Paucartambo to Chucuito is about 282 road miles (454 km): roughly 8 h 29 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 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.”
| Distance by road | 282 mi (454 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | CU-113 → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Paucartambo–Chucuito drive in a few lines
PE-3S (201 mi) and CU-113 (43 mi) carry about 87% of the 282 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 8 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Paucartambo to Chucuito
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Cusco |
| CU-113 | 1–44 | 43 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 44–46 | 2 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 46–202 | 156 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 202–204 | 2 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 204–209 | 5 | Puno |
| local roads | 209–216 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 216–228 | 12 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 228–264 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 264–272 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 272–281 | 9 | Puno |
| local roads | 281–282 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 138 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Paucartambo and Chucuito
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ninamarca (mile 15), Pikillaqta (mile 48), Raqch'i (mile 102), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 181), Pucará (mile 202), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 202), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 270), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Ninamarca (mile 15), Pikillaqta (mile 48), Raqch'i (mile 102), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 181), Pucará (mile 202), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 202), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 270), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 270)
Ninamarca
Near the village of Ninamaca, southeast of Colquepata in the Cusco Region's Paucartambo Province, Ninamarca is an archaeological site in Peru.
Pikillaqta
Pikillaqta, Quechua for "flea place," is a Wari culture archaeological site in Quispicanchi province, in Peru's Cusco region.
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.
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.
When you get to 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
- Maras to Chucuito
- Ollantaytambo to Chucuito
- Mollepata to Chucuito
From Paucartambo to other places in Peru
- Paucartambo to Yucay
- Paucartambo to Urubamba
- Paucartambo to Chinchero
- Paucartambo to Mollepata
- Paucartambo to Cachora
- Paucartambo to Lampa
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Paucartambo to Chucuito?
About 8 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 282 miles.
How far is Chucuito from Paucartambo by car?
About 282 miles (454 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 Paucartambo to Chucuito?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Paucartambo to Chucuito use?
In order: CU-113, PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Paucartambo to Chucuito?
Closest to the road: Pikillaqta (archaeological site, mile 48, 0.3 mi from the route); Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 181, 0.2 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 202, 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.