Plan on about 10 h 1 min of driving for the 331-mile (532 km) trip from Cusco to Copacabana, Bolivia, before any stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 324, at Kasani.
Full advisory: Peru, Bolivia. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
- Bolivia: “Some vehicles are not well maintained and may not have lights working at night.”
| Distance | 331 mi (532 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → PU-130 → F2 |
| Border crossing | about mile 324, Peru → Bolivia (Kasani) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Copacabana
The route crosses at about mile 324, at Kasani, from Puno into La Paz. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); U.S. State Department, Peru (updated August 20, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Cusco–Copacabana drive in a few lines
PE-3S (269 mi) and PU-130 (13 mi) carry about 85% of the 331 miles. The first 324 miles are in Peru; the last 7 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Cusco to Copacabana
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–8 | 8 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 8–174 | 166 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 174–176 | 2 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 176–180 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 180–188 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 188–200 | 12 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 200–236 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 236–244 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 244–311 | 67 | Puno |
| PU-130 | 311–324 | 13 | Puno |
| F2 | 324–330 | 6 | La Paz |
| local roads | 330–331 | 1 | La Paz |
- Mile 110 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Stops between Cusco and Copacabana
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Raqch'i (mile 73), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 93), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 154), Pucará (mile 173), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 242), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 242), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 250)
- Museums and history: Tipón (mile 14), Raqch'i (mile 73), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 154), Pucará (mile 173), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 242), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 242), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 250), Intini Uyu Pata (mile 323)
Tipón
About 22 km southeast of Cusco near the village of Tipón, this early 15th-century Inca site spreads between 3,250 and 3,960 meters and is enclosed by a defensive wall about 6 km long.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Intini Uyu Pata
Sitting at about 3,867 meters in Peru's Puno Region, Intini Uyu Pata (Inti Uyu) is an archaeological site between the Ollaraya and Unicachi districts of Yunguyo Province.
Once you reach Copacabana
Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana
In the town of Copacabana, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana is a 17th-century Catholic shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Candles of Copacabana, patroness of Bolivia.
Pachat'aqa
Close to Lake Titicaca in the municipality of Copacabana, Pachat'aqa, often called the Inca Gallows, is a pre-Inca astronomical observatory built as a lintel of two parallel stone blocks.
More drives to Copacabana
- Arequipa to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Juliaca to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Puerto Maldonado to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Andahuaylas to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Abancay to Copacabana, Bolivia
- La Rinconada to Copacabana, Bolivia
More drives from Cusco
- Cusco to Abancay
- Cusco to Andahuaylas
- Cusco to Nazca
- Cusco to Ayacucho, Peru
- Cusco to Huancavelica
- Cusco to Pisco
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cusco to Copacabana, Bolivia?
About 10 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 331 miles.
How far is Copacabana, Bolivia from Cusco by car?
About 331 miles (532 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 Cusco to Copacabana drive cross the border?
At about mile 324, from Peru into Bolivia, at Kasani.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Cusco into Bolivia?
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. You need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated May 07, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cusco to Copacabana drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cusco to Copacabana?
In order: PE-3S, PU-117, PE-34B, PU-130 and F2. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cusco and Copacabana?
Closest to the road: Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 154, 0.2 mi from the route); Carlos Dreyer Museum (museum, mile 242, 0.3 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 250, 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.