At around 08:00 hours, we’ll pick you up from your hotel in Puno to start the Aymara Route. Afterwards, we’ll take you by tourist transport to the district of Chucuito (3,870 m a.s.l.). The distance from the “High Plateau City” is just 18 km.

Hotel pick-up depends on the type of service you’ve booked and the accessibility of your accommodation. If this is not possible, we’ll arrange a nearby and safe meeting point for you.

For more details, please check the Details and Notes tab.

In pre-Hispanic times, Chucuito was the capital of the Lupacas, one of the Aymara kingdoms that flourished on the Altiplano. During the colonial period, it became known as the “City of the Royal Treasuries”, a name still used today.

In Chucuito, you’ll be captivated by the scenic beauty of Lake Titicaca — have your camera ready for selfies — and by the impressive architecture of its colonial temples, built to catechise the Indigenous population.

The temples of Santo Domingo — next to the archaeological site of Inca Uyo — and Our Lady of the Assumption — known as the “Cathedral of Chucuito” — are outstanding artistic and religious legacies that reflect the blend of Andean and Iberian traditions.

This is one of Peru’s most surprising archaeological sites. Why? Because of the 80 stone sculptures in the shape of phalluses, standing out in this temple where, according to researchers, ceremonies and fertility rituals were once performed.

In pre-Hispanic times, Inca Uyo was an ushno (ceremonial altar) where offerings were made to Pachamama (Mother Earth) during the equinoxes and solstices. The purpose was to identify the best times for sowing crops.

But one mystery remains: what does the Aymara word uyo actually mean? What do you think?… Wrong! It has nothing to do with the phallic sculptures. Its translation into Spanish is canchón or courtyard; in other words, the Inca’s courtyard.

Creativity and ingenuity — that’s the essence of the waru waru, an ancestral farming technique that involves building raised platforms of earth in flooded or flood-prone areas, with the aim of growing a variety of crops.

As explained in the blog Hidráulica Inca, in this remarkable highland technique “the water surrounding the waru waru creates a microclimate that softens the impact of frosts, allowing crops to thrive.”

This ancient system is still in use today for several reasons: it is highly effective against frosts, ensures better irrigation for crops, and enables a natural and sustainable style of agriculture.

Rituals surrounding death varied according to each people’s worldview. Among the Aymara kingdoms, it was customary to build stone funerary monuments to house the remains of their ruling elites. These so-called chullpas were far more than simple stone mausoleums. Square-shaped or resembling a chess tower, their role went beyond the earthly and the everyday: their purpose was to link the deceased with the Sun God.

On the slopes of Mount Molloco (Acora district, Puno province), nine impressive chullpas of Lupaca and Inca origin still stand. You can also see twenty cists — underground tombs carved into the rock.

Before carrying on with the tour, pause for a moment to feel the spirit of these ancestral civilisations. Peoples who, despite the twists of history, remain alive in memory and presence. After all, the chullpas defeated both death and oblivion.

Legend has it that a priest fled from Cusco when the Spanish invaders brought chaos and fear to the capital of the Tawantinsuyo. His name was Aramu Muru, and his mission was to save the legendary Sun Disc, a sacred object of the Incas.

The priest made his way to the “Gate of Hayu Marca” or “Gate of the Gods”, a colossal and mysterious stone structure measuring 1.98 metres high, located in the district of Ilave (El Collao province).

When he reached his destination — believed to be an unfinished Inca construction — the Sun Disc acted as an interdimensional key, allowing Aramu Muru to pass through the portal. He was never seen again. That is the enduring mystery of the final stop on the Aymara Route.

At the “Gate of the Gods”, rituals are still performed and visitors often leave offerings as a sign of respect. If you take part in these simple ceremonies, you may feel the unique energy that radiates from this mystical portal.

The Aymara Route ends at 17:00 hours in a central and safe area, close to Puno’s main square.

If you booked the private tour, we’ll drop you off at your hotel so you can rest and recharge after an unforgettable day.