By road, La Paz, Bolivia and Samaipata are about 458 miles (737 km) apart, or roughly 12 h 29 min of driving.
Full advisory: Bolivia. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 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.”
| Distance | 458 mi (737 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | F1 → F4 → D4303 → F48 → F7 |
| Departments on the route | La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
On the road from La Paz to Samaipata
F7 (225 mi) and F1 (106 mi) carry about 72% of the 458 miles. It runs through 4 departments: La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from La Paz to Samaipata
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 4–8 | 4 | La Paz |
| F1 | 8–114 | 106 | La Paz, Oruro |
| F4 | 114–134 | 20 | Oruro |
| local roads | 134–143 | 9 | Oruro |
| F4 | 143–211 | 68 | Cochabamba |
| D4303 | 211–217 | 6 | Cochabamba |
| connecting roads | 217–220 | 3 | Cochabamba |
| F48 | 220–232 | 12 | Cochabamba |
| F7 | 232–457 | 225 | Cochabamba, Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 457–458 | 1 | Santa Cruz |
- Mile 98 of this route: La Paz → Oruro (department line)
- Mile 143 of this route: Oruro → Cochabamba (department line)
- Mile 368 of this route: Cochabamba → Santa Cruz (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Samaipata
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Chacoma Tombs (mile 15), Silos de Tukipaya (mile 382)
- Nature and outdoors: Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco (mile 238)
- Museums and history: Tama Chullpa (mile 77), Silos de Tukipaya (mile 382)
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.
Tama Chullpa
On the Bolivian Altiplano near the community of Culli Culli Alto, Tama Chullpa is a necropolis of funerary towers, or chullpas, attributed to the pre-Inca Pacajes culture of the Late Intermediate period.
Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco
Known for its leafy, old carob trees, the Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco is a municipal protected area in Arbieto, Cochabamba, where the traditional Wallunk'a and Mast'aku celebrations take place.
Silos de Tukipaya
About 2 km northwest of Comarapa in Santa Cruz department, the Silos de Tukipaya are an archaeological site at the edge of the Comarapa valley, on old routes toward Pocona and Mizque.
Arriving in Samaipata
El Fuerte de Samaipata
El Fuerte de Samaipata is a pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Andean foothills of Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia.
More drives to Samaipata
- Quillacollo to Samaipata
- Villa Tunari to Samaipata
- Potosí to Samaipata
- Llallagua to Samaipata
- Trinidad, Bolivia to Samaipata
- Uyuni to Samaipata
From La Paz to other places in Bolivia
- 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 Samaipata?
About 12 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 458 miles.
What is the driving distance from La Paz, Bolivia to Samaipata?
About 458 miles (737 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.
Is it safe to drive from La Paz, Bolivia to Samaipata?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from La Paz to Samaipata use?
In order: F1, F4, D4303, F48 and F7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Paz and Samaipata?
Closest to the road: Chacoma Tombs (necropolis, mile 15, 0.7 mi from the route); Tama Chullpa (archaeological site, mile 77, 3 mi from the route); Silos de Tukipaya (archaeological site, mile 382, 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.