Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz, Bolivia is about 523 road miles (841 km): roughly 13 h 26 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Bolivia: Chapare Province.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Bolivia. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Some vehicles are not well maintained and may not have lights working at night.”
| Total distance | 523 mi (841 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | F4 → F1 |
| Departments on the route | Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz drive plays out
F4 (394 mi) and F1 (104 mi) carry about 95% of the 523 miles. It runs through 4 departments: Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–8 | 8 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 8–78 | 70 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 78–81 | 3 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 81–126 | 45 | Santa Cruz, Cochabamba |
| local roads | 126–129 | 3 | Cochabamba |
| F4 | 129–408 | 279 | Cochabamba, Oruro |
| connecting roads | 408–410 | 2 | Oruro |
| F1 | 410–514 | 104 | Oruro, La Paz |
| connecting roads | 514–516 | 2 | La Paz |
| local roads | 516–523 | 7 | La Paz |
- Mile 111 of this route: Santa Cruz → Cochabamba (department line)
- Mile 378 of this route: Cochabamba → Oruro (department line)
- Mile 426 of this route: Oruro → La Paz (department line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Cruz de la Sierra and La Paz
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian (mile 290), Chacoma Tombs (mile 508)
- Nature and outdoors: Tunari National Park (mile 301)
- Museums and history: Inkachaka (mile 238), Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian (mile 290), Inka Raqay (mile 307), Tama Chullpa (mile 445)
Inkachaka
Inkachaka (Inka Chaka) is an archaeological site in Bolivia's Cochabamba Department, within the Colomi Municipality of Chapare Province.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian
Standing on Plaza 14 de Septiembre in Cochabamba, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cochabamba.
Tunari National Park
Tunari National Park is a protected national park located in the Cochabamba Department of Bolivia.
Inka Raqay
Inka Raqay is an archaeological site near the community of Linku in Sipe Sipe municipality, Quillacollo Province, Cochabamba Department.
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.
Chacoma Tombs
Found in 2017 on the Altiplano near Chacoma and Mazo Cruz in Viacha municipality, the Chacoma Tombs (Tumbas de Chacoma) are a necropolis of underground, cave-like burial chambers, unlike the region's chullpa burial towers.
Arriving in La Paz
Coca Museum
On Calle Linares in La Paz, Bolivia, the Coca Museum traces the history of the Andean coca plant and its link to the drug cocaine.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, La Paz
Facing Murillo Square, La Paz Cathedral is a cathedral and minor basilica built in 1835 in neoclassical style with Baroque elements.
National Museum of Art, La Paz
Housed in the Palacio Diez de Medina, the National Museum of Art in La Paz keeps a permanent collection of colonial paintings, including canvases by Melchor Pérez de Holguín and Gregorio Gamarra.
From Santa Cruz de la Sierra to other places in Bolivia
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Quillacollo
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Oruro
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Llallagua
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Challapata
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Quime
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz, Bolivia?
About 13 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 523 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz, Bolivia?
About 523 miles (841 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz, Bolivia?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Bolivia: Chapare Province). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to La Paz use?
In order: F4 and F1. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Cruz de la Sierra and La Paz?
Closest to the road: Inkachaka (archaeological site, mile 238, 2 mi from the route); Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian (cathedral, mile 290, 0.7 mi from the route); Chacoma Tombs (necropolis, mile 508, 0.7 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.