Cuzco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South America, because it is a gateway to the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. In order to travel from Santa Cruz to Cuzco by bus, you need to divide your trip in at least two segments, as there are no direct trips available. The most efficient way to make the trip is to travel first from Santa Cruz to La Paz and from there to Cuzco, because the quality of the buses is better, as well as the conditions of the roads.
The trip from Santa Cruz to La Paz takes around 17 hours, covering a distance of 851 km. The buses leave from the Bimodal Bus Terminal in Santa Cruz, located on Montes Av. Before boarding the bus, you need to pay a small fee of 2.5 Bolivianos, called Uso de Terminal. After crossing the low-lands of Santa Cruz, the valleys of Cochabamba and climbing to the highlands of the Altiplano region, the buses arrive in La Paz at the bus terminal on Peru Av, on the corner of Uruguay Avenue. You can take your bus to Cuzco from the same bus terminal, and again you must pay a fee of 2.5 Bolivianos for the use of the terminal.
The trip from La Paz to Cuzco takes around 12 hours, depending on the route and bus company you choose, and the distance covered is 640 km. There are two options to make this trip: to take a direct bus that crosses the border in Desaguadero, or to take a bus that stops in Copacabana, with a change of bus there and crossing the border in Kasani. The fisrs option is faster, and the second allows you to enjoy beautiful views of the Lake Titicaca, the sacred lake of the Incas and the highest navigable lake in the world. In any case, you will arrive in Cuzco at the bus terminal located on Avenida de Evitamiento.
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