The Wayro route from Chinchero to Desaguadero is 354 miles (570 km), about 10 h 44 min of driving without stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 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.”
| Total distance | 354 mi (570 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28F → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Chinchero to Desaguadero is like
PE-3S (297 mi) and PE-34B (13 mi) carry about 88% of the 354 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Chinchero to Desaguadero, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Cusco |
| PE-28F | 1–12 | 11 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 12–19 | 7 | Cusco |
| local roads | 19–29 | 10 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 29–194 | 165 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 194–197 | 3 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 197–201 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 201–208 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 208–221 | 13 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 221–257 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 257–265 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 265–354 | 89 | Puno |
- Mile 131 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Desaguadero
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte (mile 20), Ayamachay (mile 87), Raqch'i (mile 94), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 174), Pucará (mile 194), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 263), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 263), Molloko (mile 286)
- Museums and history: Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte (mile 20), Templo de la Luna (mile 21), Ayamachay (mile 87), Raqch'i (mile 94), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 174), Pucará (mile 194), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 263), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 263), Molloko (mile 286)
Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte
On Avenida Sol in Cusco, at Galerías Turísticas 103, you'll find the Museo de Arte Popular of the American Institute of Art.
Templo de la Luna
About an hour from the city of Cusco and 1 kilometer from the Kenko site, the Temple of the Moon is a rock formation rising 80 meters where the Incas carved buildings and ornaments.
Ayamachay
Ayamachay is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Combapata District of Cusco's Canchis Province, above the left bank of the Salcca River near the village of Oroscocha.
Raqch'i
Raqch'i, in the Vilcanota valley of Cusco's Canchis province, preserves the Inca temple of Wiracocha, about 92 meters long, along with ceremonial spaces and 156 qolqas, or storehouses, built partly of volcanic stone.
Templo de San Francisco de Asís
Facing Ayaviri's main square, the Templo de San Francisco de Asís is an Andean Baroque church more than three centuries old. Look for its columned facade and 18th-century religious paintings by Isidoro Francisco de Moncada.
Pucará
Above the highland town of Pucará, this pre-Inca complex of the Pucará culture centers on Kalasaya, a pyramid of stone monoliths with carved human heads jutting from its walls. The Museo Lítico Pucará stands on the main plaza.
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.
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.
More drives to Desaguadero
- Puno to Desaguadero
- Juliaca to Desaguadero
- Yucay to Desaguadero
- Maras to Desaguadero
- Paucartambo to Desaguadero
- Ollantaytambo to Desaguadero
From Chinchero to other places in Peru
- Chinchero to Mollepata
- Chinchero to Cachora
- Chinchero to Huacachina
- Chinchero to Paracas
- Chinchero to Andahuaylillas
- Chinchero to Lampa
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Chinchero to Desaguadero?
About 10 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 354 miles.
What is the driving distance from Chinchero to Desaguadero?
About 354 miles (570 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.
Is it safe to drive from Chinchero to Desaguadero?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Chinchero to Desaguadero use?
In order: PE-28F, PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Chinchero and Desaguadero?
Closest to the road: Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte (folk art museum, mile 20, 0.4 mi from the route); Raqch'i (archaeological site, mile 94, 0.4 mi from the route); Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 174, 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.