Plan on about 13 h 36 min of driving for the 509-mile (819 km) trip from Tacna to Písac, before any stops.
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.”
| Total distance | 509 mi (819 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 36 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 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Tacna to Písac
PE-3S (256 mi) and PE-38A (51 mi) carry about 60% of the 509 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Tacna, Moquegua, Puno, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tacna and Písac
| 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 | 490–509 | 19 | 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)
Where to stop on the way to Písac
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario del Señor de Locumba (mile 58), Inca Uyo (mile 257), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 269), Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (mile 296), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 334), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 354), Raqch'i (mile 435), Pikillaqta (mile 488)
- Museums and history: Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (mile 223), Inca Uyo (mile 257), Carlos Dreyer Museum (mile 269), Pukara Lithic Museum (mile 334), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 354), Raqch'i (mile 435), Pikillaqta (mile 488)
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.
Carlos Dreyer Museum
Puno's Carlos Dreyer Museum (Museo Carlos Dreyer) holds about 1,800 pieces and relics spanning the pre-Inca, Inca, colonial and republican eras, in a building declared part of Peru's national cultural heritage in 1980.
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.
Pukara Lithic Museum
Run by Peru's Ministry of Culture office in Puno, the Pukara Lithic Museum (Museo Lítico de Pukara) in the town of Pucará displays monoliths and stone sculptures of the ancient Pukara culture.
Templo de San Francisco de Asís
Facing Ayaviri's main square, the Templo de San Francisco de Asís is an Andean Baroque church more than three centuries old. Look for its columned facade and 18th-century religious paintings by Isidoro Francisco de Moncada.
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.
Pikillaqta
Pikillaqta, Quechua for "flea place," is a Wari culture archaeological site in Quispicanchi province, in Peru's Cusco region.
Arriving in Písac
Lake Challhuacocha
Inca complex at Písac
Along a mountain ridge above the town of Pisac in the Sacred Valley, this Inca complex has agricultural terraces, residences, watchtowers and a ceremonial center, protected as a national archaeological park since 1983.
Inti Watana, Calca
Inti Watana is an archaeological site in the Pisac District of Cusco's Calca Province, located about 9 kilometers from Písac.
More drives to Písac
- Abancay to Písac
- Andahuaylas to Písac
- Ayacucho, Peru to Písac
- Nazca to Písac
- Huancavelica to Písac
- Huancayo to Písac
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 does it take to drive from Tacna to Písac?
About 13 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 509 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tacna to Písac?
About 509 miles (819 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 Tacna to Písac?
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 Písac 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 Písac?
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); Convento Franciscano de Juliaca (convent, mile 296, 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.