By road, Quillabamba and Tiwanaku, Bolivia are about 489 miles (787 km) apart, or roughly 15 h 16 min of driving. You cross from Peru into Bolivia at about mile 460, 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 | 489 mi (787 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 15 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28B → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B → F1 |
| Border crossing | about mile 460, Peru → Bolivia (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Peru–Bolivia border
The route crosses at about mile 460, 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.
How the Quillabamba to Tiwanaku drive plays out
PE-3S (282 mi) and PE-28B (144 mi) carry about 87% of the 489 miles. The first 460 miles are in Peru; the last 29 are in Bolivia. It runs through 3 regions: Cusco, Puno, La Paz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 9 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Quillabamba and Tiwanaku
| 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 | 369–459 | 90 | Puno |
| connecting roads | 459–460 | 1 | Puno |
| F1 | 460–487 | 27 | La Paz |
| local roads | 487–489 | 2 | La Paz |
- Mile 235 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Puno → La Paz (international border)
What to see on the way from Quillabamba to Tiwanaku
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huamanmarca, La Convención (mile 27), Pinkuylluna (mile 89), Inkariy Museum (mile 111), Urco (mile 111), Raqch'i (mile 198), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 218), Pucará (mile 299), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 367), Molloko (mile 391)
- Museums and history: Huamanmarca, La Convención (mile 27), Pinkuylluna (mile 89), Inkariy Museum (mile 111), Urco (mile 111), Raqch'i (mile 198), Pucará (mile 299), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 367), Molloko (mile 391)
Huamanmarca, La Convención
On the right bank of the Luq'umayu in Huayopata District, La Convención Province, Huamanmarca is an archaeological site in Peru's Cusco region.
Pinkuylluna
Northeast of Ollantaytambo in Cusco's Urubamba Province, Pinkuylluna is an archaeological site on a mountain of the same name, between the Patakancha and Willkanuta rivers.
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.
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.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno
On Puno's Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo was built between 1669 and 1757, with a mestizo Baroque stone facade blending Andean and European art.
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.
Arriving in Tiwanaku
Tiwanaku
Near Lake Titicaca, about 70 km from La Paz, Tiwanaku is a pre-Columbian archaeological site whose surface remains cover around 4 square kilometers, with monumental structures, megalithic blocks and decorated ceramics.
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.
Akapana
At the pre-Columbian site of Tiwanaku in Bolivia's La Paz department, Akapana is an artificial platform mound built in seven levels held by carved sandstone walls.
More drives to Tiwanaku
- Coroico to Tiwanaku
- Chulumani to Tiwanaku
- San Borja to Tiwanaku
- Rurrenabaque to Tiwanaku
- Llallagua to Tiwanaku
- Quillacollo to Tiwanaku
More drives from Quillabamba
- Quillabamba to Ollantaytambo
- Quillabamba to Urubamba
- Quillabamba to Yucay
- Quillabamba to Maras
- Quillabamba to Chinchero
- Quillabamba to Písac
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Quillabamba to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 15 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 489 miles.
What is the driving distance from Quillabamba to Tiwanaku, Bolivia?
About 489 miles (787 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 Quillabamba to Tiwanaku drive cross the border?
At about mile 460, from Peru into Bolivia, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Quillabamba 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 Quillabamba to Tiwanaku 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.
What roads does the drive from Quillabamba to Tiwanaku use?
In order: PE-28B, PE-3S, PU-117, PE-34B and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Quillabamba to Tiwanaku?
Closest to the road: Huamanmarca, La Convención (archaeological site, mile 27, 0.1 mi from the route); Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 111, 0.1 mi from the route); Urco (archaeological site, mile 111, 0.3 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.