Plan on about 16 h 33 min of driving for the 541-mile (871 km) trip from Kiteni to Tiwanaku, Bolivia, before any stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 513, 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: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Total distance | 541 mi (871 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 16 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28B → CU-105 → CU-772 → CU-593 → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 513, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Tiwanaku
The route crosses at about mile 513, 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.
The Kiteni–Tiwanaku drive in a few lines
PE-3S (282 mi) and PE-28B (83 mi) carry about 67% of the 541 miles. The first 513 miles are in Peru; the last 28 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Kiteni to Tiwanaku: 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 | 421–511 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 511–513 | 2 | Puno |
| F1 | 513–539 | 26 | La Paz |
| local roads | 539–541 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 287 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 513 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Kiteni and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inti Watana, Calca (mile 176), Choquepuquio (mile 196), Ayamachay (mile 243), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 351), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 419), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 419), Inca Uyo (mile 431)
- Museums and history: Inkariy Museum (mile 166), Inti Watana, Calca (mile 176), Choquepuquio (mile 196), Ayamachay (mile 243), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 351), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 419), 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.
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.
Inti Watana, Calca
Inti Watana is an archaeological site in the Pisac District of Cusco's Calca Province, located about 9 kilometers from Písac.
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.
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.
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.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno
On Puno's Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo was built between 1669 and 1757, with a mestizo Baroque stone facade blending Andean and European art.
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.
Arriving in Tiwanaku
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.
Gate of the Sun
At the Tiwanaku site near Lake Titicaca and La Paz, the Gate of the Sun is a monolithic gateway built by the Tiwanaku culture, which thrived around AD 500–950.
Akapana
At the pre-Columbian site of Tiwanaku in Bolivia's La Paz department, Akapana is an artificial platform mound built in seven levels held by carved sandstone walls.
More drives to Tiwanaku
- Coroico to Tiwanaku
- Chulumani to Tiwanaku
- San Borja to Tiwanaku
- Rurrenabaque to Tiwanaku
- Llallagua to Tiwanaku
- Quillacollo to Tiwanaku
More drives from Kiteni
- Kiteni to Paracas
- Kiteni to Lampa
- Kiteni to Desaguadero
- Kiteni to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Kiteni to Yampupata, Bolivia
- Kiteni to Yumani, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Kiteni to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 16 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 541 miles.
What is the driving distance from Kiteni to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 541 miles (871 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 Kiteni to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 513, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Kiteni 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Kiteni to Tiwanaku drive?
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 Kiteni to Tiwanaku?
In order: PE-28B, CU-105, CU-772, CU-593, PE-3S, PU-117, PE-34B and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Kiteni and Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Choquepuquio (archaeological site, mile 196, 0.3 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 351, 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.