustani sits on a windswept hill above Laguna Umayo, about 35 km northwest of Puno. Both Incan and pre-Incan cultures used this site to build chullpas -- cylindrical stone towers for burying their kings and nobles. The dead were interred with their families and offerings to the gods: llamas, alpacas, quinoa.
The difference between the cruder pre-Incan towers and the precisely fitted Incan stonework is easy to spot. The Incas respected the cultures they conquered and continued the burial tradition here. The Spanish, intent on stamping out old religious practices, looted and damaged many of the towers, but several still stand.
A tour from Puno typically costs around 25 soles per person (transport and entrance included) and takes about three hours. You can also visit independently by sharing a taxi (roughly 40 soles round trip) and paying the 11-sole entrance fee separately.