Plan on about 12 h 4 min of driving for the 413-mile (664 km) trip from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance by road | 413 mi (664 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PU-100 → PE-34B → PE-30C |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, Madre de Dios |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
What the drive from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado is like
PE-3S (121 mi) and PE-30C (112 mi) carry about 56% of the 413 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, Madre de Dios. Of the 5 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–8 | 8 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 8–129 | 121 | Cusco, Puno |
| PU-100 | 129–193 | 64 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 193–299 | 106 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-30C | 299–411 | 112 | Cusco, Puno, Madre de Dios |
| local roads | 411–413 | 2 | Madre de Dios |
- Mile 110 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 298 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
- Mile 307 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Puno → Madre de Dios (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cusco and Puerto Maldonado
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Raqch'i (mile 73), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 93), Mawk'allaqta, Melgar (mile 150), Chichakuri (mile 217)
- Museums and history: Tipón (mile 14), Raqch'i (mile 73), Mawk'allaqta, Melgar (mile 150), Chichakuri (mile 217)
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.
Mawk'allaqta, Melgar
Mawk'allaqta, a Quechua name meaning "ancient place" and also spelled Maucallacta, is an archaeological site in Nuñoa District, Melgar Province, in Peru's Puno Region.
Chichakuri
Stone tombs, walls, houses and squares make up Chichakuri, an archaeological site in Peru whose Quechua-Aymara name refers to the chigoe flea.
In Puerto Maldonado itself
Mariposario Tambopata
Near the international airport in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, the Mariposario Tambopata is a butterfly house with more than 30 species of butterflies.
From Cusco to other places in Peru
- 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 Puerto Maldonado?
About 12 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 413 miles.
How far is Puerto Maldonado from Cusco by car?
About 413 miles (664 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cusco to Puerto Maldonado drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado?
In order: PE-3S, PU-100, PE-34B and PE-30C. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado?
Closest to the road: Raqch'i (archaeological site, mile 73, 0.4 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (astronomical observatory, mile 93, 0.6 mi from the route); Chichakuri (archaeological site, mile 217, 0.3 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.