Chulumani to Písac, Peru Road Trip: Border & Stops

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Plan on about 12 h 26 min of driving for the 472-mile (760 km) trip from Chulumani to Písac, Peru, before any stops. You cross from Bolivia into Peru at about mile 140, at Desaguadero.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Bolivia — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Peru — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution

Full advisory: Bolivia, Peru. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.

On the roads, the State Department says:

  • Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
  • Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural AreaMuseo costumbrista Juan de VargasTiwanakuMollokoCathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, PunoPukara Lithic MuseumTemplo de San Francisco de AsísRaqch'iRumicolcaBolivia–Peru borderChulumaniPísac
Route from Chulumani to Písac with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate Bolivia–Peru border crossing (red square).
Distance by road472 mi (760 km)
Time at the wheel, no stops12 h 26 min
Main roads, in orderF25 → F3 → F41 → F1 → PE-3S → PE-28B
Border crossingabout mile 140, Bolivia → Peru (Desaguadero)
Regions on the routeLa Paz, Puno, Cusco
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 18.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

Crossing from Bolivia into Peru

The route crosses at about mile 140, at Desaguadero, from La Paz into Puno. 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 PeruA U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested.
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 BoliviaYou need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license.
The car, entering PeruRegister 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 carCross 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, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); Government of Peru (gob.pe). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.

On the road from Chulumani to Písac

PE-3S (313 mi) and F1 (61 mi) carry about 79% of the 472 miles. The first 140 miles are in Bolivia; the last 332 are in Peru. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Puno, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.

Chulumani to Písac: the road sequence

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miRegion
local roads0–11La Paz
F251–4544La Paz
F345–5813La Paz
F4158–7719La Paz
connecting roads77–781La Paz
F178–13961La Paz
connecting roads139–1401La Paz
PE-3S140–453313Puno, Cusco
PE-28B453–47219Cusco
  • Mile 140 of this route: La Paz → Puno (international border)
  • Mile 362 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)

Where to stop on the way to Písac

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Molloko (mile 208), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 232), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 297), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 317), Raqch'i (mile 397), Rumicolca (mile 451)
  • Nature and outdoors: Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area (mile 40)
  • Museums and history: Museo costumbrista Juan de Vargas (mile 75), Molloko (mile 208), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 232), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 297), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 317), Raqch'i (mile 397), Rumicolca (mile 451)

Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area

Mile 40 · National park · 6 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Cotapata covers the north face of the Cordillera Real in the La Paz Yungas, about 20 km north of La Paz. The pre-Hispanic Choro Trail, still stone-paved in places, descends through it from near La Cumbre pass to the village of Chairo.

Museo costumbrista Juan de Vargas

Mile 75 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Facing Plaza Riosinho on Avenida Sucre in La Paz, the Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas shows works on the history, customs and traditions of La Paz across two floors, plus temporary exhibitions.

Tiwanaku

Mile 112 · Ancient city · 1 mi from the route

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.

Molloko

Mile 208 · Archaeological site · 0.7 mi from the route

Molloko is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, about 5 kilometers south of the town of Acora, near the village of Molloco.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno

Mile 232 · Cathedral · 0.4 mi from the route

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.

Pukara Lithic Museum

Mile 297 · Museum · 0.2 mi from the route

Run by Peru's Ministry of Culture office in Puno, the Pukara Lithic Museum (Museo Lítico de Pukara) in the town of Pucará displays monoliths and stone sculptures of the ancient Pukara culture.

Templo de San Francisco de Asís

Mile 317 · Cathedral · 0.8 mi from the route

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.

Raqch'i

Mile 397 · Archaeological site · 0.5 mi from the route

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.

Rumicolca

Mile 451 · Archaeological site · 0.1 mi from the route

Rumicolca is an archaeological site in Peru's Cusco Region, found in Lucre District of Quispicanchi Province.

Arriving in Písac

Lake Challhuacocha

Lake · in Písac

Inca complex at Písac

Archaeological site · in Písac

Along a mountain ridge above the town of Pisac in the Sacred Valley, this Inca complex has agricultural terraces, residences, watchtowers and a ceremonial center, protected as a national archaeological park since 1983.

Inti Watana, Calca

Archaeological site · in Písac

Inti Watana is an archaeological site in the Pisac District of Cusco's Calca Province, located about 9 kilometers from Písac.

More drives to Písac

More drives from Chulumani

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Chulumani to Písac, Peru?

About 12 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 472 miles.

How far is Písac, Peru from Chulumani by car?

About 472 miles (760 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 Chulumani to Písac drive cross the border?

At about mile 140, from Bolivia into Peru, at Desaguadero.

What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Chulumani 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 Chulumani to Písac, Peru?

The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.

Which highways go from Chulumani to Písac?

In order: F25, F3, F41, F1, PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Chulumani and Písac?

Closest to the road: Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (cathedral, mile 232, 0.4 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 297, 0.2 mi from the route); Rumicolca (archaeological site, mile 451, 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.