The Wayro route from Mollepata to Tiwanaku, Bolivia is 434 miles (699 km), about 13 h 3 min of driving without stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 406, 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: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Total distance | 434 mi (699 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | CU-109 → PE-3S → CU-606 → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 406, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Peru into Bolivia
The route crosses at about mile 406, 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.
What the drive from Mollepata to Tiwanaku is like
PE-3S (324 mi) and F1 (26 mi) carry about 81% of the 434 miles. The first 406 miles are in Peru; the last 28 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Mollepata to Tiwanaku: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| CU-109 | 0–6 | 6 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 6–10 | 4 | Cusco |
| local roads | 10–19 | 9 | Cusco |
| CU-606 | 19–37 | 18 | Cusco |
| local roads | 37–42 | 5 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 42–69 | 27 | Cusco |
| local roads | 69–79 | 10 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 79–245 | 166 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 245–247 | 2 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 247–251 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 251–258 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 258–270 | 12 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 270–307 | 37 | Puno |
| local roads | 307–315 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 315–405 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 405–406 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 406–432 | 26 | La Paz |
| local roads | 432–434 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 181 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 406 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Stops between Mollepata and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 70), Raqch'i (mile 144), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 164), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 224), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 244), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 286), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 313)
- Museums and history: Tampukancha (mile 46), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 70), Sirenaqocha (mile 70), Raqch'i (mile 144), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 224), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 244), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 313)
Tampukancha
Tampukancha is an Inca religious center in the Zurite District of Anta Province, about 30 miles from Cusco.
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.
Sirenaqocha
Sirenaqocha is an Inca archaeological site in Peru that forms part of the Saqsaywaman Archaeological Park.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In Tiwanaku itself
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.
Akapana
At the pre-Columbian site of Tiwanaku in Bolivia's La Paz department, Akapana is an artificial platform mound built in seven levels held by carved sandstone 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 Mollepata
- Mollepata to Huacachina
- Mollepata to Paracas
- Mollepata to Andahuaylillas
- Mollepata to Kiteni
- Mollepata to Lampa
- Mollepata to Chucuito
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mollepata to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 13 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 434 miles.
How far is Tiwanaku, Bolivia from Mollepata by car?
About 434 miles (699 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 Mollepata to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 406, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Mollepata 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 Mollepata 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.
What roads does the drive from Mollepata to Tiwanaku use?
In order: CU-109, PE-3S, CU-606, PU-117, PE-34B and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Mollepata and Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 224, 0.3 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 244, 0.2 mi from the route); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 286, 0.1 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.