Cusco to Tiwanaku, Bolivia is about 364 road miles (585 km): roughly 10 h 56 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 335, at Desaguadero.
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: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Total distance | 364 mi (585 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 335, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Tiwanaku
The route crosses at about mile 335, at Desaguadero, 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.
What the drive from Cusco to Tiwanaku is like
PE-3S (292 mi) and F1 (27 mi) carry about 88% of the 364 miles. The first 335 miles are in Peru; the last 29 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 8 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Cusco to Tiwanaku
| 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 | 244–334 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 334–335 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 335–362 | 27 | La Paz |
| local roads | 362–364 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 110 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 335 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Places worth a stop between Cusco and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ayamachay (mile 66), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 93), Pucará (mile 174), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 174), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 215), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 242), Molloko (mile 265)
- Museums and history: Tipón (mile 14), Ayamachay (mile 66), Pucará (mile 174), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 174), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 242), Molloko (mile 265)
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.
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.
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.
Molloko
Molloko is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, about 5 kilometers south of the town of Acora, near the village of Molloco.
Arriving in Tiwanaku
Akapana
At the pre-Columbian site of Tiwanaku in Bolivia's La Paz department, Akapana is an artificial platform mound built in seven levels held by carved sandstone walls.
Tiwanaku
Near Lake Titicaca, about 70 km from La Paz, Tiwanaku is a pre-Columbian archaeological site whose surface remains cover around 4 square kilometers, with monumental structures, megalithic blocks and decorated ceramics.
Gate of the Sun
At the Tiwanaku site near Lake Titicaca and La Paz, the Gate of the Sun is a monolithic gateway built by the Tiwanaku culture, which thrived around AD 500–950.
More drives to Tiwanaku
- Coroico to Tiwanaku
- Chulumani to Tiwanaku
- San Borja to Tiwanaku
- Rurrenabaque to Tiwanaku
- Llallagua to Tiwanaku
- Quillacollo to Tiwanaku
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 is the drive from Cusco to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 10 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 364 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cusco to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 364 miles (585 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 Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 335, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
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.)
Is it safe to drive from Cusco to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
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.
What roads does the drive from Cusco to Tiwanaku use?
In order: PE-3S, PU-117, PE-34B and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cusco to Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 174, 0.2 mi from the route); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 215, 0.1 mi from the route); Carlos Dreyer Museum (museum, mile 242, 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.