Plan on about 13 h 14 min of driving for the 496-mile (798 km) trip from Chulumani to Urubamba, Peru, before any stops. You cross from Bolivia into Peru at about mile 140, at Desaguadero.
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: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
- Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Total distance | 496 mi (798 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | F25 → F3 → F41 → F1 → PE-3S → PE-28B |
| Border crossing | about mile 140, Bolivia → Peru (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | La Paz, Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Bolivia–Peru border
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 Peru | A 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 Bolivia | You need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license. |
| 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, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); Government of Peru (gob.pe). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Chulumani to Urubamba: the shape of the trip
PE-3S (313 mi) and F1 (61 mi) carry about 75% of the 496 miles. The first 140 miles are in Bolivia; the last 356 are in Peru. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Puno, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Chulumani to Urubamba: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | La Paz |
| F25 | 1–45 | 44 | La Paz |
| F3 | 45–58 | 13 | La Paz |
| F41 | 58–77 | 19 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 77–78 | 1 | La Paz |
| F1 | 78–139 | 61 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 139–140 | 1 | La Paz |
| PE-3S | 140–453 | 313 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-28B | 453–496 | 43 | Cusco |
- Mile 140 of this route: La Paz → Puno (international border)
- Mile 362 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Places worth a stop between Chulumani and Urubamba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inca Uyo (mile 220), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 224), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 297), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 378), Ayamachay (mile 405)
- Nature and outdoors: Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area (mile 40)
- Museums and history: Museo Litoral Boliviano (mile 75), Kalasasaya (mile 112), Inca Uyo (mile 220), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 224), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 297), Ayamachay (mile 405), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 480)
Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area
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 Litoral Boliviano
Museo Litoral Boliviano in La Paz is dedicated to the War of the Pacific, in which Bolivia lost its coastline, and its hero, Colonel Eduardo Abaroa. Founded in 1978, it occupies a building catalogued as a heritage monument.
Kalasasaya
Part of the Tiwanaku complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Bolivia, the Kalasasaya is a low platform mound with a large courtyard enclosed by high stone walls.
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.
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.
Pukara Lithic Museum
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.
Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar»
Run by the National University of San Marcos, this astronomical observatory serves both educational and tourism purposes and sits at an altitude of 4,027 meters.
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.
Huchuy Qosqo
Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site north of Cusco whose Quechua name means "Little Cusco."
In Urubamba itself
Kellococha
Kellococha is a lake in the Huayllabamba District of Urubamba Province, Cusco Region, known for its polylepis woods, which also grow at neighboring Yanacocha lake.
Yanacocha
Sitting at about 3,951 meters in the Urubamba Province of Cusco, Yanacocha is a lake roughly 240 meters long and 14 meters deep.
Quispiguanca
Quispiguanca, also written Q'espihuanca or Q'espiwanka, was a royal estate of the Inca emperor Huayna Capac.
More drives to Urubamba
- Ayacucho, Peru to Urubamba
- Huancavelica to Urubamba
- Huancayo to Urubamba
- Jauja to Urubamba
- Paucartambo to Urubamba
- Quillabamba to Urubamba
More drives from Chulumani
- Chulumani to Tiwanaku
- Chulumani to Challapata
- Chulumani to Tarata
- Chulumani to Tarabuco
- Chulumani to Atocha
- Chulumani to San Pedro de Quemes Canton
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Chulumani to Urubamba, Peru?
About 13 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 496 miles.
What is the driving distance from Chulumani to Urubamba, Peru?
About 496 miles (798 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 Urubamba 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 Urubamba, 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.
What roads does the drive from Chulumani to Urubamba use?
In order: F25, F3, F41, F1, PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Chulumani to Urubamba?
Closest to the road: Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 220, 0.1 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 224, 0.2 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 297, 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.