The Wayro route from Juliaca to Tarata, Bolivia is 415 miles (668 km), about 11 h 50 min of driving without stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 120, 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 safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
| Total distance | 415 mi (668 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → F1 → F4 → D4303 → F48 |
| Border crossing | about mile 120, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Puno, La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Peru into Bolivia
The route crosses at about mile 120, 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.
How the Juliaca to Tarata drive plays out
F1 (164 mi) and PE-3S (109 mi) carry about 66% of the 415 miles. The first 120 miles are in Peru; the last 295 are in Bolivia. It runs through 4 regions: Puno, La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Juliaca to Tarata, road by road
| 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 | 29–118 | 89 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 118–119 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 119–178 | 59 | Puno, La Paz |
| connecting roads | 178–179 | 1 | La Paz |
| local roads | 179–183 | 4 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 183–186 | 3 | La Paz |
| F1 | 186–291 | 105 | La Paz, Oruro |
| connecting roads | 291–292 | 1 | Oruro |
| F4 | 292–311 | 19 | Oruro |
| local roads | 311–321 | 10 | Oruro, Cochabamba |
| F4 | 321–388 | 67 | Cochabamba |
| D4303 | 388–394 | 6 | Cochabamba |
| connecting roads | 394–398 | 4 | Cochabamba |
| F48 | 398–406 | 8 | Cochabamba |
| local roads | 406–415 | 9 | Cochabamba |
- Mile 120 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
- Mile 275 of this route: La Paz → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 320 of this route: Oruro → Cochabamba (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Juliaca and Tarata
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 26), Inca Uyo (mile 38), Molloko (mile 50), Pumapunku (mile 146), Chacoma Tombs (mile 193)
- Nature and outdoors: Mallasa national Park (mile 184)
- Museums and history: Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 26), Inca Uyo (mile 38), Molloko (mile 50), Pumapunku (mile 146), Tama Chullpa (mile 254)
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.
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.
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.
Pumapunku
Near Tiwanaku, Pumapunku is a 6th-century T-shaped terraced platform mound with a sunken court, part of the Tiwanaku archaeological complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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.
Mallasa national Park
South of La Paz's urban center, Mallasa (now a municipal protected area) is a gently sloping plateau full of eucalyptus trees, with green spaces for sports and outdoor recreation.
Chacoma Tombs
Found in 2017 on the Altiplano near Chacoma and Mazo Cruz in Viacha municipality, the Chacoma Tombs (Tumbas de Chacoma) are a necropolis of underground, cave-like burial chambers, unlike the region's chullpa burial towers.
Tama Chullpa
On the Bolivian Altiplano near the community of Culli Culli Alto, Tama Chullpa is a necropolis of funerary towers, or chullpas, attributed to the pre-Inca Pacajes culture of the Late Intermediate period.
In Tarata itself
Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco
Known for its leafy, old carob trees, the Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco is a municipal protected area in Arbieto, Cochabamba, where the traditional Wallunk'a and Mast'aku celebrations take place.
More drives to Tarata
- Llallagua to Tarata
- Chulumani to Tarata
- San Borja to Tarata
- Potosí to Tarata
- Uyuni to Tarata
- Tupiza to Tarata
More drives from Juliaca
- Juliaca to Písac
- Juliaca to Chinchero
- Juliaca to Yucay
- Juliaca to Urubamba
- Juliaca to Maras
- Juliaca to Mollepata
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Juliaca to Tarata, Bolivia?
About 11 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 415 miles.
How far is Tarata, Bolivia from Juliaca by car?
About 415 miles (668 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 Tarata drive cross the border?
At about mile 120, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Juliaca 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 Juliaca to Tarata, 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.
Which highways go from Juliaca to Tarata?
In order: PE-3S, F1, F4, D4303 and F48. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Juliaca to Tarata?
Closest to the road: Carlos Dreyer Museum (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 38, 0.1 mi from the route); Chacoma Tombs (necropolis, mile 193, 0.7 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.