Plan on about 13 h 33 min of driving for the 517-mile (832 km) trip from Sucre to Juliaca, Peru, before any stops. You cross from Bolivia into Peru at about mile 398, at Desaguadero.
Full advisory: Bolivia, Peru. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
- Peru: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Total distance | 517 mi (832 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | F6 → F1 → PE-3S |
| Border crossing | about mile 398, Bolivia → Peru (Desaguadero) |
| Regions on the route | Chuquisaca, Potosí, Oruro, La Paz, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Juliaca
The route crosses at about mile 398, at Desaguadero, from La Paz into Puno. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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 Peru | Register the car online first (SUNAT's advance registration for tourist vehicles, valid 10 days), then get the Temporary Entry Certificate (CIT) from customs at the border. |
| 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, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); Government of Peru (gob.pe). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Sucre to Juliaca: the shape of the trip
F1 (212 mi) and F6 (176 mi) carry about 75% of the 517 miles. The first 398 miles are in Bolivia; the last 119 are in Peru. It runs through 5 regions: Chuquisaca, Potosí, Oruro, La Paz, Puno. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Sucre to Juliaca, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Chuquisaca |
| F6 | 6–169 | 163 | Chuquisaca, Potosí, Oruro |
| local roads | 169–173 | 4 | Oruro |
| F6 | 173–186 | 13 | Oruro |
| F1 | 186–398 | 212 | Oruro, La Paz |
| connecting roads | 398–399 | 1 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 399–516 | 117 | Puno |
| local roads | 516–517 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 32 of this route: Chuquisaca → Potosí (region line)
- Mile 157 of this route: Potosí → Oruro (region line)
- Mile 242 of this route: Oruro → La Paz (region line)
- Mile 398 of this route: La Paz → Puno (international border)
What to see on the way from Sucre to Juliaca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pumapunku (mile 372), Inca Uyo (mile 480)
- Nature and outdoors: Mallasa national Park (mile 331)
- Museums and history: Inka Mach'ay (mile 18), Museo Nacional Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas (mile 201), Tama Chullpa (mile 262), Pumapunku (mile 372), Inca Uyo (mile 480)
Inka Mach'ay
At about 3,510 meters in Sucre Municipality, Chuquisaca, Inka Mach'ay is an archaeological site in Bolivia's Oropeza Province.
Museo Nacional Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas
Bolivia's national anthropology museum named for Eduardo López Rivas preserves, studies and shares the archaeological, ethnographic and folk heritage of the Altiplano region.
Arenales de Cochiraya
Northwest of Oruro, the Arenales de Cochiraya are 150 hectares of sand formations at the foot of Cerro San Pedro, protected as cultural and landscape heritage and home to a sand sculpture festival since 2004.
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.
Mallasa national Park
South of La Paz's urban center, Mallasa (now a municipal protected area) is a gently sloping plateau full of eucalyptus trees, with green spaces for sports and outdoor recreation.
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.
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.
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.
Once you reach Juliaca
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.
More drives to Juliaca
More drives from Sucre
- Sucre to Quillacollo
- Sucre to Quime
- Sucre to Tiwanaku
- Sucre to Coroico
- Sucre to Chulumani
- Sucre to San Pedro de Quemes Canton
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Sucre to Juliaca, Peru?
About 13 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 517 miles.
How far is Juliaca, Peru from Sucre by car?
About 517 miles (832 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 Sucre to Juliaca drive cross the border?
At about mile 398, from Bolivia into Peru, at Desaguadero.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Sucre into Peru?
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. A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. (U.S. State Department, updated August 20, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Sucre to Juliaca, Peru?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Sucre to Juliaca?
In order: F6, F1 and PE-3S. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Sucre and Juliaca?
Closest to the road: Akapana (pyramid, mile 370, 1 mi from the route); Pumapunku (archaeological site, mile 372, 0.7 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 480, 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.