By road, Quillabamba and Desaguadero are about 459 miles (738 km) apart, or roughly 14 h 27 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 | 459 mi (738 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 14 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28B → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Quillabamba–Desaguadero drive in a few lines
PE-3S (281 mi) and PE-28B (144 mi) carry about 93% of the 459 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 9 stops listed below, 9 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Quillabamba to Desaguadero, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-28B | 0–144 | 144 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 144–300 | 156 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 300–301 | 1 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 301–306 | 5 | Puno |
| local roads | 306–313 | 7 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 313–325 | 12 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 325–361 | 36 | Puno |
| local roads | 361–369 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 369–458 | 89 | Puno |
| local roads | 458–459 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 235 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
Stops between Quillabamba and Desaguadero
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cochapata (mile 21), Inkapintay (mile 90), Inkariy Museum (mile 111), Urco (mile 111), Raqch'i (mile 198), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 218), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 279), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 341), Inca Uyo (mile 379)
- Museums and history: Cochapata (mile 21), Inkapintay (mile 90), Inkariy Museum (mile 111), Urco (mile 111), Raqch'i (mile 198), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 279), Inca Uyo (mile 379)
Cochapata
Cochapata, also spelled Qochapata, is an archaeological site in Peru's Cusco region, located in Huayopata District of La Convención Province.
Inkapintay
Near Ollantaytambo in Cusco's Urubamba Province, Inkapintay is an archaeological site with a rock painting; its Quechua name means "Inka painting."
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.
Urco
Within the Vilcanota River valley, about 4.8 km from Calca in the Sacred Valley, Urco is an archaeological site occupied from the Late Intermediate Period through the Late Horizon.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Desaguadero
- Puno to Desaguadero
- Juliaca to Desaguadero
- Chinchero to Desaguadero
- Yucay to Desaguadero
- Maras to Desaguadero
- Paucartambo to Desaguadero
From Quillabamba to other places in Peru
- Quillabamba to Ollantaytambo
- Quillabamba to Urubamba
- Quillabamba to Yucay
- Quillabamba to Maras
- Quillabamba to Chinchero
- Quillabamba to Písac
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Quillabamba to Desaguadero?
About 14 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 459 miles.
How far is Desaguadero from Quillabamba by car?
About 459 miles (738 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 Quillabamba to Desaguadero?
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 Quillabamba to Desaguadero use?
In order: PE-28B, PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Quillabamba to Desaguadero?
Closest to the road: Cochapata (archaeological site, mile 21, 0.1 mi from the route); Inkapintay (archaeological site, mile 90, 0.1 mi from the route); Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 111, 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.