By road, Arica and Chucuito, Peru are about 295 miles (474 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 8 min of driving. You cross from Chile into Peru at about mile 11.
Full advisory: Chile, Peru. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Distance | 295 mi (474 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | TA-645 → TA-643 → PE-1SD → TA-101 → TA-515 → TA-517 → TA-524 → TA-103 → PE-36A → PE-38A → PE-3S |
| Border crossing | about mile 11, Chile → Peru |
| Regions on the route | Arica y Parinacota, Tacna, Moquegua, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
Crossing from Chile into Peru
The route crosses at about mile 11, from Arica y Parinacota into Tacna. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| The car, entering Peru | Register the car online first (SUNAT's advance registration for tourist vehicles, valid 10 days), then get the Temporary Entry Certificate (CIT) from customs at the border. |
| 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, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); Government of Peru (gob.pe). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Arica to Chucuito drive plays out
PE-38A (51 mi) and TA-515 (44 mi) carry about 32% of the 295 miles. The first 11 miles are in Chile; the last 284 are in Peru. It runs through 4 regions: Arica y Parinacota, Tacna, Moquegua, Puno. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Arica to Chucuito
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–12 | 12 | Arica y Parinacota, Tacna |
| TA-645 | 12–17 | 5 | Tacna |
| local roads | 17–22 | 5 | Tacna |
| TA-643 | 22–33 | 11 | Tacna |
| PE-1SD | 33–68 | 35 | Tacna |
| connecting roads | 68–71 | 3 | Tacna |
| TA-101 | 71–86 | 15 | Tacna |
| connecting roads | 86–88 | 2 | Tacna |
| TA-515 | 88–132 | 44 | Tacna |
| local roads | 132–137 | 5 | Tacna |
| TA-517 | 137–140 | 3 | Tacna |
| connecting roads | 140–143 | 3 | Tacna |
| TA-524 | 143–149 | 6 | Tacna |
| TA-103 | 149–176 | 27 | Tacna, Moquegua |
| PE-36A | 176–220 | 44 | Moquegua, Puno |
| PE-38A | 220–271 | 51 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 271–272 | 1 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 272–294 | 22 | Puno |
| local roads | 294–295 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 11 of this route: Arica y Parinacota → Tacna (international border)
- Mile 174 of this route: Tacna → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 184 of this route: Moquegua → Puno (region line)
Stops between Arica and Chucuito
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario del Señor de Locumba (mile 96), Molloko (mile 283)
- Museums and history: Faro Concordia (mile 16), Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (mile 260), Molloko (mile 283)
Faro Concordia
In Chile's far north in the Arica y Parinacota Region, Faro Concordia is a border lighthouse with a pyramid-shaped metal tower painted in red and white bands.
Santuario del Señor de Locumba
Also known as the minor basilica of the Señor de los Pies Quemados, this church in Locumba venerates the Señor de Locumba, an effigy of the crucified Jesus of Nazareth.
Soro Mik'aya Patjxa
Soro Mik'aya Patjxa is a high-altitude archaeological site in the Ilave Basin, about 30 km west of Lake Titicaca's shore, used seasonally by hunter-gatherers for more than a thousand years.
Molloko
Molloko is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, about 5 kilometers south of the town of Acora, near the village of Molloco.
Once you reach Chucuito
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.
Monasterio Benedictino de la Resurrección de Chucuito
On the shore of Lake Titicaca in Chucuito, Puno, the Benedictine Monastery of the Resurrection belongs to the Order of Saint Benedict and is described as the highest Catholic monastery in the world, at 3,870 meters.
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.
More drives to Chucuito
- Cusco to Chucuito
- Písac to Chucuito
- Chinchero to Chucuito
- Maras to Chucuito
- Paucartambo to Chucuito
- Ollantaytambo to Chucuito
More drives from Arica
- Arica to Iquique
- Arica to Calama
- Arica to Puno, Peru
- Arica to Nazca, Peru
- Arica to Andahuaylillas, Peru
- Arica to Lampa, Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Arica to Chucuito, Peru?
About 8 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 295 miles.
What is the driving distance from Arica to Chucuito, Peru?
About 295 miles (474 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 Arica to Chucuito drive cross the border?
At about mile 11, from Chile into Peru.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Arica into Peru?
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. A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. (U.S. State Department, updated August 20, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Arica to Chucuito, Peru?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Arica to Chucuito?
In order: TA-645, TA-643, PE-1SD, TA-101, TA-515, TA-517, TA-524, TA-103, PE-36A, PE-38A and PE-3S. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Arica and Chucuito?
Closest to the road: Faro Concordia (lighthouse, mile 16, 2 mi from the route); Santuario del Señor de Locumba (sanctuary, mile 96, 0.1 mi from the route); Molloko (archaeological site, mile 283, 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.