Plan on about 7 h 33 min of driving for the 269-mile (433 km) trip from Tacna to Puno, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance by road | 269 mi (433 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → TA-515 → TA-517 → TA-524 → TA-103 → PE-36A → PE-38A → PE-3S |
| Regions on the route | Tacna, Moquegua, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
Driving Tacna to Puno: the shape of the trip
PE-38A (51 mi) and PE-1S (49 mi) carry about 37% of the 269 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Tacna, Moquegua, Puno. Of the 4 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tacna to Puno
| 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 | 234–268 | 34 | Puno |
| local roads | 268–269 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 137 of this route: Tacna → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 147 of this route: Moquegua → Puno (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Puno
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario del Señor de Locumba (mile 58), Molloko (mile 245), Inca Uyo (mile 257)
- Museums and history: Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (mile 223), Molloko (mile 245), Inca Uyo (mile 257)
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.
Molloko
Molloko is an archaeological site in Peru's Puno Province, about 5 kilometers south of the town of Acora, near the village of Molloco.
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.
In Puno itself
Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno
On Puno's Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo was built between 1669 and 1757, with a mestizo Baroque stone facade blending Andean and European art.
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.
More drives to Puno
- Cusco to Puno
- La Paz, Bolivia to Puno, Peru
- Cochabamba to Puno, Peru
- Sucre to Puno, Peru
- Oruro to Puno, Peru
- Potosí to Puno, Peru
From Tacna to other places in Peru
- Tacna to Chucuito
- Tacna to Juliaca
- Tacna to Lampa
- Tacna to La Rinconada
- Tacna to Andahuaylillas
- Tacna to Písac
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tacna to Puno?
About 7 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 269 miles.
How far is Puno from Tacna by car?
About 269 miles (433 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 Puno drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tacna to Puno?
In order: PE-1S, TA-515, TA-517, TA-524, TA-103, PE-36A, PE-38A and PE-3S. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tacna to Puno?
Closest to the road: Santuario del Señor de Locumba (sanctuary, mile 58, 0.1 mi from the route); Molloko (archaeological site, mile 245, 0.7 mi from the route); Inca Uyo (archaeological site, mile 257, 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.