By road, Puno and Kiteni are about 416 miles (670 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 47 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Total distance | 416 mi (670 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-28B → CU-105 → CU-593 → CU-772 |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Puno to Kiteni: the shape of the trip
PE-3S (219 mi) and PE-28B (82 mi) carry about 72% of the 416 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Puno to Kiteni: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 2–221 | 219 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-28B | 221–251 | 30 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 251–252 | 1 | Cusco |
| CU-105 | 252–266 | 14 | Cusco |
| CU-593 | 266–298 | 32 | Cusco |
| CU-105 | 298–345 | 47 | Cusco |
| local roads | 345–352 | 7 | Cusco |
| CU-772 | 352–360 | 8 | Cusco |
| CU-105 | 360–364 | 4 | Cusco |
| PE-28B | 364–416 | 52 | Cusco |
- Mile 130 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Stops between Puno and Kiteni
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 27), Pucará (mile 65), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 147), Pikillaqta (mile 220)
- Museums and history: Pucará (mile 65), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Pikillaqta (mile 220), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 249), Inkariy Museum (mile 251)
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.
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.
Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar»
Run by the National University of San Marcos, this astronomical observatory serves both educational and tourism purposes and sits at an altitude of 4,027 meters.
Pikillaqta
Pikillaqta, Quechua for "flea place," is a Wari culture archaeological site in Quispicanchi province, in Peru's Cusco region.
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.
Huchuy Qosqo
Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site north of Cusco whose Quechua name means "Little Cusco."
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.
More drives to Kiteni
From Puno to other places in Peru
- Puno to Andahuaylillas
- Puno to Chinchero
- Puno to Yucay
- Puno to Urubamba
- Puno to Maras
- Puno to Paucartambo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puno to Kiteni?
About 11 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 416 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puno to Kiteni?
About 416 miles (670 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 Kiteni 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 Kiteni use?
In order: PE-3S, PE-28B, CU-105, CU-593 and CU-772. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puno and Kiteni?
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); Pikillaqta (archaeological site, mile 220, 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.