The Wayro route from Samaipata to Putre, Chile is 559 miles (899 km), about 14 h 26 min of driving without stops. You cross from Bolivia into Chile at about mile 520.
Full advisory: Bolivia, Chile. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
| Total distance | 559 mi (899 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 14 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | F7 → F48 → D4303 → F4 → F1 → A-149 |
| Border crossing | about mile 520, Bolivia → Chile |
| Regions on the route | Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz, Arica y Parinacota |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
The border on the way to Putre
The route crosses at about mile 520, from Oruro into Arica y Parinacota. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Samaipata–Putre drive in a few lines
F7 (220 mi) and F4 (214 mi) carry about 78% of the 559 miles. The first 520 miles are in Bolivia; the last 39 are in Chile. It runs through 5 regions: Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz, Arica y Parinacota. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Samaipata to Putre: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Santa Cruz |
| F7 | 1–221 | 220 | Santa Cruz, Cochabamba |
| connecting roads | 221–226 | 5 | Cochabamba |
| F48 | 226–237 | 11 | Cochabamba |
| D4303 | 237–247 | 10 | Cochabamba |
| F4 | 247–345 | 98 | Cochabamba, Oruro |
| connecting roads | 345–347 | 2 | Oruro |
| F1 | 347–400 | 53 | Oruro, La Paz |
| connecting roads | 400–402 | 2 | La Paz |
| F4 | 402–518 | 116 | La Paz, Oruro |
| local roads | 518–554 | 36 | Oruro, Arica y Parinacota |
| A-149 | 554–558 | 4 | Arica y Parinacota |
| local roads | 558–559 | 1 | Arica y Parinacota |
- Mile 89 of this route: Santa Cruz → Cochabamba (region line)
- Mile 316 of this route: Cochabamba → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 363 of this route: Oruro → La Paz (region line)
- Mile 449 of this route: La Paz → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 520 of this route: Oruro → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
Places worth a stop between Samaipata and Putre
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Silos de Tukipaya (mile 76)
- Nature and outdoors: Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco (mile 220), Sajama National Park (mile 503), Chungará Lake (mile 526), Lauca National Park (mile 540)
- Museums and history: Silos de Tukipaya (mile 76), Tama Chullpa (mile 383), Kuntur Amaya (mile 416)
Silos de Tukipaya
About 2 km northwest of Comarapa in Santa Cruz department, the Silos de Tukipaya are an archaeological site at the edge of the Comarapa valley, on old routes toward Pocona and Mizque.
Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco
Known for its leafy, old carob trees, the Bosque de Algarrobos de Tiataco is a municipal protected area in Arbieto, Cochabamba, where the traditional Wallunk'a and Mast'aku celebrations take place.
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.
Kuntur Amaya
Kuntur Amaya is an archaeological site in Bolivia's La Paz Department, located in Aroma Province within Umala Municipality, near the community of Wayllani.
Sajama National Park
In Bolivia's Oruro Department, Sajama National Park is a protected area that shares a border with Chile's Lauca National Park.
Chungará Lake
At 4,517 meters on the Altiplano of the Arica y Parinacota Region, Chungará Lake lies inside Lauca National Park and covers about 22 square kilometers.
Lauca National Park
In Chile's Norte Grande, Lauca National Park covers 1,379 km² of Andean altiplano and mountains, most of them large volcanoes.
More drives to Putre
- Iquique to Putre
- Calama to Putre
- Antofagasta to Putre
- Arequipa to Putre, Chile
- Quillacollo to Putre, Chile
- Llallagua to Putre, Chile
More drives from Samaipata
- Samaipata to Challapata
- Samaipata to San Juan, Bolivia
- Samaipata to Chochís
- Samaipata to Santiago de Chiquitos
- Samaipata to Passo do Lontra, Brazil
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Samaipata to Putre, Chile?
About 14 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 559 miles.
What is the driving distance from Samaipata to Putre, Chile?
About 559 miles (899 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 Samaipata to Putre drive cross the border?
At about mile 520, from Bolivia into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Samaipata into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Samaipata to Putre, Chile?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Samaipata to Putre?
In order: F7, F48, D4303, F4, F1 and A-149. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Samaipata and Putre?
Closest to the road: Silos de Tukipaya (archaeological site, mile 76, 0.2 mi from the route); Kuntur Amaya (archaeological site, mile 416, 1 mi from the route); Chungará Lake (lake, mile 526, 2 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.