Cusco to Puno — La Raya Pass & the Ruta delSol.
Distance
390 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
1,800 m
Cusco to Puno — La Raya Pass & the Ruta del Sol.
The classic high-altiplano crossing on the paved PE-3S, nicknamed the Ruta del Sol. From imperial Cusco it climbs past Inca temples over the 4,335 m La Raya continental divide and down to Lake Titicaca. A long, cold, thin-air day rewarded with endless Andean panoramas and grazing alpaca herds.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance390 km
Days1
Total climb1,800 m
Fuel stops2 along route
DifficultyChallenging
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The route.
CuscoStart · Fill up in Cusco; this is a long high-altitude day. Head south on the PE-3S toward the altiplano.
Raqchi — Temple of WiracochaScenic Point · Inca temple with the tallest surviving adobe walls of the empire. Worth an hour before the big climb.
SicuaniFuel Stop · Last real town and reliable fuel before the pass. Hot lunch here; altiplano cafes are sparse.
Abra La RayaMountain Pass · Continental divide at 4,335 m with snowcapped Chimboya above and the source of the Vilcanota. Layer up — it is cold and windy.
AyaviriScenic Point · Gateway to the Puno altiplano; red-rock formations and alpaca herds line the road.
PukaraPhoto Spot · Home of the ceramic toritos rooftop bulls, with a small lithic museum of the pre-Inca Pukara culture.
JuliacaFuel Stop · Busy commercial hub — top up fuel and ride carefully, the traffic is chaotic.
PunoEnd · Journey ends on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.
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