By road, Kiteni and Desaguadero are about 511 miles (822 km) apart, or roughly 15 h 43 min of driving.
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.”
| Total distance | 511 mi (822 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 15 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28B → CU-105 → CU-772 → CU-593 → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Kiteni to Desaguadero: the shape of the trip
PE-3S (281 mi) and PE-28B (83 mi) carry about 71% of the 511 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Kiteni to Desaguadero: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-28B | 0–53 | 53 | Cusco |
| CU-105 | 53–58 | 5 | Cusco |
| CU-772 | 58–71 | 13 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 71–72 | 1 | Cusco |
| CU-105 | 72–118 | 46 | Cusco |
| CU-593 | 118–150 | 32 | Cusco |
| CU-105 | 150–165 | 15 | Cusco |
| PE-28B | 165–195 | 30 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 195–351 | 156 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 351–354 | 3 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 354–358 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 358–365 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 365–377 | 12 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 377–413 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 413–421 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 421–510 | 89 | Puno |
| local roads | 510–511 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 287 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
Places worth a stop between Kiteni and Desaguadero
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Raqch'i (mile 250), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 331), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 393), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 419), Inca Uyo (mile 431)
- Museums and history: Inkariy Museum (mile 165), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 168), Qhapaq Kancha (mile 172), Raqch'i (mile 250), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 331), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 419), Inca Uyo (mile 431)
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.
Huchuy Qosqo
Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site north of Cusco whose Quechua name means "Little Cusco."
Qhapaq Kancha
Qhapaq Kancha is an Inca-period archaeological site on top of a mountain of the same name in Coya District, Calca Province, Cusco Region.
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.
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.
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.
Convento Franciscano de Juliaca
Juliaca's Franciscan convent, also called the Convent of Santa Bárbara, sits on Santa Bárbara hill (Hatun Rumi) about 40 meters from the Plaza de Armas. Its architecture is essentially Romanesque in style.
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.
More drives to Desaguadero
- Puno to Desaguadero
- Juliaca to Desaguadero
- Chinchero to Desaguadero
- Yucay to Desaguadero
- Maras to Desaguadero
- Paucartambo to Desaguadero
From Kiteni to other places in Peru
- Kiteni to Paracas
- Kiteni to Lampa
- Kiteni to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Kiteni to Tiwanaku, Bolivia
- Kiteni to Yampupata, Bolivia
- Kiteni to Yumani, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Kiteni to Desaguadero?
About 15 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 511 miles.
How far is Desaguadero from Kiteni by car?
About 511 miles (822 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 Kiteni to Desaguadero?
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 Kiteni to Desaguadero use?
In order: PE-28B, CU-105, CU-772, CU-593, PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Kiteni to Desaguadero?
Closest to the road: Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 331, 0.3 mi from the route); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 393, 0.2 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 431, 0.2 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.