The Wayro route from Arica to Puno, Peru is 306 miles (492 km), about 8 h 25 min of driving without stops. 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: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Total distance | 306 mi (492 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 25 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 12.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Border crossing: what to bring for 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 Puno drive plays out
PE-38A (51 mi) and TA-515 (44 mi) carry about 31% of the 306 miles. The first 11 miles are in Chile; the last 295 are in Peru. It runs through 4 regions: Arica y Parinacota, Tacna, Moquegua, Puno. Of the 5 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Arica to Puno, road by road
| 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 | 272–305 | 33 | Puno |
| local roads | 305–306 | 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 Puno
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario del Señor de Locumba (mile 96), Monasterio Benedictino de la Resurrección de Chucuito (mile 295), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 298)
- Museums and history: Faro Concordia (mile 16), Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (mile 260), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 298)
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.
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.
When you get to Puno
Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno
On Puno's Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo was built between 1669 and 1757, with a mestizo Baroque stone facade blending Andean and European art.
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.
More drives to Puno
- Cusco to Puno
- Tacna to Puno
- La Paz, Bolivia to Puno, Peru
- Cochabamba to Puno, Peru
- Sucre to Puno, Peru
- Oruro to Puno, Peru
More drives from Arica
- Arica to Iquique
- Arica to Calama
- Arica to Nazca, Peru
- Arica to Chucuito, Peru
- Arica to Andahuaylillas, Peru
- Arica to Lampa, Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Arica to Puno, Peru?
About 8 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 306 miles.
How far is Puno, Peru from Arica by car?
About 306 miles (492 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 Puno 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Arica to Puno drive?
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.
What roads does the drive from Arica to Puno use?
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 Puno?
Closest to the road: Santuario del Señor de Locumba (sanctuary, mile 96, 0.1 mi from the route); Monasterio Benedictino de la Resurrección de Chucuito (monastery, mile 295, 0.1 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 298, 0.2 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.