By road, Arequipa and Yucay are about 324 miles (522 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 55 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 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.”
| Total distance | 324 mi (522 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | AR-116 → PE-34E → CU-130 → CU-126 → PE-34F → CU-1627 → CU-117 → PE-3S → PE-28B |
| Regions on the route | Arequipa, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Arequipa to Yucay drive plays out
PE-34E (127 mi) and CU-130 (43 mi) carry about 52% of the 324 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Arequipa, Cusco. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Arequipa to Yucay: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Arequipa |
| AR-116 | 4–37 | 33 | Arequipa |
| PE-34E | 37–164 | 127 | Arequipa, Cusco |
| connecting roads | 164–167 | 3 | Cusco |
| CU-130 | 167–210 | 43 | Cusco |
| CU-126 | 210–224 | 14 | Cusco |
| PE-34F | 224–231 | 7 | Cusco |
| CU-1627 | 231–243 | 12 | Cusco |
| CU-117 | 243–246 | 3 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 246–283 | 37 | Cusco |
| PE-28B | 283–324 | 41 | Cusco |
- Mile 122 of this route: Arequipa → Cusco (region line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Cusco → Arequipa (region line)
- Mile 135 of this route: Arequipa → Cusco (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Arequipa and Yucay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Urco (mile 316), Inkariy Museum (mile 316)
- Museums and history: Ayamachay (mile 231), Inca complex at Písac (mile 303), Qhapaq Kancha (mile 306), Huchuy Qosqo (mile 311), Urco (mile 316), Inkariy Museum (mile 316)
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.
Inca complex at Písac
Along a mountain ridge above the town of Pisac in the Sacred Valley, this Inca complex has agricultural terraces, residences, watchtowers and a ceremonial center, protected as a national archaeological park since 1983.
Qhapaq Kancha
Qhapaq Kancha is an Inca-period archaeological site on top of a mountain of the same name in Coya District, Calca Province, Cusco Region.
Huchuy Qosqo
Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site north of Cusco whose Quechua name means "Little Cusco."
Urco
Within the Vilcanota River valley, about 4.8 km from Calca in the Sacred Valley, Urco is an archaeological site occupied from the Late Intermediate Period through the Late Horizon.
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.
Once you reach Yucay
Yanacocha
Sitting at about 3,951 meters in the Urubamba Province of Cusco, Yanacocha is a lake roughly 240 meters long and 14 meters deep.
Kellococha
Kellococha is a lake in the Huayllabamba District of Urubamba Province, Cusco Region, known for its polylepis woods, which also grow at neighboring Yanacocha lake.
Ayawayq'u
Ayawayq'u, also known as Yukay or Kapillayuq, is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Yucay District of Urubamba Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
More drives to Yucay
- Andahuaylas to Yucay
- Ayacucho, Peru to Yucay
- Nazca to Yucay
- Huancavelica to Yucay
- Huacachina to Yucay
- Huancayo to Yucay
From Arequipa to other places in Peru
- Arequipa to Chucuito
- Arequipa to Desaguadero
- Arequipa to Cusco
- Arequipa to Písac
- Arequipa to Chinchero
- Arequipa to Urubamba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Arequipa to Yucay?
About 9 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 324 miles.
What is the driving distance from Arequipa to Yucay?
About 324 miles (522 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 Arequipa to Yucay?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Arequipa to Yucay use?
In order: AR-116, PE-34E, CU-130, CU-126, PE-34F, CU-1627, CU-117, PE-3S and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Arequipa and Yucay?
Closest to the road: Huchuy Qosqo (archaeological site, mile 311, 1 mi from the route); Urco (archaeological site, mile 316, 0.4 mi from the route); Inkariy Museum (museum, mile 316, 0.2 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.