The Wayro route from Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku, Bolivia is 496 miles (799 km), about 13 h 49 min of driving without stops. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 469, 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: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
| Total distance | 496 mi (799 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-30C → PE-34B → PE-3S → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 469, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Madre de Dios, Puno, Cusco, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Getting across the Peru–Bolivia border
The route crosses at about mile 469, 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 Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku: the shape of the trip
PE-34B (218 mi) and PE-3S (127 mi) carry about 70% of the 496 miles. The first 469 miles are in Peru; the last 27 are in Bolivia. It runs through 4 regions: Madre de Dios, Puno, Cusco, La Paz. Of the 5 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Madre de Dios |
| PE-30C | 2–114 | 112 | Madre de Dios, Puno, Cusco |
| PE-34B | 114–332 | 218 | Cusco, Puno |
| PE-3S | 332–369 | 37 | Puno |
| local roads | 369–377 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 377–467 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 467–468 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 468–495 | 27 | Puno, La Paz |
| local roads | 495–496 | 1 | La Paz |
- Mile 99 of this route: Madre de Dios → Puno (region line)
- Mile 106 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
- Mile 116 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 469 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Stops between Puerto Maldonado and Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Chichakuri (mile 194), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 375), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 383), Inca Uyo (mile 386), Molloko (mile 398)
- Museums and history: Chichakuri (mile 194), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 375), Inka Tunuwiri (mile 383), Inca Uyo (mile 386), Molloko (mile 398)
Chichakuri
Stone tombs, walls, houses and squares make up Chichakuri, an archaeological site in Peru whose Quechua-Aymara name refers to the chigoe flea.
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.
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.
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.
Molloko
Molloko is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, about 5 kilometers south of the town of Acora, near the village of Molloco.
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.
Pumapunku
Near Tiwanaku, Pumapunku is a 6th-century T-shaped terraced platform mound with a sunken court, part of the Tiwanaku archaeological complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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 Puerto Maldonado
- Puerto Maldonado to Lampa
- Puerto Maldonado to Chucuito
- Puerto Maldonado to Andahuaylillas
- Puerto Maldonado to Písac
- Puerto Maldonado to Chinchero
- Puerto Maldonado to Yucay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 13 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 496 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 496 miles (799 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 Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 469, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Puerto Maldonado 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 Puerto Maldonado 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.
What roads does the drive from Puerto Maldonado to Tiwanaku use?
In order: PE-30C, PE-34B, PE-3S and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Maldonado and Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Chichakuri (archaeological site, mile 194, 0.2 mi from the route); Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 383, 0.2 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 386, 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.