Plan on about 6 h 3 min of driving for the 236-mile (380 km) trip from Juliaca to Yucay, 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 | 236 mi (380 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-28B |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Juliaca–Yucay drive in a few lines
PE-3S (194 mi) and PE-28B (41 mi) carry about 100% of the 236 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Juliaca to Yucay
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 1–195 | 194 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-28B | 195–236 | 41 | Cusco |
- Mile 104 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Juliaca and Yucay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pucará (mile 39), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 40), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 60), Raqch'i (mile 140), Ayamachay (mile 147), Choquepuquio (mile 194), Inkariy Museum (mile 228)
- Museums and history: Pucará (mile 39), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 40), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 60), Raqch'i (mile 140), Ayamachay (mile 147), Choquepuquio (mile 194), Inkariy Museum (mile 228)
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.
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.
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.
Choquepuquio
Choquepuquio is an extensive Wari archaeological site in the Cusco valley, in Lucre District near the village of Huacarpay and the lake of the same name.
Iglesia de la Recoleta
A Catholic church in Cusco, the Iglesia de la Recoleta has been part of the city's Monumental Zone, declared a Historical Monument of Peru, since 1972.
Inkariy Museum
A private history museum in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the Inkariy Museum lies in Calca district, in Peru's Cusco region.
When you get to Yucay
Kellococha
Kellococha is a lake in the Huayllabamba District of Urubamba Province, Cusco Region, known for its polylepis woods, which also grow at neighboring Yanacocha lake.
Yanacocha
Sitting at about 3,951 meters in the Urubamba Province of Cusco, Yanacocha is a lake roughly 240 meters long and 14 meters deep.
Ayawayq'u
Ayawayq'u, also known as Yukay or Kapillayuq, is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Yucay District of Urubamba Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
More drives to Yucay
- Andahuaylas to Yucay
- Ayacucho, Peru to Yucay
- Nazca to Yucay
- Huancavelica to Yucay
- Huacachina to Yucay
- Huancayo to Yucay
From Juliaca to other places in Peru
- Juliaca to Písac
- Juliaca to Chinchero
- Juliaca to Urubamba
- Juliaca to Maras
- Juliaca to Mollepata
- Juliaca to Cachora
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Juliaca to Yucay?
About 6 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 236 miles.
What is the driving distance from Juliaca to Yucay?
About 236 miles (380 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Juliaca to Yucay drive?
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 Yucay use?
In order: PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Juliaca to Yucay?
Closest to the road: Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 40, 0.2 mi from the route); Choquepuquio (archaeological site, mile 194, 0.3 mi from the route); Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 228, 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.