Plan on about 6 h 32 min of driving for the 275-mile (443 km) trip from Barranca to Paracas, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance | 275 mi (443 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → LM-101 → PE-1S → PE-28 |
| Regions on the route | Lima, Lima Province, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Barranca to Paracas
PE-1S (145 mi) and PE-1N (112 mi) carry about 93% of the 275 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Lima, Lima Province, Ica. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Barranca and Paracas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Lima |
| PE-1N | 2–23 | 21 | Lima |
| LM-101 | 23–30 | 7 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 30–31 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-1N | 31–122 | 91 | Lima, Lima Province |
| PE-1S | 122–267 | 145 | Lima Province, Lima, Ica |
| connecting roads | 267–268 | 1 | Ica |
| PE-28 | 268–275 | 7 | Ica |
- Mile 85 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 155 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 230 of this route: Lima → Ica (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Paracas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Chancay Museum (mile 71), National Museum of Peru (mile 138), La Centinela (mile 240)
- Nature and outdoors: Albufera El Paraíso (mile 37)
- Museums and history: Chancay Museum (mile 71), Huaca Palomino (mile 114), Huaca Canto Chico (mile 118), Huaca El Sauce (mile 119), Museo de la Electricidad (mile 129), National Museum of Peru (mile 138), La Centinela (mile 240)
Albufera El Paraíso
In Huaura Province, in the Lima region, Albufera El Paraíso is a saltwater lagoon where crabs, lizards, great egrets and flamingos live.
Chancay Museum
Chancay's municipal museum opened in 1991 inside the Castillo de Chancay and in 2012 moved to a new home facing the town's Plaza de Armas.
Huaca Palomino
On the left bank of the Rímac River in Lima's Palomino housing area, Huaca Palomino was part of the former Hacienda Pando and is oriented toward a guardian hill on the northern horizon.
Huaca Canto Chico
Covering about 10,000 square meters, Huaca Canto Chico is an archaeological site in the San Juan de Lurigancho district of Lima.
Huaca El Sauce
Huaca El Sauce, also known as Campo Santo Alto, is a pre-Hispanic archaeological complex in Lima's San Juan de Lurigancho district, where the remains of a young woman from Inca times were found.
Museo de la Electricidad
Set in Barranco, Lima, the Museo de la Electricidad is a science museum that presents an overview of electrical research in Peru.
National Museum of Peru
Opened in July 2021 within the Pachacamac archaeological zone in Lurín, the National Museum of Peru is planned to hold pre-Columbian and Inca artifacts dating back to 5,000 BCE.
La Centinela
Between Chincha Baja and Tambo de Mora, La Centinela was the main late settlement of the Chincha lordship and later became the seat of Inca administration in the valley.
When you get to Paracas
Paracas Candelabra
Carved into the northern face of the Paracas Peninsula on Pisco Bay, the Paracas Candelabra is a prehistoric geoglyph; nearby pottery dates to about 200 BCE.
Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello
Inside the Paracas National Reserve, the Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello opened in 1964 and is named for the archaeologist who studied the Paracas culture.
More drives to Paracas
- Lima to Paracas
- Huaral to Paracas
- Huancayo to Paracas
- Huancavelica to Paracas
- Jauja to Paracas
- Churin to Paracas
From Barranca to other places in Peru
- Barranca to Churin
- Barranca to Aguaytía
- Barranca to Tocache
- Barranca to Juanjuí
- Barranca to Tarma
- Barranca to Jauja
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Barranca to Paracas?
About 6 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 275 miles.
How far is Paracas from Barranca by car?
About 275 miles (443 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 Barranca to Paracas?
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 Barranca to Paracas use?
In order: PE-1N, LM-101, PE-1S and PE-28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Barranca to Paracas?
Closest to the road: Chancay Museum (museum, mile 71, 0.4 mi from the route); National Museum of Peru (museum, mile 138, 0.6 mi from the route); La Centinela (archaeological site, mile 240, 0.6 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.