By road, Yucay and Desaguadero are about 356 miles (573 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 41 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Distance by road | 356 mi (573 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28B → PE-3S → PU-117 → PE-34B |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Puno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Yucay to Desaguadero is like
PE-3S (281 mi) and PE-28B (41 mi) carry about 90% of the 356 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Cusco, Puno. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Yucay to Desaguadero, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-28B | 0–41 | 41 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 41–197 | 156 | Cusco, Puno |
| connecting roads | 197–199 | 2 | Puno |
| PU-117 | 199–203 | 4 | Puno |
| local roads | 203–211 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-34B | 211–222 | 11 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 222–259 | 37 | Puno |
| local roads | 259–267 | 8 | Puno |
| PE-3S | 267–355 | 88 | Puno |
| local roads | 355–356 | 1 | Puno |
- Mile 133 of this route: Cusco → Puno (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Yucay and Desaguadero
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inkariy Museum (mile 8), Ayamachay (mile 89), Raqch'i (mile 96), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 176), Pucará (mile 196), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 265), Molloko (mile 288)
- Museums and history: Inkariy Museum (mile 8), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 14), Ayamachay (mile 89), Raqch'i (mile 96), Templo de San Francisco de Asís (mile 176), Pucará (mile 196), Cathedral Basilica of St. Charles Borromeo, Puno (mile 265), Molloko (mile 288)
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.
Huchuy Qosqo
Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site north of Cusco whose Quechua name means "Little Cusco."
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.
Ayamachay
Ayamachay is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Combapata District of Cusco's Canchis Province, above the left bank of the Salcca River near the village of Oroscocha.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Desaguadero
- Puno to Desaguadero
- Juliaca to Desaguadero
- Chinchero to Desaguadero
- Maras to Desaguadero
- Paucartambo to Desaguadero
- Ollantaytambo to Desaguadero
From Yucay to other places in Peru
- Yucay to Paracas
- Yucay to Kiteni
- Yucay to Lampa
- Yucay to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Yucay to Tiwanaku, Bolivia
- Yucay to Yumani, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Yucay to Desaguadero?
About 10 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 356 miles.
What is the driving distance from Yucay to Desaguadero?
About 356 miles (573 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 Yucay to Desaguadero?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Yucay to Desaguadero?
In order: PE-28B, PE-3S, PU-117 and PE-34B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Yucay and Desaguadero?
Closest to the road: Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 8, 0.1 mi from the route); Raqch'i (archaeological site, mile 96, 0.4 mi from the route); Templo de San Francisco de Asís (cathedral, mile 176, 0.3 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.