By road, Maras and Tiwanaku, Bolivia are about 390 miles (627 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 45 min of driving. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 361, 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: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Distance by road | 390 mi (627 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28F → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 361, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Peru–Bolivia border
The route crosses at about mile 361, 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.
The Maras–Tiwanaku drive in a few lines
PE-3S (298 mi) and F1 (27 mi) carry about 83% of the 390 miles. The first 361 miles are in Peru; the last 29 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 9 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Maras to Tiwanaku
| 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 | 270–360 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 360–361 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 361–388 | 27 | La Paz |
| local roads | 388–390 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 136 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 361 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Maras and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baluartes, Saqsaywaman (mile 22), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 25), Choquepuquio (mile 45), Ayamachay (mile 92), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 179), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 199), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 241), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 268), Inca Uyo (mile 279)
- Museums and history: Baluartes, Saqsaywaman (mile 22), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 25), Choquepuquio (mile 45), Ayamachay (mile 92), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 179), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 199), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 268), Inca Uyo (mile 279)
Baluartes, Saqsaywaman
Also called the Cyclopean Walls (Muros Ciclópeos), the Bastions of Saqsaywaman are an archaeological site within the Saqsaywaman National Archaeological Park in Cusco District.
Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco
On Plazoleta de las Nazarenas in Cusco's San Blas district, this museum displays some 450 pre-Columbian artworks and artifacts from across Peru, drawn from the Larco Museum collection in Lima.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 Maras
- 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 Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 11 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 390 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maras to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 390 miles (627 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 Maras to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 361, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Maras 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Maras to Tiwanaku drive?
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 Maras to Tiwanaku?
In order: PE-28F, PE-3S, PU-117, PE-34B and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Maras to Tiwanaku?
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); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 241, 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.