Just over 20km from Puno, this dramatic site has an extraordinary position atop a table-topped volcanic hill surrounded by a fertile plain. Its modest number of well-preserved chullpas, built by the Colla, Lupaca and Inca cultures, come in both square and cylindrical shapes. You can still see the ramps used to build them. Look closely and you’ll find several monkeys, pumas and snakes carved into the structures.
This remote place receives few visitors, which makes it both enticing and potentially dangerous for independent travelers, especially women. Go in a group and keep an eye out for muggers. People are known to hide behind rocks at the top of the 2km trail that leads steeply uphill from the road.
Combis en route to Laraqueri leave the cemetery by Parque Amista, 1km from the center of Puno (S3, one hour). You can’t miss the signposted site, which is on the left-hand side of the road – just ask the driver where to get off. Otherwise, the pricier options from Puno are taking a taxi (about S30 return with a 30-minute wait) or a package tour (US$59).
