By road, Puno and Yucay are about 262 miles (422 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 45 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Distance by road | 262 mi (422 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → PE-28B |
| Regions on the route | Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Puno to Yucay drive plays out
PE-3S (219 mi) and PE-28B (41 mi) carry about 99% of the 262 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Puno, Cusco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Puno to Yucay
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 2–221 | 219 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-28B | 221–262 | 41 | Cusco |
- Mile 130 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Puno and Yucay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 27), Pucará (mile 65), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Raqch'i (mile 165), Ayamachay (mile 173), Rumicolca (mile 219), Inkariy Museum (mile 254)
- Museums and history: Pucará (mile 65), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 66), Raqch'i (mile 165), Ayamachay (mile 173), Rumicolca (mile 219), 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.
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.
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.
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.
Rumicolca
Rumicolca is an archaeological site in Peru's Cusco Region, found in Lucre District of Quispicanchi Province.
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.
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 Yucay
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.
Chupani
Chupani is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the Urubamba district north of Cusco, declared national cultural heritage in 2011 and covering about 23 hectares.
More drives to Yucay
- Andahuaylas to Yucay
- Ayacucho, Peru to Yucay
- Nazca to Yucay
- Huancavelica to Yucay
- Huacachina to Yucay
- Huancayo to Yucay
From Puno to other places in Peru
- Puno to Andahuaylillas
- Puno to Chinchero
- Puno to Urubamba
- Puno to Maras
- Puno to Paucartambo
- Puno to Ollantaytambo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puno to Yucay?
About 6 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 262 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puno to Yucay?
About 262 miles (422 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 Yucay 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 Yucay use?
In order: PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Puno to Yucay?
Closest to the road: Pukara Lithic Museum (museum, mile 66, 0.2 mi from the route); Rumicolca (archaeological site, mile 219, 0.1 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.