Cajamarca to Casma is about 297 road miles (478 km): roughly 7 h 2 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance by road | 297 mi (478 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-08 → LI-571 → LI-585 → PE-1N → PE-1NQ |
| Regions on the route | Cajamarca, La Libertad, Áncash |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
What the drive from Cajamarca to Casma is like
PE-1N (141 mi) and PE-08 (102 mi) carry about 82% of the 297 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Cajamarca, La Libertad, Áncash. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cajamarca and Casma
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Cajamarca |
| PE-08 | 1–103 | 102 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 103–106 | 3 | Cajamarca, La Libertad |
| LI-571 | 106–111 | 5 | La Libertad |
| LI-585 | 111–117 | 6 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 117–121 | 4 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 121–172 | 51 | La Libertad |
| local roads | 172–182 | 10 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 182–250 | 68 | La Libertad |
| PE-1NQ | 250–273 | 23 | La Libertad, Áncash |
| connecting roads | 273–275 | 2 | Áncash |
| PE-1N | 275–297 | 22 | Áncash |
- Mile 104 of this route: Cajamarca → La Libertad (region line)
- Mile 252 of this route: La Libertad → Áncash (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cajamarca and Casma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huaca Takaynamo (mile 177)
- Museums and history: Huaca Takaynamo (mile 177), Chan Chan (mile 180), Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto (mile 267)
Swamps of Huanchaco
Also called the Wetlands of Huanchaco, this reserve at Huanchaco Beach, about 14 km northwest of Trujillo, supplied the reeds that the Moche used to build caballitos de totora fishing boats.
Huaca Takaynamo
An archaeological site in Peru, Huaca Takaynamo was built during the Early Chimú period.
Chan Chan
Five kilometers west of Trujillo, Chan Chan was the capital of the pre-Columbian Chimor kingdom and is now an archaeological site in the La Libertad region.
Huaca de la Luna
Built mainly by the Moche people, Huaca de la Luna is an adobe brick structure about 4 kilometers from Trujillo, near the mouth of the Moche River.
Ochiputur hillock
Ochiputur hillock (Loma Ochiputur) is a coastal hill in the Salaverry district of Trujillo province, in Peru's La Libertad region.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto
Facing the Plaza de Armas of Nuevo Chimbote, this cathedral (Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Pedro Apóstol) covers about 2,000 square meters and holds 1,600 people.
Once you reach Casma
Sechin Alto
Dating to the Early Formative period, Sechin Alto is a massive architectural complex in Casma Province, Ancash, on the left bank of the Sechín River east of the town of Sechín.
Cerro Sechín
Cerro Sechín is an archaeological site in Casma Province, Áncash Region, dating to around 1600 BC. Peruvian archaeologists Julio C. Tello and Toribio Mejía Xesspe found it in July 1937.
Sechin Bajo
In the Sechín River valley about 12 km from the Pacific and 330 km northwest of Lima, Sechin Bajo is an archaeological site with ruins dating from 3500 to 1300 BCE.
More drives to Casma
- Barranca to Casma
- Huaral to Casma
- Lima to Casma
- Cerro de Pasco to Casma
- Huánuco to Casma
- Tocache to Casma
From Cajamarca to other places in Peru
- Cajamarca to Sullana
- Cajamarca to Moyobamba
- Cajamarca to Caraz
- Cajamarca to Huaraz
- Cajamarca to Máncora
- Cajamarca to Barranca
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cajamarca to Casma?
About 7 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 297 miles.
How far is Casma from Cajamarca by car?
About 297 miles (478 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cajamarca to Casma drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cajamarca to Casma?
In order: PE-08, LI-571, LI-585, PE-1N and PE-1NQ. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cajamarca to Casma?
Closest to the road: Huaca Takaynamo (archaeological site, mile 177, 0.1 mi from the route); Huaca de la Luna (step pyramid, mile 183, 2 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto (cathedral, mile 267, 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.