By road, Puno and Quime, Bolivia are about 293 miles (472 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 57 min of driving. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 93, 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: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
| Distance by road | 293 mi (472 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → F1 → F62 |
| Border crossing | about mile 93, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Bolivia
The route crosses at about mile 93, 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 Puno to Quime: the shape of the trip
F1 (139 mi) and PE-3S (90 mi) carry about 78% of the 293 miles. The first 93 miles are in Peru; the last 200 are in Bolivia. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, La Paz. Of the 7 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Puno to Quime
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 2–92 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 92–93 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 93–151 | 58 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 151–152 | 1 | La Paz |
| local roads | 152–157 | 5 | La Paz |
| connecting roads | 157–159 | 2 | La Paz |
| F1 | 159–240 | 81 | La Paz |
| local roads | 240–270 | 30 | La Paz |
| F62 | 270–293 | 23 | La Paz |
- Mile 93 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
Where to stop on the way to Quime
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inka Tunuwiri (mile 7), Inca Uyo (mile 11), Molloko (mile 24), Pumapunku (mile 119), Tiwanaku Site Museum (mile 120)
- Nature and outdoors: Mallasa national Park (mile 157)
- Museums and history: Inka Tunuwiri (mile 7), Inca Uyo (mile 11), Molloko (mile 24), Pumapunku (mile 119), Tiwanaku Site Museum (mile 120), Tama Chullpa (mile 228)
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.
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.
Tiwanaku Site Museum
Next to the Tiwanaku pre-Columbian archaeological site in Tiwanaku, Bolivia, the Tiwanaku Site Museum holds funerary artifacts, ceramic pieces and stone sculptures.
Mallasa national Park
South of La Paz's urban center, Mallasa (now a municipal protected area) is a gently sloping plateau full of eucalyptus trees, with green spaces for sports and outdoor recreation.
Tama Chullpa
On the Bolivian Altiplano near the community of Culli Culli Alto, Tama Chullpa is a necropolis of funerary towers, or chullpas, attributed to the pre-Inca Pacajes culture of the Late Intermediate period.
More drives to Quime
- Tiwanaku to Quime
- Coroico to Quime
- Sorata to Quime
- San Borja to Quime
- Rurrenabaque to Quime
- Llallagua to Quime
More drives from Puno
- Puno to Andahuaylillas
- Puno to Chinchero
- Puno to Yucay
- Puno to Urubamba
- Puno to Maras
- Puno to Paucartambo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puno to Quime, Bolivia?
About 7 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 293 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puno to Quime, Bolivia?
About 293 miles (472 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 Puno to Quime drive cross the border?
At about mile 93, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Puno 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 Puno to Quime 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.
Which highways go from Puno to Quime?
In order: PE-3S, F1 and F62. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puno and Quime?
Closest to the road: Inka Tunuwiri (archaeological site, mile 7, 0.2 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 11, 0.1 mi from the route); Molloko (archaeological site, mile 24, 0.7 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.