Plan on about 7 h 30 min of driving for the 242-mile (390 km) trip from Cusco to Puno, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Total distance | 242 mi (390 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
How the Cusco to Puno drive plays out
PE-3S (202 mi) and PE-34B (12 mi) carry about 88% of the 242 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 7 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cusco and Puno
| 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 | 236–242 | 6 | Puno |
- Mile 110 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cusco and Puno
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ayamachay (mile 66), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 93), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 153), Pucará (mile 173), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 173), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 215)
- Museums and history: Tipón (mile 14), Ayamachay (mile 66), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 153), Pucará (mile 173), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 173)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Convento Franciscano de Juliaca
Juliaca's Franciscan convent, also called the Convent of Santa Bárbara, sits on Santa Bárbara hill (Hatun Rumi) about 40 meters from the Plaza de Armas. Its architecture is essentially Romanesque in style.
When you get to Puno
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.
More drives to Puno
- Tacna to Puno
- La Paz, Bolivia to Puno, Peru
- Cochabamba to Puno, Peru
- Sucre to Puno, Peru
- Oruro to Puno, Peru
- Potosí to Puno, Peru
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 is the drive from Cusco to Puno?
About 7 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 242 miles.
How far is Puno from Cusco by car?
About 242 miles (390 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 Cusco to Puno?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cusco to Puno use?
In order: PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cusco to Puno?
Closest to the road: Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 153, 0.2 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 173, 0.2 mi from the route); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 215, 0.1 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.