By road, Juliaca and Iquique, Chile are about 521 miles (838 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 35 min of driving. You cross from Peru into Chile at about mile 318.
Full advisory: Peru, Chile. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Chile August 19, 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.”
- 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 by road | 521 mi (838 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-38A → PE-36A → TA-103 → TA-524 → TA-517 → TA-515 → PE-1S |
| Border crossing | about mile 318, Peru → Chile |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Moquegua, Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.8 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 318, from Tacna 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 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. |
| 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, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Juliaca to Iquique
PE-1S (73 mi) and PE-3S (52 mi) carry about 24% of the 521 miles. The first 318 miles are in Peru; the last 203 are in Chile. It runs through 5 regions: Puno, Moquegua, Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Juliaca to Iquique
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 1–21 | 20 | Puno |
| local roads | 21–29 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 29–61 | 32 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 61–62 | 1 | Puno |
| PE-38A | 62–112 | 50 | Puno |
| PE-36A | 112–157 | 45 | Puno, Moquegua |
| TA-103 | 157–184 | 27 | Moquegua, Tacna |
| connecting roads | 184–185 | 1 | Tacna |
| TA-524 | 185–190 | 5 | Tacna |
| connecting roads | 190–192 | 2 | Tacna |
| TA-517 | 192–201 | 9 | Tacna |
| TA-515 | 201–245 | 44 | Tacna |
| PE-1S | 245–318 | 73 | Tacna |
| local roads | 318–521 | 203 | Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá |
- Mile 149 of this route: Puno → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 158 of this route: Moquegua → Tacna (region line)
- Mile 318 of this route: Tacna → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
- Mile 390 of this route: Arica y Parinacota → Tarapacá (region line)
Places worth a stop between Juliaca and Iquique
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inca Uyo (mile 38), Santuario del Señor de Locumba (mile 237), Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 355), Pozos de Dolores (mile 449), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 490)
- Nature and outdoors: Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 355), Pozos de Dolores (mile 449)
- Museums and history: Inca Uyo (mile 38), Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (mile 73), Museo de Sitio Las Peañas (mile 294), Museo Histórico y de Armas del Morro de Arica (mile 331), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 490)
Inca Uyo
Near the Church of Santo Domingo in lakeside Chucuito, Inca Uyo is a rectangular walled enclosure of cut stone holding carved, mushroom-shaped stones. Its original purpose is still debated; Peru declared it national cultural heritage in 2001.
Soro Mik'aya Patjxa
Soro Mik'aya Patjxa is a high-altitude archaeological site in the Ilave Basin, about 30 km west of Lake Titicaca's shore, used seasonally by hunter-gatherers for more than a thousand years.
Santuario del Señor de Locumba
Also known as the minor basilica of the Señor de los Pies Quemados, this church in Locumba venerates the Señor de Locumba, an effigy of the crucified Jesus of Nazareth.
Museo de Sitio Las Peañas
Excavated in 1981–82, the area around Museo de Sitio Las Peañas in Tacna now holds an archaeological museum covering some 8,000 years, up to the colonial viceroyalty.
Museo Histórico y de Armas del Morro de Arica
On top of the Morro de Arica, a Chilean national monument, this history and weapons museum recalls the War of the Pacific and the Chilean capture of the Morro on June 7, 1880.
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (Monumento natural Picaflor de Arica) is a natural area protected under Chilean law.
Pozos de Dolores
Near the village of Dolores in the Pampa del Tamarugal, the Pozos de Dolores are natural springs where water rises to the surface.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works are two former saltpeter refineries in northern Chile, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 for the history of saltpeter mining.
Once you reach Iquique
Museo Regional de Iquique
Museo Regional de Iquique is a museum in the city of Iquique, Chile, run by the city's Municipal Corporation for Social Development since 1982.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Iquique
Consecrated in 1882 and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, Iquique Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Iquique in northern Chile.
Municipal Theatre of Iquique
A national monument facing Plaza Arturo Prat, the Municipal Theatre of Iquique was built and opened in 1889, during the boom years of the nitrate industry.
More drives to Iquique
- Arica to Iquique
- Antofagasta to Iquique
- Arequipa to Iquique, Chile
- Tacna to Iquique, Chile
- La Paz, Bolivia to Iquique, Chile
- Cochabamba to Iquique, Chile
More drives from Juliaca
- Juliaca to Písac
- Juliaca to Chinchero
- Juliaca to Yucay
- Juliaca to Urubamba
- Juliaca to Maras
- Juliaca to Mollepata
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Juliaca to Iquique, Chile?
About 13 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
How far is Iquique, Chile from Juliaca by car?
About 521 miles (838 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 Juliaca to Iquique drive cross the border?
At about mile 318, from Peru into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Juliaca 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Juliaca to Iquique, Chile?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Juliaca to Iquique?
In order: PE-3S, PE-38A, PE-36A, TA-103, TA-524, TA-517, TA-515 and PE-1S. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Juliaca to Iquique?
Closest to the road: Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 38, 0.1 mi from the route); Santuario del Señor de Locumba (sanctuary, mile 237, 0.2 mi from the route); Pozos de Dolores (spring, mile 449, 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.