The Wayro route from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni is 522 miles (840 km), about 13 h 38 min of driving without stops.
Full advisory: 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.”
| Distance | 522 mi (840 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | F7 → F5 |
| Departments on the route | Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Potosí |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
How the Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni drive plays out
F5 (381 mi) and F7 (126 mi) carry about 97% of the 522 miles. It runs through 4 departments: Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Potosí. Of the 4 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Santa Cruz |
| F7 | 9–135 | 126 | Santa Cruz |
| F5 | 135–391 | 256 | Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Potosí |
| local roads | 391–395 | 4 | Potosí |
| connecting roads | 395–396 | 1 | Potosí |
| F5 | 396–521 | 125 | Potosí |
| local roads | 521–522 | 1 | Potosí |
- Mile 152 of this route: Santa Cruz → Cochabamba (department line)
- Mile 247 of this route: Cochabamba → Chuquisaca (department line)
- Mile 329 of this route: Chuquisaca → Potosí (department line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Uyuni
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Fuerte de Samaipata (mile 71), Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre (mile 300), La Glorieta castle (mile 304)
- Museums and history: El Fuerte de Samaipata (mile 71), Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre (mile 300), La Glorieta castle (mile 304), Cathedral Basilica of Potosí (mile 396)
El Fuerte de Samaipata
El Fuerte de Samaipata is a pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Andean foothills of Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre
Sucre's Metropolitan Cathedral, also called the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, was built between 1559 and 1712 in the city once known as La Plata.
La Glorieta castle
On the outskirts of Sucre, La Glorieta castle is a Bolivian national monument that was the seat of the principality of La Glorieta, founded by Clotilde Urioste and Francisco Argandoña Revilla.
Cathedral Basilica of Potosí
On Plaza 10 de Noviembre in central Potosí, the Cathedral Basilica of Potosí is a minor basilica with baroque and neoclassical colonial influences and a stone facade.
More drives to Uyuni
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 La Paz, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni?
About 13 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 522 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni?
About 522 miles (840 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni?
In order: F7 and F5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni?
Closest to the road: El Fuerte de Samaipata (archaeological site, mile 71, 0.7 mi from the route); Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre (basilica, mile 300, 0.2 mi from the route); La Glorieta castle (museum, mile 304, 0.2 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.