Plan on about 7 h 8 min of driving for the 301-mile (484 km) trip from La Paz, Bolivia to Arica, Chile, before any stops. You cross from Bolivia into Chile at about mile 178.
Full advisory: Bolivia, Chile. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
| Distance | 301 mi (484 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | F1 → F4 |
| Border crossing | about mile 178, Bolivia → Chile |
| Regions on the route | La Paz, Oruro, Arica y Parinacota |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
The border on the way to Arica
The route crosses at about mile 178, from Oruro into Arica y Parinacota. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| 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 Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from La Paz to Arica
F4 (117 mi) and F1 (50 mi) carry about 55% of the 301 miles. The first 178 miles are in Bolivia; the last 123 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Oruro, Arica y Parinacota. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from La Paz to Arica
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 4–8 | 4 | La Paz |
| F1 | 8–58 | 50 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 58–59 | 1 | La Paz |
| F4 | 59–176 | 117 | La Paz, Oruro |
| local roads | 176–295 | 119 | Oruro, Arica y Parinacota |
| connecting roads | 295–297 | 2 | Arica y Parinacota |
| local roads | 297–301 | 4 | Arica y Parinacota |
- Mile 107 of this route: La Paz → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 178 of this route: Oruro → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
Stops between La Paz and Arica
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Chacoma Tombs (mile 15), Tambo de Zapahuira (mile 235)
- Nature and outdoors: Sajama National Park (mile 160), Chungará Lake (mile 184), Lauca National Park (mile 197)
- Museums and history: Kuntur Amaya (mile 73), Tambo de Zapahuira (mile 235)
Chacoma Tombs
Found in 2017 on the Altiplano near Chacoma and Mazo Cruz in Viacha municipality, the Chacoma Tombs (Tumbas de Chacoma) are a necropolis of underground, cave-like burial chambers, unlike the region's chullpa burial towers.
Kuntur Amaya
Kuntur Amaya is an archaeological site in Bolivia's La Paz Department, located in Aroma Province within Umala Municipality, near the community of Wayllani.
Sajama National Park
In Bolivia's Oruro Department, Sajama National Park is a protected area that shares a border with Chile's Lauca National Park.
Chungará Lake
At 4,517 meters on the Altiplano of the Arica y Parinacota Region, Chungará Lake lies inside Lauca National Park and covers about 22 square kilometers.
Lauca National Park
In Chile's Norte Grande, Lauca National Park covers 1,379 km² of Andean altiplano and mountains, most of them large volcanoes.
Tambo de Zapahuira
Part of the Inca road (Qhapaq Ñan), the Inca-built Tambo de Zapahuira in Putre has a row of linked rectangular rooms and, 150 meters away, two adobe burial towers; it has been a National Monument since 1983.
Arriving in Arica
Morro de Arica
Rising steeply from Arica and the sea to 139 meters above sea level, Morro de Arica is a headland with a gentler slope on its eastern side.
St. Mark's Cathedral, Arica
Arica's Saint Mark's Cathedral is a cast-iron Catholic church commissioned under Peruvian President José Balta from the United States, built so it could be shipped to Arica via the port of Ancón.
Faro Península Alacrán
Part of Chile's lighthouse network, Faro Península Alacrán is an unmanned lighthouse on the Alacrán Peninsula in the city of Arica.
More drives to Arica
- Antofagasta to Arica
- Juliaca to Arica, Chile
- Cochabamba to Arica, Chile
- Sucre to Arica, Chile
- Oruro to Arica, Chile
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 Arica, Chile?
About 7 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 301 miles.
How far is Arica, Chile from La Paz, Bolivia by car?
About 301 miles (484 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 Arica drive cross the border?
At about mile 178, from Bolivia into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from La Paz into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the La Paz to Arica drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from La Paz to Arica?
In order: F1 and F4. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Paz and Arica?
Closest to the road: Chacoma Tombs (necropolis, mile 15, 0.7 mi from the route); Kuntur Amaya (archaeological site, mile 73, 1 mi from the route); Tambo de Zapahuira (archaeological site, mile 235, 0.1 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.