By road, La Paz, Bolivia and Camaná, Peru are about 416 miles (669 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 49 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: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Distance | 416 mi (669 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | F1 → PE-36A → PE-1S → PE-1SJ → PE-1SD |
| Border crossing | about mile 67, Bolivia → Peru (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | La Paz, Puno, Moquegua, Tacna, Arequipa |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Crossing from Bolivia into Peru
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.
What the drive from La Paz to Camaná is like
PE-36A (188 mi) and PE-1SD (77 mi) carry about 64% of the 416 miles. The first 67 miles are in Bolivia; the last 349 are in Peru. It runs through 5 regions: La Paz, Puno, Moquegua, Tacna, Arequipa. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from La Paz to Camaná
| 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-36A | 68–256 | 188 | Puno, Moquegua, Tacna |
| connecting roads | 256–257 | 1 | Moquegua |
| PE-1S | 257–318 | 61 | Moquegua, Arequipa |
| PE-1SJ | 318–331 | 13 | Arequipa |
| connecting roads | 331–332 | 1 | Arequipa |
| PE-1SD | 332–409 | 77 | Arequipa |
| PE-1S | 409–414 | 5 | Arequipa |
| local roads | 414–416 | 2 | Arequipa |
- Mile 67 of this route: La Paz → Puno (international border)
- Mile 160 of this route: Puno → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 170 of this route: Moquegua → Tacna (region line)
- Mile 182 of this route: Tacna → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 291 of this route: Moquegua → Arequipa (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Camaná
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pumapunku (mile 40), Tanqa Tanqa (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Pumapunku (mile 40), Gate of the Sun (mile 40), Tanqa Tanqa (mile 83), Museo Contisuyo (mile 252), Omo (mile 257), Islay (mile 354)
Pumapunku
Near Tiwanaku, Pumapunku is a 6th-century T-shaped terraced platform mound with a sunken court, part of the Tiwanaku archaeological complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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.
Tanqa Tanqa
Tanqa Tanqa, an Aymara name meaning "many hats," is an archaeological site in Zepita District, Chucuito Province, in Peru's Puno Region.
Chen Chen geoglyph
Near the city of Moquegua, the Chen Chen geoglyphs are figures traced on the ground, among them camelid silhouettes in two groups, resembling those of Nazca and Palpa.
Museo Contisuyo
Housed in part of what was once Moquegua's Iglesia Matriz, Museo Contisuyo is a museum in the Moquegua department of Peru.
Omo
Omo is an archaeological site in the Moquegua district of Mariscal Nieto province, in Peru's Moquegua Region.
Islay
In the industrial heart of Matarani, Pueblo Viejo de Islay holds the ruins of a port town founded on August 30, 1827, as Arequipa's main port, replacing Quilca.
More drives to Camaná
- Puno to Camaná
- La Rinconada to Camaná
- Chincha Alta to Camaná
- Ayacucho, Peru to Camaná
- Quillabamba to Camaná
- Huancavelica to Camaná
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 Camaná, Peru?
About 10 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 416 miles.
What is the driving distance from La Paz, Bolivia to Camaná, Peru?
About 416 miles (669 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 Camaná 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the La Paz to Camaná drive?
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 Camaná use?
In order: F1, PE-36A, PE-1S, PE-1SJ and PE-1SD. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Paz and Camaná?
Closest to the road: Pumapunku (archaeological site, mile 40, 0.7 mi from the route); Gate of the Sun (monument, mile 40, 1 mi from the route); Tanqa Tanqa (archaeological site, mile 83, 0.9 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.