By road, Antofagasta and Tacna, Peru are about 483 miles (777 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 33 min of driving. You cross from Chile into Peru at about mile 460.
Full advisory: Chile, Peru. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Total distance | 483 mi (777 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S |
| Border crossing | about mile 460, Chile → Peru |
| Regions on the route | Antofagasta, Tarapacá, Arica y Parinacota, Tacna |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Peru
The route crosses at about mile 460, from Arica y Parinacota into Tacna. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Peru (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for tourist stays of 90 days or less; border officials set your length of stay. Passport: must be valid for at least 6 months after you enter; you need an entry record, such as a passport stamp, even at remote land crossings. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Peru | A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. |
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| The car, entering Peru | Register the car online first (SUNAT's advance registration for tourist vehicles, valid 10 days), then get the Temporary Entry Certificate (CIT) from customs at the border. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); Government of Peru (gob.pe). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Antofagasta to Tacna: the shape of the trip
PE-1S (22 mi) carries about 5% of the 483 miles. The first 460 miles are in Chile; the last 23 are in Peru. It runs through 4 regions: Antofagasta, Tarapacá, Arica y Parinacota, Tacna. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Antofagasta to Tacna
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–460 | 460 | Antofagasta, Tarapacá, Arica y Parinacota |
| PE-1S | 460–482 | 22 | Tacna |
| local roads | 482–483 | 1 | Tacna |
- Mile 165 of this route: Antofagasta → Tarapacá (region line)
- Mile 389 of this route: Tarapacá → Arica y Parinacota (region line)
- Mile 460 of this route: Arica y Parinacota → Tacna (international border)
What to see on the way from Antofagasta to Tacna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguada Algarrobal (mile 80), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 288), Pozos de Dolores (mile 329), Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 422)
- Nature and outdoors: La Chimba National Reserve (mile 8), La Portada (mile 11), Morro Moreno National Park (mile 16), Aguada Algarrobal (mile 80), Pozos de Dolores (mile 329), Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 422), Museo del Mar de Arica (mile 447)
- Museums and history: Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Iquique (mile 258), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 288), Museo del Mar de Arica (mile 447)
La Chimba National Reserve
La Chimba National Reserve is a protected national reserve in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile.
La Portada
Standing on the coast 18 km north of Antofagasta, La Portada is a natural arch protected as one of Chile's natural monuments.
Morro Moreno National Park
Northwest of the city of Antofagasta, Morro Moreno National Park sits on a coastal headland in Chile's Antofagasta Region.
Aguada Algarrobal
The Algarrobal wells (Pozos Algarrobal) are water springs on the coast of the Antofagasta Region, about 2 km south of Cobija.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Iquique
Consecrated in 1882 and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, Iquique Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Iquique in northern Chile.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works are two former saltpeter refineries in northern Chile, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 for the history of saltpeter mining.
Pozos de Dolores
Near the village of Dolores in the Pampa del Tamarugal, the Pozos de Dolores are natural springs where water rises to the surface.
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (Monumento natural Picaflor de Arica) is a natural area protected under Chilean law.
Museo del Mar de Arica
Set on the Sangra pedestrian passage in central Arica, this natural history museum shows about 1,700 species of mollusks and other marine life in 35 display cases and three aquariums.
In Tacna itself
Zela House
Once the home of Francisco Antonio de Zela, a figure in the 1811 Tacna rebellion, Zela House is now a museum on San Martín Avenue in Tacna's historic center.
National Railway Museum
Peru's National Railway Museum in Tacna sits at the old station of the Tacna-Arica railway, the line that connected the two cities.
Tacna Cathedral
Next to the Paseo Cívico on San Martín Avenue, Tacna Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in the center of the city.
More drives to Tacna
More drives from Antofagasta
- Antofagasta to Iquique
- Antofagasta to Arica
- Antofagasta to Putre
- Antofagasta to Caldera
- Antofagasta to Copiapó
- Antofagasta to La Serena
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Antofagasta to Tacna, Peru?
About 11 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 483 miles.
How far is Tacna, Peru from Antofagasta by car?
About 483 miles (777 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.
Where does the Antofagasta to Tacna drive cross the border?
At about mile 460, from Chile into Peru.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Antofagasta into Peru?
No visa needed for tourist stays of 90 days or less; border officials set your length of stay. Passport: must be valid for at least 6 months after you enter; you need an entry record, such as a passport stamp, even at remote land crossings. A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. (U.S. State Department, updated August 20, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Antofagasta to Tacna, Peru?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Antofagasta and Tacna?
Closest to the road: Aguada Algarrobal (spring, mile 80, 0.2 mi from the route); Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (historic site, mile 288, 0.3 mi from the route); Pozos de Dolores (spring, mile 329, 0.4 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.