Puno to Urubamba is about 264 road miles (425 km): roughly 6 h 50 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 | 264 mi (425 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-28B |
| 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 | 8 |
On the road from Puno to Urubamba
PE-3S (219 mi) and PE-28B (43 mi) carry about 99% of the 264 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Puno to Urubamba: 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 | 221–264 | 43 | Cusco |
- Mile 130 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Places worth a stop between Puno and Urubamba
- 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), Choquepuquio (mile 220), Inkariy Museum (mile 254)
- Museums and history: Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 86), Raqch'i (mile 165), Choquepuquio (mile 220), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 249), Inkariy Museum (mile 254)
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.
Choquepuquio
Choquepuquio is an extensive Wari archaeological site in the Cusco valley, in Lucre District near the village of Huacarpay and the lake of the same name.
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.
When you get to Urubamba
Kellococha
Kellococha is a lake in the Huayllabamba District of Urubamba Province, Cusco Region, known for its polylepis woods, which also grow at neighboring Yanacocha lake.
Yanacocha
Sitting at about 3,951 meters in the Urubamba Province of Cusco, Yanacocha is a lake roughly 240 meters long and 14 meters deep.
Quispiguanca
Quispiguanca, also written Q'espihuanca or Q'espiwanka, was a royal estate of the Inca emperor Huayna Capac.
More drives to Urubamba
- Ayacucho, Peru to Urubamba
- Huancavelica to Urubamba
- Huancayo to Urubamba
- Jauja to Urubamba
- Paucartambo to Urubamba
- Quillabamba to Urubamba
From Puno to other places in Peru
- Puno to Andahuaylillas
- Puno to Chinchero
- Puno to Yucay
- Puno to Maras
- Puno to Paucartambo
- Puno to Ollantaytambo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puno to Urubamba?
About 6 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 264 miles.
How far is Urubamba from Puno by car?
About 264 miles (425 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 Urubamba 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 Urubamba use?
In order: PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puno and Urubamba?
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); Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 254, 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.