Cochabamba to Uyuni is about 327 road miles (527 km): roughly 8 h 39 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Bolivia. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 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.”
| Distance by road | 327 mi (527 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | F4 → F12 → F1 → F30 |
| Departments on the route | Cochabamba, Oruro, Potosí |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
How the Cochabamba to Uyuni drive plays out
F30 (123 mi) and F4 (107 mi) carry about 70% of the 327 miles. It runs through 3 departments: Cochabamba, Oruro, Potosí. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Cochabamba to Uyuni: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Cochabamba |
| F4 | 1–108 | 107 | Cochabamba, Oruro |
| F12 | 108–130 | 22 | Oruro |
| F1 | 130–204 | 74 | Oruro |
| F30 | 204–327 | 123 | Oruro, Potosí |
- Mile 89 of this route: Cochabamba → Oruro (department line)
- Mile 250 of this route: Oruro → Potosí (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Uyuni
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Machacamarca Railway museum (mile 151)
- Nature and outdoors: Tunari National Park (mile 11)
- Museums and history: Inka Raqay (mile 17), Museo Nacional Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas (mile 132), Basílica menor de Nuestra Señora del Socavón (mile 132), Machacamarca Railway museum (mile 151)
Tunari National Park
Tunari National Park is a protected national park located in the Cochabamba Department of Bolivia.
Inka Raqay
Inka Raqay is an archaeological site near the community of Linku in Sipe Sipe municipality, Quillacollo Province, Cochabamba Department.
Museo Nacional Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas
Bolivia's national anthropology museum named for Eduardo López Rivas preserves, studies and shares the archaeological, ethnographic and folk heritage of the Altiplano region.
Basílica menor de Nuestra Señora del Socavón
On Pie de Gallo hill in Oruro, this Catholic basilica honors the Virgin of the Socavón, patron of the city's miners and the heart of the Oruro Carnival. Bolivia declared it national cultural heritage in 2013.
Machacamarca Railway museum
The Machacamarca Railway Museum (Museo Ferroviario de Machacamarca) is a railway museum in the municipality of Machacamarca, in Bolivia's Oruro department.
More drives to Uyuni
- Villa Tunari to Uyuni
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni
- Juliaca to Uyuni, Bolivia
- Puno to Uyuni, Bolivia
From Cochabamba to other places in Bolivia
- Cochabamba to Challapata
- Cochabamba to Coroico
- Cochabamba to Chulumani
- Cochabamba to San Borja
- Cochabamba to Rurrenabaque
- Cochabamba to San Ignacio de Moxos
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cochabamba to Uyuni?
About 8 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 327 miles.
How far is Uyuni from Cochabamba by car?
About 327 miles (527 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 Cochabamba to Uyuni?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cochabamba to Uyuni use?
In order: F4, F12, F1 and F30. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cochabamba to Uyuni?
Closest to the road: Basílica menor de Nuestra Señora del Socavón (basilica, mile 132, 2 mi from the route); Museo Nacional Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas (ethnographic museum, mile 132, 2 mi from the route); Machacamarca Railway museum (railway museum, mile 151, 0.5 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.