By road, La Paz, Bolivia and Písac, Peru are about 400 miles (643 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 25 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: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance | 400 mi (643 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 25 min |
| Main roads, in order | F1 → PE-3S → PE-28B |
| Border crossing | about mile 67, Bolivia → Peru (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | La Paz, Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
The La Paz–Písac drive in a few lines
PE-3S (312 mi) and F1 (60 mi) carry about 93% of the 400 miles. The first 67 miles are in Bolivia; the last 333 are in Peru. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Puno, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: La Paz to Písac
| 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 | 68–380 | 312 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-28B | 380–400 | 20 | Cusco |
- Mile 67 of this route: La Paz → Puno (international border)
- Mile 289 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
What to see on the way from La Paz to Písac
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pumapunku (mile 40), Inca Uyo (mile 149), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 186), Pucará (mile 224), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 225), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 305), Raqch'i (mile 325), Choquepuquio (mile 380)
- Museums and history: Pumapunku (mile 40), Inca Uyo (mile 149), Pucará (mile 224), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 225), Raqch'i (mile 325), Choquepuquio (mile 380)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pucará
Above the highland town of Pucará, this pre-Inca complex of the Pucará culture centers on Kalasaya, a pyramid of stone monoliths with carved human heads jutting from its walls. The Museo Lítico Pucará stands on the main plaza.
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.
Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar»
Run by the National University of San Marcos, this astronomical observatory serves both educational and tourism purposes and sits at an altitude of 4,027 meters.
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.
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.
Once you reach Písac
Lake Challhuacocha
Inca complex at Písac
Along a mountain ridge above the town of Pisac in the Sacred Valley, this Inca complex has agricultural terraces, residences, watchtowers and a ceremonial center, protected as a national archaeological park since 1983.
Inti Watana, Calca
Inti Watana is an archaeological site in the Pisac District of Cusco's Calca Province, located about 9 kilometers from Písac.
More drives to Písac
- Abancay to Písac
- Andahuaylas to Písac
- Ayacucho, Peru to Písac
- Nazca to Písac
- Huancavelica to Písac
- Huancayo to Písac
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 Písac, Peru?
About 10 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 400 miles.
How far is Písac, Peru from La Paz, Bolivia by car?
About 400 miles (643 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 Písac 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 Písac, 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.
Which highways go from La Paz to Písac?
In order: F1, PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Paz and Písac?
Closest to the road: Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 149, 0.2 mi from the route); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 186, 0.2 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 225, 0.3 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.