The Wayro route from Paucartambo to Tiwanaku, Bolivia is 392 miles (631 km), about 11 h 37 min of driving without stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 364, 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: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Distance | 392 mi (631 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | CU-113 → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 364, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Peru into Bolivia
The route crosses at about mile 364, 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.
On the road from Paucartambo to Tiwanaku
PE-3S (282 mi) and CU-113 (43 mi) carry about 83% of the 392 miles. The first 364 miles are in Peru; the last 28 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 8 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Paucartambo to Tiwanaku: the road sequence
| 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 | 272–362 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 362–364 | 2 | Puno |
| F1 | 364–390 | 26 | La Paz |
| local roads | 390–392 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 139 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 364 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
What to see on the way from Paucartambo to Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ninamarca (mile 15), Choquepuquio (mile 47), Ayamachay (mile 94), Pucará (mile 202), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 202), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 244), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 270), Inca Uyo (mile 281)
- Museums and history: Ninamarca (mile 15), Choquepuquio (mile 47), Ayamachay (mile 94), Pucará (mile 202), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 202), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 270), Inca Uyo (mile 281)
Ninamarca
Near the village of Ninamaca, southeast of Colquepata in the Cusco Region's Paucartambo Province, Ninamarca is an archaeological site in Peru.
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.
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.
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.
When you get to Tiwanaku
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.
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.
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 Paucartambo
- Paucartambo to Yucay
- Paucartambo to Urubamba
- Paucartambo to Chinchero
- Paucartambo to Mollepata
- Paucartambo to Cachora
- Paucartambo to Lampa
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Paucartambo to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 11 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 392 miles.
How far is Tiwanaku, Bolivia from Paucartambo by car?
About 392 miles (631 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 Paucartambo to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 364, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Paucartambo 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 Paucartambo 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 Paucartambo to Tiwanaku use?
In order: CU-113, 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 Paucartambo and Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 202, 0.2 mi from the route); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 244, 0.2 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 281, 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.