Puno, capital of the department of the same name, is located in south-eastern Peru, in an enclave on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world and source of life for the towns existing in the area. Located on the Plateau of Collao, Puno offers visitors magnificent pre-Hispanic funerary monuments made of stone un the shape of circular towers, chullpas (tombs), Colonial churches and rusty ichu-covered natural landscape projecting a spectacular view of the way of life in the high Andean tableland or Peruvian altiplano. These areas are home to different cultures, such as the Aymara, Qechua, uro, Pacaje and Puquina peoples who, following the Spanish conquest merged with the elements of the Western Culture, producing a rich blend which is currently stated in the cultural, artistic and folkloric expressions.
Being the birthplace of the Tiahuanaco Culture, one of the most important pre-Hispanic cultures and the utmost expression of the Aymara people, Puno is considered to be town of legends.
According to one of them, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, who received instructions from their father, the Sun God, to found the Tahuantinsuyo Empire, emerged from Lake Titicaca. The Inca Empire was divided into four regions -or suyos- one them being Collasuyo, which spread over the entire Plateau of Collao, including Puno.
LAKE TITICACA
The highest navigable lake in the world, it is situated east of Puno, at 3,810 a.s.l.
It is 194 km long at its longest section and 65 km wide, on average. It is the habitat of birds, such as the parihuanas (Phoenicopterus chilensis); of fish, like the carachi (of the orestias spp species), suche (trichomycterus punctukatus or trichomycterus rivulatus) trout and Peruvian silverside; and of totora (cattail or reed) a water weed which can be as high 3 m. tall. Totora is used by the Uros as material in the construction of houses and rafts, and as baby food – the lower portion of the stem is called ch’ullu – as it is very good source of lodine.  It must be mentioned that a section of the lake(36,108 ha) was declared the Titicaca National Reserve in October 1978, in order to preserve its natural species and its scenic beauty. From the lake port of the City of Puno, there are excursions trips to the islands of the Uros, Taquile and Amantani.
THE ISLANDS OF THE UROS
The Uros are a people who live on approximately 40 floating islands, made mainly of totora (cattail or reed). These islands occupy a large part of the Titicaca National Reserve, from the Bay of Puno to the Peninsula of Capachica. The Uros group themselves under the highest moral and religious authority; the grandfather. They mainly live off hunting and fishing, but they are also know for their high skills knit totora, which they use in making their rafts and their, as well as handcrafts.
SILLUSTANI In the archaeological site of Sillustani, 34 km (approximately 30 min) north of the City of Puno, on the store of beautiful Umayo Lake, one ruins into enigmatic chullpas, which were built bye the Collas, some of which are more than 12 m high. Used to bury the most important personalities of this nation the chullpas know as Lagarto and Intiwatana are the most prominent.