By road, Sucre and San Rafael de Velasco are about 549 miles (883 km) apart, or roughly 14 h 0 min of driving.
Full advisory: Bolivia. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Many drivers ignore traffic signs and rules.”
| Distance by road | 549 mi (883 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | F5 → F7 → F4 → F17 |
| Departments on the route | Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
The Sucre–San Rafael de Velasco drive in a few lines
F4 (168 mi) and F5 (161 mi) carry about 60% of the 549 miles. It runs through 3 departments: Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Sucre to San Rafael de Velasco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Chuquisaca |
| F5 | 2–163 | 161 | Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz |
| F7 | 163–293 | 130 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 293–302 | 9 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 302–470 | 168 | Santa Cruz |
| F17 | 470–548 | 78 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 548–549 | 1 | Santa Cruz |
- Mile 53 of this route: Chuquisaca → Cochabamba (department line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Cochabamba → Santa Cruz (department line)
Where to stop on the way to San Rafael de Velasco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Fuerte de Samaipata (mile 229), Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 308)
- Nature and outdoors: Curichi La Madre (mile 296), Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 308)
- Museums and history: El Fuerte de Samaipata (mile 229), Museo Artecampo (mile 296), Museo de Historia de Santa Cruz (mile 302), Parque nacional Histórico Santa Cruz La Vieja (mile 467)
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.
Curichi La Madre
Officially a municipal protected area, Curichi La Madre is a wetland within the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in eastern Bolivia.
Museo Artecampo
In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Museo Artecampo showcases Indigenous and folk art from Bolivia's lowlands. It is a project of a cooperative center for research, craft design and marketing.
Museo de Historia de Santa Cruz
Half a block from Plaza 24 de Septiembre, the Museo de Historia de Santa Cruz occupies a heritage Art Nouveau house and is run by Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno.
Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra
The municipal botanical garden of Santa Cruz de la Sierra covers 217 hectares within the city.
Parque nacional Histórico Santa Cruz La Vieja
About 3 km south of San José de Chiquitos, Santa Cruz la Vieja is a historic national park protecting archaeological, historical, and natural features.
More drives to San Rafael de Velasco
- Villa Tunari to San Rafael de Velasco
- Cochabamba to San Rafael de Velasco
- Quillacollo to San Rafael de Velasco
From Sucre to other places in Bolivia
- 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 San Rafael de Velasco?
About 14 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 549 miles.
What is the driving distance from Sucre to San Rafael de Velasco?
About 549 miles (883 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 Sucre to San Rafael de Velasco?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Sucre to San Rafael de Velasco use?
In order: F5, F7, F4 and F17. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Sucre to San Rafael de Velasco?
Closest to the road: El Fuerte de Samaipata (archaeological site, mile 229, 0.7 mi from the route); Curichi La Madre (park, mile 296, 2 mi from the route); Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (botanical garden, mile 308, 0.4 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.