By road, Arequipa and Iquique, Chile are about 449 miles (722 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 41 min of driving. You cross from Peru into Chile at about mile 246.
Full advisory: Peru, Chile. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
- 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.”
| Distance by road | 449 mi (722 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-34A → PE-34 → PE-1SD → TA-643 → TA-644 → TA-645 |
| Border crossing | about mile 246, Peru → Chile |
| Regions on the route | Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Crossing from Peru into Chile
The route crosses at about mile 246, from Tacna into Arica y Parinacota. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| 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, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Arequipa–Iquique drive in a few lines
PE-1SD (84 mi) and PE-34 (34 mi) carry about 26% of the 449 miles. The first 246 miles are in Peru; the last 203 are in Chile. It runs through 5 regions: Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Arequipa to Iquique, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Arequipa |
| PE-34A | 4–26 | 22 | Arequipa |
| local roads | 26–35 | 9 | Arequipa |
| PE-34 | 35–69 | 34 | Arequipa |
| PE-1SD | 69–153 | 84 | Arequipa, Moquegua |
| local roads | 153–224 | 71 | Moquegua, Tacna |
| TA-643 | 224–235 | 11 | Tacna |
| TA-644 | 235–240 | 5 | Tacna |
| TA-645 | 240–244 | 4 | Tacna |
| connecting roads | 244–245 | 1 | Tacna |
| local roads | 245–449 | 204 | Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá |
- Mile 124 of this route: Arequipa → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 173 of this route: Moquegua → Tacna (region line)
- Mile 246 of this route: Tacna → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
- Mile 318 of this route: Arica y Parinacota → Tarapacá (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Iquique
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 283), Pozos de Dolores (mile 377), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 418)
- Nature and outdoors: Museo del Mar de Arica (mile 258), Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 283), Pozos de Dolores (mile 377)
- Museums and history: Islay (mile 69), Faro Concordia (mile 240), Morro de Arica (mile 258), Museo del Mar de Arica (mile 258), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 418)
Islay
In the industrial heart of Matarani, Pueblo Viejo de Islay holds the ruins of a port town founded on August 30, 1827, as Arequipa's main port, replacing Quilca.
Faro Concordia
In Chile's far north in the Arica y Parinacota Region, Faro Concordia is a border lighthouse with a pyramid-shaped metal tower painted in red and white bands.
Morro de Arica
Rising steeply from Arica and the sea to 139 meters above sea level, Morro de Arica is a headland with a gentler slope on its eastern side.
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.
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (Monumento natural Picaflor de Arica) is a natural area protected under Chilean law.
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.
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.
When you get to Iquique
Museo Regional de Iquique
Museo Regional de Iquique is a museum in the city of Iquique, Chile, run by the city's Municipal Corporation for Social Development since 1982.
Municipal Theatre of Iquique
A national monument facing Plaza Arturo Prat, the Municipal Theatre of Iquique was built and opened in 1889, during the boom years of the nitrate industry.
Faro Serrano
Also known as Faro Península Serrano or the old Iquique lighthouse, Faro Serrano is an active lighthouse on the Iquique roadstead in Chile's Tarapacá Region.
More drives to Iquique
- Arica to Iquique
- Antofagasta to Iquique
- Tacna to Iquique, Chile
- Juliaca to Iquique, Chile
- La Paz, Bolivia to Iquique, Chile
- Cochabamba to Iquique, Chile
More drives from Arequipa
- Arequipa to Chucuito
- Arequipa to Desaguadero
- Arequipa to Cusco
- Arequipa to Písac
- Arequipa to Chinchero
- Arequipa to Yucay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Arequipa to Iquique, Chile?
About 10 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 449 miles.
What is the driving distance from Arequipa to Iquique, Chile?
About 449 miles (722 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 Arequipa to Iquique drive cross the border?
At about mile 246, from Peru into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Arequipa into Chile?
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. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Arequipa to Iquique drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Arequipa to Iquique use?
In order: PE-34A, PE-34, PE-1SD, TA-643, TA-644 and TA-645. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Arequipa to Iquique?
Closest to the road: Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (nature area, mile 283, 0.4 mi from the route); Pozos de Dolores (spring, mile 377, 0.2 mi from the route); Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (historic site, mile 418, 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.