By road, La Paz, Bolivia and Arequipa, Peru are about 329 miles (530 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 51 min of driving. You cross from Bolivia into Peru at about mile 67, at Desaguadero.
Full advisory: Bolivia, Peru. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Total distance | 329 mi (530 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | F1 → PE-3S → PU-121 → PU-1044 → PE-34A → AR-116 |
| Border crossing | about mile 67, Bolivia → Peru (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | La Paz, Puno, Arequipa |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
The border on the way to Arequipa
The route crosses at about mile 67, at Desaguadero, from La Paz into Puno. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Peru | Register the car online first (SUNAT's advance registration for tourist vehicles, valid 10 days), then get the Temporary Entry Certificate (CIT) from customs at the border. |
| 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, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); Government of Peru (gob.pe). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The La Paz–Arequipa drive in a few lines
PE-3S (103 mi) and PE-34A (99 mi) carry about 61% of the 329 miles. The first 67 miles are in Bolivia; the last 262 are in Peru. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Puno, Arequipa. Of the 5 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
La Paz to Arequipa: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 4–6 | 2 | La Paz |
| F1 | 6–66 | 60 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 66–68 | 2 | La Paz, Puno |
| PE-3S | 68–171 | 103 | Puno |
| PU-121 | 171–176 | 5 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 176–178 | 2 | Puno |
| PU-1044 | 178–182 | 4 | Puno |
| PU-121 | 182–193 | 11 | Puno |
| PE-34A | 193–292 | 99 | Puno, Arequipa |
| AR-116 | 292–325 | 33 | Arequipa |
| local roads | 325–329 | 4 | Arequipa |
- Mile 67 of this route: La Paz → Puno (international border)
- Mile 246 of this route: Puno → Arequipa (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between La Paz and Arequipa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Molloko (mile 136), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 152), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 160)
- Museums and history: Molloko (mile 136), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 152), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 160), Sillustani (mile 178)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sillustani
On the shores of Lake Umayo near Puno, Sillustani is a pre-Inca burial site with tower-like tombs called chullpas, left by the Qulla people.
Arriving in Arequipa
Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa
Facing Arequipa's Plaza de Armas, the Basilica Cathedral is the seat of the archbishop and the main Catholic church of the city and its archdiocese.
Casa Museo Mario Vargas Llosa
Dedicated to writer Mario Vargas Llosa, the Casa Museo Mario Vargas Llosa is a house museum in the city of Arequipa.
Andean Sanctuaries Museum
The Andean Sanctuaries Museum is an archaeological museum in the city of Arequipa, Peru.
More drives from La Paz
- La Paz, Bolivia to Coroico
- La Paz, Bolivia to Llallagua
- La Paz, Bolivia to Challapata
- La Paz, Bolivia to Quillacollo
- La Paz, Bolivia to Villa Tunari
- La Paz, Bolivia to Cochabamba
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from La Paz, Bolivia to Arequipa, Peru?
About 9 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 329 miles.
What is the driving distance from La Paz, Bolivia to Arequipa, Peru?
About 329 miles (530 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 La Paz to Arequipa drive cross the border?
At about mile 67, from Bolivia into Peru, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from La Paz into Peru?
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. A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. (U.S. State Department, updated August 20, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from La Paz, Bolivia to Arequipa, Peru?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from La Paz to Arequipa use?
In order: F1, PE-3S, PU-121, PU-1044, PE-34A and AR-116. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from La Paz to Arequipa?
Closest to the road: Molloko (archaeological site, mile 136, 0.7 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 152, 0.4 mi from the route); Carlos Dreyer Museum (museum, mile 160, 0.4 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.