By road, Tacna and Ollantaytambo are about 545 miles (877 km) apart, or roughly 14 h 46 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance | 545 mi (877 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → TA-515 → TA-517 → TA-524 → TA-103 → PE-36A → PE-38A → PE-3S → PE-28B |
| Regions on the route | Tacna, Moquegua, Puno, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Tacna to Ollantaytambo drive plays out
PE-3S (256 mi) and PE-28B (54 mi) carry about 57% of the 545 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Tacna, Moquegua, Puno, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Tacna to Ollantaytambo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tacna |
| PE-1S | 1–50 | 49 | Tacna |
| TA-515 | 50–95 | 45 | Tacna |
| local roads | 95–99 | 4 | Tacna |
| TA-517 | 99–104 | 5 | Tacna |
| connecting roads | 104–106 | 2 | Tacna |
| TA-524 | 106–111 | 5 | Tacna |
| TA-103 | 111–139 | 28 | Tacna, Moquegua |
| PE-36A | 139–183 | 44 | Moquegua, Puno |
| PE-38A | 183–234 | 51 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 234–490 | 256 | Puno, Cusco |
| PE-28B | 490–544 | 54 | Cusco |
| local roads | 544–545 | 1 | Cusco |
- Mile 137 of this route: Tacna → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 147 of this route: Moquegua → Puno (region line)
- Mile 399 of this route: Puno → Cusco (region line)
Stops between Tacna and Ollantaytambo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario del Señor de Locumba (mile 58), Inca Uyo (mile 257), Pucará (mile 334), Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar» (mile 415), Raqch'i (mile 435), Urco (mile 522), Inkariy Museum (mile 523)
- Museums and history: Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (mile 223), Inca Uyo (mile 257), Pucará (mile 334), Raqch'i (mile 435), Urco (mile 522), Inkariy Museum (mile 523)
Santuario del Señor de Locumba
Also known as the minor basilica of the Señor de los Pies Quemados, this church in Locumba venerates the Señor de Locumba, an effigy of the crucified Jesus of Nazareth.
Soro Mik'aya Patjxa
Soro Mik'aya Patjxa is a high-altitude archaeological site in the Ilave Basin, about 30 km west of Lake Titicaca's shore, used seasonally by hunter-gatherers for more than a thousand years.
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.
Pucará
Above the highland town of Pucará, this pre-Inca complex of the Pucará culture centers on Kalasaya, a pyramid of stone monoliths with carved human heads jutting from its walls. The Museo Lítico Pucará stands on the main plaza.
Observatorio Astronómico «María Luisa Aguilar»
Run by the National University of San Marcos, this astronomical observatory serves both educational and tourism purposes and sits at an altitude of 4,027 meters.
Raqch'i
Raqch'i, in the Vilcanota valley of Cusco's Canchis province, preserves the Inca temple of Wiracocha, about 92 meters long, along with ceremonial spaces and 156 qolqas, or storehouses, built partly of volcanic stone.
Iglesia de la Recoleta
A Catholic church in Cusco, the Iglesia de la Recoleta has been part of the city's Monumental Zone, declared a Historical Monument of Peru, since 1972.
Urco
Within the Vilcanota River valley, about 4.8 km from Calca in the Sacred Valley, Urco is an archaeological site occupied from the Late Intermediate Period through the Late Horizon.
Inkariy Museum
A private history museum in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the Inkariy Museum lies in Calca district, in Peru's Cusco region.
When you get to Ollantaytambo
Pumamarka, Urubamba
Pumamarka is an archaeological site in the Ollantaytambo District of Urubamba Province, Cusco Region, set where the Patakancha River meets its tributary, the Yuraqmayu.
Inkapintay
Near Ollantaytambo in Cusco's Urubamba Province, Inkapintay is an archaeological site with a rock painting; its Quechua name means "Inka painting."
Pinkuylluna
Northeast of Ollantaytambo in Cusco's Urubamba Province, Pinkuylluna is an archaeological site on a mountain of the same name, between the Patakancha and Willkanuta rivers.
More drives to Ollantaytambo
- Abancay to Ollantaytambo
- Andahuaylas to Ollantaytambo
- Ayacucho, Peru to Ollantaytambo
- Nazca to Ollantaytambo
- Huancavelica to Ollantaytambo
- Ica to Ollantaytambo
From Tacna to other places in Peru
- Tacna to Chucuito
- Tacna to Puno
- Tacna to Juliaca
- Tacna to Lampa
- Tacna to La Rinconada
- Tacna to Andahuaylillas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tacna to Ollantaytambo?
About 14 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 545 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tacna to Ollantaytambo?
About 545 miles (877 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 Tacna to Ollantaytambo drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tacna to Ollantaytambo use?
In order: PE-1S, TA-515, TA-517, TA-524, TA-103, PE-36A, PE-38A, PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tacna to Ollantaytambo?
Closest to the road: Santuario del Señor de Locumba (sanctuary, mile 58, 0.1 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 257, 0.2 mi from the route); Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 523, 0.1 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.