Puno to Chinchero is about 260 road miles (419 km): roughly 6 h 46 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.”
| Total distance | 260 mi (419 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-28F |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Puno to Chinchero drive plays out
PE-3S (236 mi) and PE-28F (11 mi) carry about 95% of the 260 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 6 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Puno to Chinchero: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 2–231 | 229 | Puno, Cusco |
| local roads | 231–239 | 8 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 239–241 | 2 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 241–248 | 7 | Cusco |
| PE-28F | 248–259 | 11 | Cusco |
| local roads | 259–260 | 1 | Cusco |
- Mile 130 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Places worth a stop between Puno and Chinchero
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 27), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 86), Raqch'i (mile 165), Puqro (mile 243)
- Museums and history: Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 86), Raqch'i (mile 165), Puqro (mile 243), Balcón del Diablo (mile 243)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Puqro
Puqro is an Inca-era archaeological site within the Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Park in Cusco, once part of a water system linked to the Qhalispuquio shrine and the Sisikancha.
Balcón del Diablo
On the right bank of the Chakan River, the Devil's Balcony (Balcón del Diablo) is an archaeological site set on a large rock formation.
In Chinchero itself
Lake Piuray
Lake Piuray (Laguna Piuray) lies in the Chinchero district of Cusco, in the Vilcanota range. Its deep blue water is fed by several streams, including the Pongobamba and Huila Huila.
Machu Colca
A few minutes outside Chinchero, Machu Colca (Machu Qollqa) is an archaeological site in Huayllabamba District, Urubamba Province, Cusco Region.
More drives to Chinchero
- Písac to Chinchero
- Abancay to Chinchero
- Andahuaylas to Chinchero
- Ayacucho, Peru to Chinchero
- Nazca to Chinchero
- Ica to Chinchero
From Puno to other places in Peru
- Puno to Andahuaylillas
- Puno to Yucay
- Puno to Urubamba
- Puno to Maras
- Puno to Paucartambo
- Puno to Ollantaytambo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puno to Chinchero?
About 6 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 260 miles.
How far is Chinchero from Puno by car?
About 260 miles (419 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Puno to Chinchero drive?
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 Puno to Chinchero use?
In order: PE-3S and PE-28F. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Puno to Chinchero?
Closest to the road: Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 27, 0.3 mi from the route); Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 66, 0.2 mi from the route); Raqch'i (archaeological site, mile 165, 0.4 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.