The Wayro route from Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku, Bolivia is 401 miles (645 km), about 12 h 0 min of driving without stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 372, 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 | 401 mi (645 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 12 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28B → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 372, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Bolivia
The route crosses at about mile 372, 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.
Driving Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku: the shape of the trip
PE-3S (282 mi) and PE-28B (55 mi) carry about 84% of the 401 miles. The first 372 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, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-28B | 0–55 | 55 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 55–211 | 156 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 211–213 | 2 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 213–217 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 217–224 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 224–237 | 13 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 237–273 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 273–281 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 281–371 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 371–372 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 372–399 | 27 | La Paz |
| local roads | 399–401 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 147 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 372 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ollantaytambo and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inkariy Museum (mile 22), Choquepuquio (mile 56), Ayamachay (mile 103), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 190), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 210), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 252), Monasterio Benedictino de la Resurrección de Chucuito (mile 290)
- Museums and history: Inkariy Museum (mile 22), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 28), Choquepuquio (mile 56), Ayamachay (mile 103), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 190), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 210)
Inkariy Museum
A private history museum in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the Inkariy Museum lies in Calca district, in Peru's Cusco region.
Huchuy Qosqo
Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site north of Cusco whose Quechua name means "Little Cusco."
Iglesia de la Recoleta
A Catholic church in Cusco, the Iglesia de la Recoleta has been part of the city's Monumental Zone, declared a Historical Monument of Peru, since 1972.
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.
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.
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.
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 Ollantaytambo
- Ollantaytambo to Mollepata
- Ollantaytambo to Andahuaylillas
- Ollantaytambo to Lampa
- Ollantaytambo to Chucuito
- Ollantaytambo to Desaguadero
- Ollantaytambo to Coroico, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 12 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 401 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 401 miles (645 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 Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 372, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Ollantaytambo 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 Ollantaytambo 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 Ollantaytambo to Tiwanaku?
In order: PE-28B, PE-3S, PU-117, PE-34B and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ollantaytambo and Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 22, 0.2 mi from the route); Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 190, 0.1 mi from the route); Monasterio Benedictino de la Resurrección de Chucuito (monastery, mile 290, 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.