By road, Cerro de Pasco and Jauja are about 121 miles (195 km) apart, or roughly 2 h 56 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 by road | 121 mi (195 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3N → JU-645 → PE-3SA |
| Regions on the route | Pasco, Junín |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Cerro de Pasco to Jauja drive plays out
PE-3N (60 mi) and PE-3SA (34 mi) carry about 78% of the 121 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Pasco, Junín. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cerro de Pasco and Jauja
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Pasco |
| PE-3N | 4–64 | 60 | Pasco, Junín |
| JU-645 | 64–75 | 11 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 75–76 | 1 | Junín |
| local roads | 76–83 | 7 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 83–87 | 4 | Junín |
| PE-3SA | 87–121 | 34 | Junín |
- Mile 24 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
Places worth a stop between Cerro de Pasco and Jauja
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Tarma (mile 85), Tarmatambo (mile 89)
- Nature and outdoors: Junín National Reserve (mile 20), Cachipuquio (mile 55), Catarata de Pacchacoto (mile 55)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Tarma (mile 85), Tarmatambo (mile 89), Tunanmarca (mile 113)
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.
Cachipuquio
West of San Pedro de Cajas in Tarma Province, Junín, Cachipuquio (also called Cachipozo) is a saltwater spring in Peru's central Andes, where the water collects in two salt pools.
Catarata de Pacchacoto
Catarata de Pacchacoto is a waterfall in San Pedro de Cajas district, Tarma Province, in Peru's Junín department.
Catedral de Tarma
Tarma's cathedral, also called the Cathedral of Santa Ana, is a neoclassical church built in 1954 in Tarma, Junín region, Peru.
Tarmatambo
Tarmatambo, also spelled Tarmatampu, is an archaeological site in the community of the same name in Tarma District, Junín Region, Peru.
Tunanmarca
Tunanmarca, also called Siquillapucara, is an archaeological site in the Tunan Marca District of Jauja Province, in Peru's Junín Region.
When you get to Jauja
Lake Paca
Lake Paca lies 4 kilometers north of Jauja, a town that once served as Peru's first capital.
Lake Tragadero
Lake Tragadero lies in Peru's Junín Region, in an area with dry winters and warm summers.
Iglesia Matriz de Santa Fe
Iglesia Matriz de Santa Fe is the main Catholic church of Jauja and the seat of the Santa Fe de Jauja parish, standing out as the town's principal architectural monument.
More drives to Jauja
From Cerro de Pasco to other places in Peru
- Cerro de Pasco to Aguaytía
- Cerro de Pasco to Tocache
- Cerro de Pasco to Moyobamba
- Cerro de Pasco to Tarma
- Cerro de Pasco to Satipo
- Cerro de Pasco to Huancavelica
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cerro de Pasco to Jauja?
About 2 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 121 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cerro de Pasco to Jauja?
About 121 miles (195 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 Cerro de Pasco to Jauja drive?
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 Cerro de Pasco to Jauja use?
In order: PE-3N, JU-645 and PE-3SA. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cerro de Pasco to Jauja?
Closest to the road: Junín National Reserve (nature area, mile 20, 2 mi from the route); Catedral de Tarma (cathedral, mile 85, 0.3 mi from the route); Tarmatambo (archaeological site, mile 89, 0.3 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.