By road, Coroico and Putre, Chile are about 283 miles (456 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 4 min of driving. You cross from Bolivia into Chile at about mile 244.
Full advisory: Bolivia, Chile. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
- 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.”
| Distance | 283 mi (456 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | F3 → F1 → F4 → A-149 |
| Border crossing | about mile 244, Bolivia → Chile |
| Regions on the route | La Paz, Oruro, Arica y Parinacota |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Chile
The route crosses at about mile 244, from Oruro into Arica y Parinacota. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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 Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Coroico to Putre is like
F4 (117 mi) and F3 (55 mi) carry about 61% of the 283 miles. The first 244 miles are in Bolivia; the last 39 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Oruro, Arica y Parinacota. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Coroico to Putre
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | La Paz |
| F3 | 6–61 | 55 | La Paz |
| local roads | 61–71 | 10 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 71–75 | 4 | La Paz |
| F1 | 75–126 | 51 | La Paz |
| F4 | 126–243 | 117 | La Paz, Oruro |
| local roads | 243–278 | 35 | Oruro, Arica y Parinacota |
| A-149 | 278–282 | 4 | Arica y Parinacota |
| local roads | 282–283 | 1 | Arica y Parinacota |
- Mile 174 of this route: La Paz → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Oruro → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
Places worth a stop between Coroico and Putre
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo San Francisco Cultural Center (mile 67), Chacoma Tombs (mile 82)
- Nature and outdoors: Cotapata National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area (mile 19), Jardín Botánico (mile 64), Sajama National Park (mile 227), Chungará Lake (mile 250), Lauca National Park (mile 264)
- Museums and history: Museo San Francisco Cultural Center (mile 67), Kuntur Amaya (mile 140)
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.
Jardín Botánico
Managed by the La Paz city government, the city's Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico) sits in the Miraflores area at the corner of Lucas Jaimes and Nicaragua streets.
Museo San Francisco Cultural Center
Inside the convent and Basilica of San Francisco in La Paz, this cultural center preserves art and memories tied to key moments in the city's history.
Chacoma Tombs
Found in 2017 on the Altiplano near Chacoma and Mazo Cruz in Viacha municipality, the Chacoma Tombs (Tumbas de Chacoma) are a necropolis of underground, cave-like burial chambers, unlike the region's chullpa burial towers.
Kuntur Amaya
Kuntur Amaya is an archaeological site in Bolivia's La Paz Department, located in Aroma Province within Umala Municipality, near the community of Wayllani.
Sajama National Park
In Bolivia's Oruro Department, Sajama National Park is a protected area that shares a border with Chile's Lauca National Park.
Chungará Lake
At 4,517 meters on the Altiplano of the Arica y Parinacota Region, Chungará Lake lies inside Lauca National Park and covers about 22 square kilometers.
Lauca National Park
In Chile's Norte Grande, Lauca National Park covers 1,379 km² of Andean altiplano and mountains, most of them large volcanoes.
More drives to Putre
- Iquique to Putre
- Calama to Putre
- Antofagasta to Putre
- Arequipa to Putre, Chile
- Quillacollo to Putre, Chile
- Llallagua to Putre, Chile
More drives from Coroico
- Coroico to Tiwanaku
- Coroico to Sorata
- Coroico to Quime
- Coroico to Challapata
- Coroico to Atocha
- Coroico to San Juan, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Coroico to Putre, Chile?
About 7 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 283 miles.
What is the driving distance from Coroico to Putre, Chile?
About 283 miles (456 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 Coroico to Putre drive cross the border?
At about mile 244, from Bolivia into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Coroico into Chile?
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. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Coroico to Putre drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Coroico to Putre?
In order: F3, F1, F4 and A-149. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Coroico and Putre?
Closest to the road: Museo San Francisco Cultural Center (museum, mile 67, 0.5 mi from the route); Chacoma Tombs (necropolis, mile 82, 0.7 mi from the route); Kuntur Amaya (archaeological site, mile 140, 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.