The Wayro route from Lampa to Tiwanaku, Bolivia is 170 miles (273 km), about 5 h 8 min of driving without stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 141, at Desaguadero.
Full advisory: Peru, Bolivia. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
- Bolivia: “Some vehicles are not well maintained and may not have lights working at night.”
| Distance | 170 mi (273 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | PU-124 → PE-3S → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 141, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Bolivia
The route crosses at about mile 141, at Desaguadero, from Puno into La Paz. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); U.S. State Department, Peru (updated August 20, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Lampa to Tiwanaku
PE-3S (110 mi) and F1 (27 mi) carry about 81% of the 170 miles. The first 141 miles are in Peru; the last 29 are in Bolivia. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, La Paz. Of the 5 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Lampa to Tiwanaku, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puno |
| PU-124 | 1–19 | 18 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 19–22 | 3 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 22–42 | 20 | Puno |
| local roads | 42–50 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 50–140 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 140–141 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 141–168 | 27 | La Paz |
| local roads | 168–170 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 141 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Stops between Lampa and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 21), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 48), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 48), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 56), Inca Uyo (mile 60)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 48), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 48), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 56), Inca Uyo (mile 60)
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.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno
On Puno's Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo was built between 1669 and 1757, with a mestizo Baroque stone facade blending Andean and European art.
Carlos Dreyer Museum
Puno's Carlos Dreyer Museum (Museo Carlos Dreyer) holds about 1,800 pieces and relics spanning the pre-Inca, Inca, colonial and republican eras, in a building declared part of Peru's national cultural heritage in 1980.
Inka Tunuwiri
Inka Tunuwiri is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, located between the Chucuito and Puno districts, southeast of the village of Ichu.
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.
Arriving in Tiwanaku
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.
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.
Kalasasaya
Part of the Tiwanaku complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Bolivia, the Kalasasaya is a low platform mound with a large courtyard enclosed by high stone walls.
More drives to Tiwanaku
- Coroico to Tiwanaku
- Chulumani to Tiwanaku
- San Borja to Tiwanaku
- Rurrenabaque to Tiwanaku
- Llallagua to Tiwanaku
- Quillacollo to Tiwanaku
More drives from Lampa
- Lampa to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Lampa to Quime, Bolivia
- Lampa to Challapata, Bolivia
- Lampa to San Ignacio de Moxos, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Lampa to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 5 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 170 miles.
What is the driving distance from Lampa to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 170 miles (273 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 Lampa to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 141, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Lampa into Bolivia?
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. You need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated May 07, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Lampa to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Lampa to Tiwanaku?
In order: PU-124, PE-3S and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Lampa and Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 21, 0.1 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 56, 0.2 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 60, 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.