Plan on about 8 h 38 min of driving for the 280-mile (450 km) trip from Maras to Chucuito, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Total distance | 280 mi (450 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28F → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Maras to Chucuito: the shape of the trip
PE-3S (217 mi) and PE-34B (13 mi) carry about 82% of the 280 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 9 stops listed below, 9 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Maras and Chucuito
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Cusco |
| PE-28F | 11–17 | 6 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 17–24 | 7 | Cusco |
| local roads | 24–34 | 10 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 34–199 | 165 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 199–202 | 3 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 202–206 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 206–213 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 213–226 | 13 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 226–262 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 262–270 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 270–279 | 9 | Puno |
| local roads | 279–280 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 136 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
What to see on the way from Maras to Chucuito
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Muyuq Marka (mile 22), Inka Museum (mile 25), Ayamachay (mile 92), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 119), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 179), Pucará (mile 199), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 199), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 268), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 268)
- Museums and history: Muyuq Marka (mile 22), Inka Museum (mile 25), Ayamachay (mile 92), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 179), Pucará (mile 199), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 199), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 268), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 268)
Muyuq Marka
Within the Saksaywaman fortress above Cusco, Muyuq Marka is the base of what was once a round Inca tower.
Inka Museum
Housed by the National University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco, the Inka Museum is the university's archaeological museum, formerly called the Archaeological Museum of the University of Cusco.
Ayamachay
Ayamachay is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Combapata District of Cusco's Canchis Province, above the left bank of the Salcca River near the village of Oroscocha.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Arriving in Chucuito
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.
Monasterio Benedictino de la Resurrección de Chucuito
On the shore of Lake Titicaca in Chucuito, Puno, the Benedictine Monastery of the Resurrection belongs to the Order of Saint Benedict and is described as the highest Catholic monastery in the world, at 3,870 meters.
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.
More drives to Chucuito
- Cusco to Chucuito
- Písac to Chucuito
- Chinchero to Chucuito
- Paucartambo to Chucuito
- Ollantaytambo to Chucuito
- Mollepata to Chucuito
From Maras to other places in Peru
- Maras to Mollepata
- Maras to Huacachina
- Maras to Paracas
- Maras to Andahuaylillas
- Maras to Kiteni
- Maras to Lampa
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maras to Chucuito?
About 8 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 280 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maras to Chucuito?
About 280 miles (450 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 Maras to Chucuito?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Maras to Chucuito?
In order: PE-28F, PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Maras and Chucuito?
Closest to the road: Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 179, 0.2 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 199, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (cathedral, mile 268, 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.