By road, Puno and Maras are about 265 miles (427 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 58 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 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.”
| Distance | 265 mi (427 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-28F |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Driving Puno to Maras: the shape of the trip
PE-3S (236 mi) and PE-28F (7 mi) carry about 92% of the 265 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 7 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Puno to Maras, road by road
| 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 | 248–255 | 7 | Cusco |
| local roads | 255–265 | 10 | Cusco |
- Mile 130 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Stops between Puno and Maras
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 27), Pucará (mile 65), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Ayamachay (mile 173), Pikillaqta (mile 220), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 240)
- Museums and history: Pucará (mile 65), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Ayamachay (mile 173), Pikillaqta (mile 220), Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco (mile 240), Cusilluchayoc (mile 240)
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.
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.
Pikillaqta
Pikillaqta, Quechua for "flea place," is a Wari culture archaeological site in Quispicanchi province, in Peru's Cusco region.
Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco
On Plazoleta de las Nazarenas in Cusco's San Blas district, this museum displays some 450 pre-Columbian artworks and artifacts from across Peru, drawn from the Larco Museum collection in Lima.
Cusilluchayoc
Also called the Temple of the Monkeys, Cusilluchayoc is an archaeological site in Cusco, half a kilometer from Kenko, where a large rock carries carved animal figures such as snakes and toads.
In Maras itself
Moray
About 50 km northwest of Cusco and just west of Maras, Moray sits on a plateau at roughly 3,500 meters. Its Inca ruins are mainly terraced circular depressions, the largest about 30 meters deep.
Quispiguanca
Quispiguanca, also written Q'espihuanca or Q'espiwanka, was a royal estate of the Inca emperor Huayna Capac.
Ayawayq'u
Ayawayq'u, also known as Yukay or Kapillayuq, is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Yucay District of Urubamba Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
More drives to Maras
- Abancay to Maras
- Andahuaylas to Maras
- Ayacucho, Peru to Maras
- Nazca to Maras
- Huancavelica to Maras
- Ica to Maras
From Puno to other places in Peru
- Puno to Andahuaylillas
- Puno to Chinchero
- Puno to Yucay
- Puno to Urubamba
- Puno to Paucartambo
- Puno to Ollantaytambo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puno to Maras?
About 6 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 265 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puno to Maras?
About 265 miles (427 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 Puno to Maras?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puno to Maras?
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 Maras?
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.