Plan on about 7 h 34 min of driving for the 284-mile (457 km) trip from Juliaca to Mollepata, 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 road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance by road | 284 mi (457 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → CU-606 → CU-109 |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Juliaca to Mollepata drive plays out
PE-3S (233 mi) and CU-606 (18 mi) carry about 88% of the 284 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Juliaca to Mollepata: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 1–205 | 204 | Puno, Cusco |
| local roads | 205–213 | 8 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 213–215 | 2 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 215–241 | 26 | Cusco |
| local roads | 241–247 | 6 | Cusco |
| CU-606 | 247–265 | 18 | Cusco |
| local roads | 265–274 | 9 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 274–277 | 3 | Cusco |
| CU-109 | 277–284 | 7 | Cusco |
- Mile 104 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
What to see on the way from Juliaca to Mollepata
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pucará (mile 39), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 40), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 60), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 121), Raqch'i (mile 140), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 214), Colcampata (mile 216)
- Museums and history: Pucará (mile 39), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 40), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 60), Raqch'i (mile 140), Tipón (mile 199), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 214), Colcampata (mile 216)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco
On Plazoleta de las Nazarenas in Cusco's San Blas district, this museum displays some 450 pre-Columbian artworks and artifacts from across Peru, drawn from the Larco Museum collection in Lima.
Colcampata
Colcampata is an archaeological site in Cusco District, Cusco Province; its Quechua name combines words for a storehouse and an elevated place.
More drives to Mollepata
- Andahuaylas to Mollepata
- Ayacucho, Peru to Mollepata
- Pisco to Mollepata
- Huancayo to Mollepata
- Jauja to Mollepata
- Maras to Mollepata
From Juliaca to other places in Peru
- Juliaca to Písac
- Juliaca to Chinchero
- Juliaca to Yucay
- Juliaca to Urubamba
- Juliaca to Maras
- Juliaca to Cachora
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Juliaca to Mollepata?
About 7 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 284 miles.
How far is Mollepata from Juliaca by car?
About 284 miles (457 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 Juliaca to Mollepata?
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 Juliaca to Mollepata use?
In order: PE-3S, CU-606 and CU-109. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Juliaca and Mollepata?
Closest to the road: Pucará (archaeological site, mile 39, 0.4 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 40, 0.2 mi from the route); Raqch'i (archaeological site, mile 140, 0.4 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.