By road, Cerro de Pasco and Paracas are about 313 miles (504 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 28 min of driving.
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 | 313 mi (504 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3N → PE-20A → PE-1N → PE-1S → PE-28 |
| Regions on the route | Pasco, Junín, Lima, Lima Province, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Cerro de Pasco to Paracas
PE-1S (144 mi) and PE-20A (126 mi) carry about 86% of the 313 miles. It runs through 5 regions: Pasco, Junín, Lima, Lima Province, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cerro de Pasco and Paracas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Pasco |
| PE-3N | 4–12 | 8 | Pasco |
| local roads | 12–19 | 7 | Pasco |
| PE-20A | 19–145 | 126 | Pasco, Junín, Lima, Lima Province |
| local roads | 145–148 | 3 | Lima Province |
| connecting roads | 148–149 | 1 | Lima Province |
| PE-1N | 149–160 | 11 | Lima Province |
| PE-1S | 160–304 | 144 | Lima Province, Lima, Ica |
| connecting roads | 304–305 | 1 | Ica |
| PE-28 | 305–312 | 7 | Ica |
| local roads | 312–313 | 1 | Ica |
- Mile 40 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
- Mile 66 of this route: Junín → Lima (region line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 193 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 268 of this route: Lima → Ica (region line)
Stops between Cerro de Pasco and Paracas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huayllay National Sanctuary (mile 30), Buena Vista (mile 129), Huaca Templo Con Con (mile 140), Fortaleza de Collique (mile 143), Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima (mile 154), Gold Museum of Peru and Arms of the World (mile 163), La Centinela (mile 278)
- Nature and outdoors: Museum of Natural History, Lima (mile 152)
- Museums and history: Buena Vista (mile 129), Huaca Templo Con Con (mile 140), Fortaleza de Collique (mile 143), Museum of Natural History, Lima (mile 152), Gold Museum of Peru and Arms of the World (mile 163), Museo Pedro de Osma (mile 167), La Centinela (mile 278)
Huayllay National Sanctuary
On the Meseta de Bombón in Pasco, Huayllay National Sanctuary is known for the rock formations of the Huayllay rock forest and its native plants and animals.
Buena Vista
About an hour's drive north of Lima in the Chillón River Valley, Buena Vista is a 20-acre archaeological site in the Andean foothills of Santa Rosa de Quives District.
Huaca Templo Con Con
Huaca Templo Con Con, also known as the Temple of Kon, is an archaeological zone in Lima's Carabayllo district that served as a religious center for the cult of the god Con.
Fortaleza de Collique
In Lima's Comas district, the Fortaleza de Collique archaeological site was an administrative and religious center of the Colli lordship and the residence of its curaca, Collicápac.
Museum of Natural History, Lima
Founded in 1918, Lima's Museum of Natural History belongs to the National University of San Marcos and is considered Peru's most important natural history museum.
Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima
In the Historic Centre of Lima, the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo is a Catholic religious complex dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and dating to the 1530s.
Gold Museum of Peru and Arms of the World
In Monterrico, Santiago de Surco, the Gold Museum of Peru and Arms of the World combines Peruvian archaeology with a collection of weapons.
Museo Pedro de Osma
Museo Pedro de Osma is a history museum in the Barranco district of Lima, Peru, a stop for travelers exploring the Lima area.
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
- Barranca to Paracas
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 Jauja
- Cerro de Pasco to Satipo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cerro de Pasco to Paracas?
About 8 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 313 miles.
How far is Paracas from Cerro de Pasco by car?
About 313 miles (504 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 Cerro de Pasco to Paracas?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cerro de Pasco to Paracas?
In order: PE-3N, PE-20A, PE-1N, 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 Cerro de Pasco to Paracas?
Closest to the road: Huayllay National Sanctuary (nature area, mile 30, 0.1 mi from the route); Buena Vista (archaeological site, mile 129, 0.1 mi from the route); Fortaleza de Collique (archaeological site, mile 143, 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.