Plan on about 14 h 52 min of driving for the 524-mile (843 km) trip from La Paz, Bolivia to Quillabamba, Peru, before any stops. 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 road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance | 524 mi (843 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 52 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 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for 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–Quillabamba drive in a few lines
PE-3S (312 mi) and PE-28B (144 mi) carry about 87% of the 524 miles. The first 67 miles are in Bolivia; the last 457 are in Peru. It runs through 3 regions: La Paz, Puno, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 9 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from La Paz to Quillabamba
| 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 | 380–524 | 144 | 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 Quillabamba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pumapunku (mile 40), Tiwanaku Site Museum (mile 40), Molloko (mile 136), Pucará (mile 224), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 245), Raqch'i (mile 325), Intiyuq K'uchu (mile 406), Pinkuylluna (mile 435), Huamanmarca, La Convención (mile 496)
- Museums and history: Pumapunku (mile 40), Tiwanaku Site Museum (mile 40), Molloko (mile 136), Pucará (mile 224), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 245), Raqch'i (mile 325), Intiyuq K'uchu (mile 406), Pinkuylluna (mile 435), Huamanmarca, La Convención (mile 496)
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.
Tiwanaku Site Museum
Next to the Tiwanaku pre-Columbian archaeological site in Tiwanaku, Bolivia, the Tiwanaku Site Museum holds funerary artifacts, ceramic pieces and stone sculptures.
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.
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.
Templo de San Francisco de Asís
Facing Ayaviri's main square, the Templo de San Francisco de Asís is an Andean Baroque church more than three centuries old. Look for its columned facade and 18th-century religious paintings by Isidoro Francisco de Moncada.
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.
Intiyuq K'uchu
Rock paintings mark Intiyuq K'uchu, an archaeological site in Lamay District of Calca Province in the Cusco Region.
Pinkuylluna
Northeast of Ollantaytambo in Cusco's Urubamba Province, Pinkuylluna is an archaeological site on a mountain of the same name, between the Patakancha and Willkanuta rivers.
Huamanmarca, La Convención
On the right bank of the Luq'umayu in Huayopata District, La Convención Province, Huamanmarca is an archaeological site in Peru's Cusco region.
More drives to Quillabamba
- Cusco to Quillabamba
- Andahuaylas to Quillabamba
- Abancay to Quillabamba
- Jauja to Quillabamba
- Tarma to Quillabamba
- Ica to Quillabamba
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 is the drive from La Paz, Bolivia to Quillabamba, Peru?
About 14 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 524 miles.
What is the driving distance from La Paz, Bolivia to Quillabamba, Peru?
About 524 miles (843 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 Quillabamba 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 Quillabamba, 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 Quillabamba?
In order: F1, PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from La Paz to Quillabamba?
Closest to the road: Intiyuq K'uchu (archaeological site, mile 406, 0.2 mi from the route); Pinkuylluna (archaeological site, mile 435, 0.2 mi from the route); Huamanmarca, La Convención (archaeological site, mile 496, 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.