Plan on about 8 h 2 min of driving for the 257-mile (414 km) trip from Arequipa to Copacabana, Bolivia, before any stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 252, at Kasani.
Full advisory: Peru, Bolivia. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Total distance | 257 mi (414 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | AR-116 → PE-34A → PU-121 → PU-1044 → PE-3S → PU-130 → F2 |
| Border crossing | about mile 252, Peru → Bolivia (Kasani) |
| Regions on the route | Arequipa, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Getting across the Peru–Bolivia border
The route crosses at about mile 252, at Kasani, from Puno into La Paz. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Bolivia (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for tourism or business if you stay less than 90 days in a year. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Bolivia | You need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license. |
| Entering Peru (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for tourist stays of 90 days or less; border officials set your length of stay. Passport: must be valid for at least 6 months after you enter; you need an entry record, such as a passport stamp, even at remote land crossings. |
| Driving in Peru | A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); U.S. State Department, Peru (updated August 20, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Arequipa to Copacabana drive plays out
PE-34A (99 mi) and PE-3S (71 mi) carry about 66% of the 257 miles. The first 252 miles are in Peru; the last 5 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Arequipa, Puno, La Paz. Of the 5 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Arequipa to Copacabana
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Arequipa |
| AR-116 | 4–37 | 33 | Arequipa |
| PE-34A | 37–136 | 99 | Arequipa, Puno |
| PU-121 | 136–147 | 11 | Puno |
| PU-1044 | 147–151 | 4 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 151–152 | 1 | Puno |
| PU-121 | 152–158 | 6 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 158–163 | 5 | Puno |
| local roads | 163–171 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 171–237 | 66 | Puno |
| PU-130 | 237–252 | 15 | Puno |
| F2 | 252–257 | 5 | La Paz |
- Mile 83 of this route: Arequipa → Puno (region line)
- Mile 252 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Arequipa and Copacabana
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 169), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 177), Inca Uyo (mile 181)
- Museums and history: Sillustani (mile 151), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 169), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 177), Inca Uyo (mile 181), Intini Uyu Pata (mile 251)
Sillustani
On the shores of Lake Umayo near Puno, Sillustani is a pre-Inca burial site with tower-like tombs called chullpas, left by the Qulla people.
Carlos Dreyer Museum
Puno's Carlos Dreyer Museum (Museo Carlos Dreyer) holds about 1,800 pieces and relics spanning the pre-Inca, Inca, colonial and republican eras, in a building declared part of Peru's national cultural heritage in 1980.
Inka Tunuwiri
Inka Tunuwiri is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, located between the Chucuito and Puno districts, southeast of the village of Ichu.
Inca Uyo
Near the Church of Santo Domingo in lakeside Chucuito, Inca Uyo is a rectangular walled enclosure of cut stone holding carved, mushroom-shaped stones. Its original purpose is still debated; Peru declared it national cultural heritage in 2001.
Intini Uyu Pata
Sitting at about 3,867 meters in Peru's Puno Region, Intini Uyu Pata (Inti Uyu) is an archaeological site between the Ollaraya and Unicachi districts of Yunguyo Province.
In Copacabana itself
Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana
In the town of Copacabana, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana is a 17th-century Catholic shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Candles of Copacabana, patroness of Bolivia.
Pachat'aqa
Close to Lake Titicaca in the municipality of Copacabana, Pachat'aqa, often called the Inca Gallows, is a pre-Inca astronomical observatory built as a lintel of two parallel stone blocks.
More drives to Copacabana
- Cusco to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Juliaca to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Puerto Maldonado to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Andahuaylas to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Abancay to Copacabana, Bolivia
- La Rinconada to Copacabana, Bolivia
More drives from Arequipa
- Arequipa to Chucuito
- Arequipa to Desaguadero
- Arequipa to Cusco
- Arequipa to Písac
- Arequipa to Chinchero
- Arequipa to Yucay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Arequipa to Copacabana, Bolivia?
About 8 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 257 miles.
What is the driving distance from Arequipa to Copacabana, Bolivia?
About 257 miles (414 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Arequipa to Copacabana drive cross the border?
At about mile 252, from Peru into Bolivia, at Kasani.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Arequipa into Bolivia?
No visa needed for tourism or business if you stay less than 90 days in a year. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated May 07, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Arequipa to Copacabana, Bolivia?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Arequipa to Copacabana use?
In order: AR-116, PE-34A, PU-121, PU-1044, PE-3S, PU-130 and F2. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Arequipa and Copacabana?
Closest to the road: Carlos Dreyer Museum (museum, mile 169, 0.4 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 177, 0.2 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 181, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.