By road, Caraz and La Merced are about 401 miles (646 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 1 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Distance | 401 mi (646 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3N → HU-109 → HU-1139 → HU-110 → HU-1163 → PA-504 → PA-506 → PA-102 → JU-105 → PE-22B |
| Regions on the route | Áncash, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Caraz to La Merced: the shape of the trip
PE-3N (210 mi) and PE-22B (38 mi) carry about 62% of the 401 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Áncash, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Caraz to La Merced: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Áncash |
| PE-3N | 1–160 | 159 | Áncash, Huánuco |
| HU-109 | 160–190 | 30 | Huánuco |
| HU-1139 | 190–208 | 18 | Huánuco |
| HU-110 | 208–214 | 6 | Huánuco |
| HU-1163 | 214–229 | 15 | Huánuco, Pasco |
| PA-504 | 229–234 | 5 | Pasco |
| PA-506 | 234–242 | 8 | Pasco |
| connecting roads | 242–244 | 2 | Pasco |
| PA-102 | 244–281 | 37 | Pasco |
| connecting roads | 281–286 | 5 | Pasco |
| PE-3N | 286–337 | 51 | Pasco, Junín |
| JU-105 | 337–363 | 26 | Junín |
| PE-22B | 363–401 | 38 | Junín |
- Mile 137 of this route: Áncash → Huánuco (region line)
- Mile 223 of this route: Huánuco → Pasco (region line)
- Mile 306 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
What to see on the way from Caraz to La Merced
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huaricoto (mile 27), Huaca Yarushpampa (mile 239)
- Nature and outdoors: Huascarán National Park (mile 38), Junín National Reserve (mile 302), Catarata de Pacchacoto (mile 343)
- Museums and history: Huaricoto (mile 27), Sala de exhibición del Monumento Arqueológico de Willkawaín (mile 40), Huancajirca (mile 42), Jecosh (mile 61), Huánuco Pampa (mile 162), Huaca Yarushpampa (mile 239)
Huaricoto
In Marcará district of Áncash, Huaricoto holds the remains of a ceremonial center used from the Late Archaic through the Formative period, about 2800 to 200 BC.
Huascarán National Park
Protecting most of the Cordillera Blanca in the Ancash region, Huascarán National Park covers about 840,000 acres of the central Andes and is managed by Peru's SERNANP.
Sala de exhibición del Monumento Arqueológico de Willkawaín
This small exhibition hall in the Independencia district of Huaraz displays ceramics recovered from the Willkawaín archaeological site.
Huancajirca
Near Huaraz in the Áncash region, Huancajirca (Huanca Jirca) is an archaeological site with evidence of occupation in the Early Horizon and Middle Horizon periods.
Jecosh
Jecosh is an archaeological site in the Ticapampa District of Recuay Province, Peru, lying at roughly 3,649 meters above sea level.
Huánuco Pampa
Also known as Huánuco Viejo, Huánuco Pampa is a large archaeological site in La Unión District whose ruins sit on a plateau above the Vizcarra River in the central Andes.
Huaca Yarushpampa
On the right bank of the Huarautambo River in Astobamba, Pasco region, Huaca Yarushpampa (Sitio arqueológico Yarushpampa) is an archaeological site.
Junín National Reserve
Junín National Reserve protects Lake Junín and the surrounding wet puna of the central Andes, along with its ecosystem and wildlife, in Peru's Junín region.
Catarata de Pacchacoto
Catarata de Pacchacoto is a waterfall in San Pedro de Cajas district, Tarma Province, in Peru's Junín department.
More drives to La Merced
- Jauja to La Merced
- Lima to La Merced
- Tocache to La Merced
- Juanjuí to La Merced
- Tarapoto to La Merced
- Huancavelica to La Merced
From Caraz to other places in Peru
- Caraz to Huanchaco
- Caraz to Malabrigo
- Caraz to Churin
- Caraz to Aguaytía
- Caraz to Oxapampa
- Caraz to Satipo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Caraz to La Merced?
About 11 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 401 miles.
What is the driving distance from Caraz to La Merced?
About 401 miles (646 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 Caraz to La Merced?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Caraz to La Merced?
In order: PE-3N, HU-109, HU-1139, HU-110, HU-1163, PA-504, PA-506, PA-102, JU-105 and PE-22B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Caraz to La Merced?
Closest to the road: Huaricoto (archaeological site, mile 27, 0.4 mi from the route); Jecosh (archaeological site, mile 61, 1 mi from the route); Huaca Yarushpampa (archaeological site, mile 239, 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.