Plan on about 15 h 52 min of driving for the 551-mile (886 km) trip from Arequipa to Quillacollo, Bolivia, before any stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 271, at Desaguadero.
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 road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Distance | 551 mi (886 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 15 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-34C → AR-119 → MO-101 → MO-100 → MO-528 → MO-556 → MO-102 → MO-103 → PE-36A → F1 → F4 |
| Border crossing | about mile 271, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Puno, La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Quillacollo
The route crosses at about mile 271, at Desaguadero, 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.
On the road from Arequipa to Quillacollo
F1 (163 mi) and PE-36A (118 mi) carry about 51% of the 551 miles. The first 271 miles are in Peru; the last 280 are in Bolivia. It runs through 7 regions: Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Puno, La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Arequipa and Quillacollo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Arequipa |
| connecting roads | 6–13 | 7 | Arequipa |
| PE-34C | 13–37 | 24 | Arequipa |
| AR-119 | 37–55 | 18 | Arequipa |
| MO-101 | 55–86 | 31 | Arequipa, Moquegua |
| MO-100 | 86–111 | 25 | Moquegua |
| MO-528 | 111–129 | 18 | Moquegua |
| MO-556 | 129–137 | 8 | Moquegua |
| MO-102 | 137–141 | 4 | Moquegua |
| MO-103 | 141–147 | 6 | Moquegua |
| local roads | 147–152 | 5 | Moquegua |
| PE-36A | 152–270 | 118 | Moquegua, Tacna, Puno |
| connecting roads | 270–271 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 271–329 | 58 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 329–330 | 1 | La Paz |
| local roads | 330–335 | 5 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 335–337 | 2 | La Paz |
| F1 | 337–442 | 105 | La Paz, Oruro |
| connecting roads | 442–443 | 1 | Oruro |
| F4 | 443–462 | 19 | Oruro |
| local roads | 462–472 | 10 | Oruro, Cochabamba |
| F4 | 472–550 | 78 | Cochabamba |
| local roads | 550–551 | 1 | Cochabamba |
- Mile 60 of this route: Arequipa → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 156 of this route: Moquegua → Tacna (region line)
- Mile 168 of this route: Tacna → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 178 of this route: Moquegua → Puno (region line)
- Mile 271 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
- Mile 426 of this route: La Paz → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 471 of this route: Oruro → Cochabamba (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Quillacollo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tanqa Tanqa (mile 254), Tiwanaku Site Museum (mile 298), Chacoma Tombs (mile 343)
- Nature and outdoors: Mallasa national Park (mile 334)
- Museums and history: Tanqa Tanqa (mile 254), Tiwanaku Site Museum (mile 298), Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia (mile 334), Tama Chullpa (mile 406), Inka Raqay (mile 541)
Tanqa Tanqa
Tanqa Tanqa, an Aymara name meaning "many hats," is an archaeological site in Zepita District, Chucuito Province, in Peru's Puno Region.
Tiwanaku
Near Lake Titicaca, about 70 km from La Paz, Tiwanaku is a pre-Columbian archaeological site whose surface remains cover around 4 square kilometers, with monumental structures, megalithic blocks and decorated ceramics.
Tiwanaku Site Museum
Next to the Tiwanaku pre-Columbian archaeological site in Tiwanaku, Bolivia, the Tiwanaku Site Museum holds funerary artifacts, ceramic pieces and stone sculptures.
Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia
Opened in 2002 in El Alto, Bolivia, the Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia holds works of art along with a library of thousands of books.
Mallasa national Park
South of La Paz's urban center, Mallasa (now a municipal protected area) is a gently sloping plateau full of eucalyptus trees, with green spaces for sports and outdoor recreation.
Chacoma Tombs
Found in 2017 on the Altiplano near Chacoma and Mazo Cruz in Viacha municipality, the Chacoma Tombs (Tumbas de Chacoma) are a necropolis of underground, cave-like burial chambers, unlike the region's chullpa burial towers.
Tama Chullpa
On the Bolivian Altiplano near the community of Culli Culli Alto, Tama Chullpa is a necropolis of funerary towers, or chullpas, attributed to the pre-Inca Pacajes culture of the Late Intermediate period.
Inka Raqay
Inka Raqay is an archaeological site near the community of Linku in Sipe Sipe municipality, Quillacollo Province, Cochabamba Department.
Arriving in Quillacollo
Laguna de Sumumpaya
Also called Laguna Ceramil or Laguna de Patos, Laguna de Sumumpaya is a freshwater lagoon in the western part of Colcapirhua municipality, Cochabamba department.
More drives to Quillacollo
- La Paz, Bolivia to Quillacollo
- Potosí to Quillacollo
- Sucre to Quillacollo
- Tarija to Quillacollo
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Quillacollo
- Juliaca to Quillacollo, Bolivia
More drives from Arequipa
- Arequipa to Chucuito
- Arequipa to Desaguadero
- Arequipa to Cusco
- Arequipa to Písac
- Arequipa to Chinchero
- Arequipa to Yucay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Arequipa to Quillacollo, Bolivia?
About 15 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 551 miles.
How far is Quillacollo, Bolivia from Arequipa by car?
About 551 miles (886 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 Quillacollo drive cross the border?
At about mile 271, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Arequipa to Quillacollo drive?
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.
Which highways go from Arequipa to Quillacollo?
In order: PE-34C, AR-119, MO-101, MO-100, MO-528, MO-556, MO-102, MO-103, PE-36A, F1 and F4. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Arequipa and Quillacollo?
Closest to the road: Tanqa Tanqa (archaeological site, mile 254, 0.9 mi from the route); Tiwanaku Site Museum (archaeological museum, mile 298, 0.9 mi from the route); Chacoma Tombs (necropolis, mile 343, 0.7 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.