Plan on about 14 h 6 min of driving for the 506-mile (815 km) trip from Juliaca to Villa Tunari, Bolivia, before any stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 120, at Desaguadero.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Bolivia: Chapare Province.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Peru, Bolivia. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
| Distance | 506 mi (815 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → F1 → F4 |
| Border crossing | about mile 120, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Puno, La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Getting across the Peru–Bolivia border
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.
Driving Juliaca to Villa Tunari: the shape of the trip
F4 (204 mi) and F1 (164 mi) carry about 73% of the 506 miles. The first 120 miles are in Peru; the last 386 are in Bolivia. It runs through 4 regions: Puno, La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Juliaca to Villa Tunari: the road sequence
| 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 | 321–506 | 185 | 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)
Stops between Juliaca and Villa Tunari
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inka Tunuwiri (mile 34), Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny (mile 409)
- Nature and outdoors: Mallasa national Park (mile 184), Tunari National Park (mile 396), Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny (mile 409)
- Museums and history: Inka Tunuwiri (mile 34), Tama Chullpa (mile 254), Inka Raqay (mile 390), Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny (mile 409), Inkachaka (mile 460)
Inka Tunuwiri
Inka Tunuwiri is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, located between the Chucuito and Puno districts, southeast of the village of Ichu.
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.
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.
Inka Raqay
Inka Raqay is an archaeological site near the community of Linku in Sipe Sipe municipality, Quillacollo Province, Cochabamba Department.
Tunari National Park
Tunari National Park is a protected national park located in the Cochabamba Department of Bolivia.
Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny
Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny is a natural history museum and cultural institution in the city of Cochabamba.
Inkachaka
Inkachaka (Inka Chaka) is an archaeological site in Bolivia's Cochabamba Department, within the Colomi Municipality of Chapare Province.
More drives to Villa Tunari
- Quillacollo to Villa Tunari
- Oruro to Villa Tunari
- La Paz, Bolivia to Villa Tunari
- Puno to Villa Tunari, Bolivia
- Arica to Villa Tunari, Bolivia
- Iquique to Villa Tunari, Bolivia
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 Villa Tunari, Bolivia?
About 14 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 506 miles.
How far is Villa Tunari, Bolivia from Juliaca by car?
About 506 miles (815 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 Villa Tunari 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 Villa Tunari, Bolivia?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Bolivia: Chapare Province). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Juliaca to Villa Tunari use?
In order: PE-3S, F1 and F4. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Juliaca and Villa Tunari?
Closest to the road: Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 34, 0.2 mi from the route); Tiwanaku (ancient city, mile 147, 1 mi from the route); Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny (museum, mile 409, 0.9 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.