Plan on about 6 h 4 min of driving for the 224-mile (360 km) trip from Caraz to Malabrigo, 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 safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance | 224 mi (360 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3N → PE-12 → PE-1NQ → PE-1N → LI-610 |
| Regions on the route | Áncash, La Libertad |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Caraz to Malabrigo: the shape of the trip
PE-1N (94 mi) and PE-3N (64 mi) carry about 71% of the 224 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Áncash, La Libertad. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Caraz to Malabrigo: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Áncash |
| PE-3N | 1–65 | 64 | Áncash |
| PE-12 | 65–105 | 40 | Áncash |
| PE-1NQ | 105–110 | 5 | Áncash, La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 110–178 | 68 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 178–180 | 2 | La Libertad |
| local roads | 180–188 | 8 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 188–214 | 26 | La Libertad |
| LI-610 | 214–223 | 9 | La Libertad |
| local roads | 223–224 | 1 | La Libertad |
- Mile 108 of this route: Áncash → La Libertad (region line)
What to see on the way from Caraz to Malabrigo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Pato (mile 48), Huaca Esmeralda (mile 181), Huaca Takaynamo (mile 182)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Pato (mile 48), Calipuy National Reserve (mile 70)
- Museums and history: Huacas de Moche Museum (mile 176), Huaca Esmeralda (mile 181), Huaca Takaynamo (mile 182)
Cañón del Pato
Carved by the Santa River where the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra come closest, Cañón del Pato is a narrow river canyon in the Áncash region.
Calipuy National Reserve
Set aside mainly to protect guanaco populations, Calipuy National Reserve is a protected area in Peru's La Libertad region.
Ochiputur hillock
Ochiputur hillock (Loma Ochiputur) is a coastal hill in the Salaverry district of Trujillo province, in Peru's La Libertad region.
Huacas de Moche Museum
Opened in June 2010 in La Libertad, the Huacas de Moche Museum was later renamed Museo Santiago Uceda Castillo in honor of its late director.
Huaca del Sol
Near the volcanic peak of Cerro Blanco in the Moche Valley outside Trujillo, the Huaca del Sol is an adobe brick pyramid built by the Moche civilization.
Huaca Esmeralda
Huaca Esmeralda is an adobe building of the Chimú culture in Trujillo, believed to date from the culture's first stage of development and closely linked to its capital, Chan Chan.
Huaca Takaynamo
An archaeological site in Peru, Huaca Takaynamo was built during the Early Chimú period.
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.
More drives to Malabrigo
- Chimbote to Malabrigo
- Casma to Malabrigo
- Barranca to Malabrigo
- Huaral to Malabrigo
- Churin to Malabrigo
- Lima to Malabrigo
From Caraz to other places in Peru
- Caraz to Huanchaco
- Caraz to Churin
- Caraz to Aguaytía
- Caraz to Oxapampa
- Caraz to La Merced
- Caraz to Satipo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Caraz to Malabrigo?
About 6 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 224 miles.
How far is Malabrigo from Caraz by car?
About 224 miles (360 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 Malabrigo?
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 Caraz to Malabrigo use?
In order: PE-3N, PE-12, PE-1NQ, PE-1N and LI-610. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Caraz to Malabrigo?
Closest to the road: Cañón del Pato (canyon, mile 48, 0.3 mi from the route); Huaca Esmeralda (archaeological site, mile 181, 0.9 mi from the route); Huaca Takaynamo (archaeological site, mile 182, 0.1 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.