Chimbote to Paracas is about 421 road miles (678 km): roughly 10 h 10 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: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance | 421 mi (678 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → LM-101 → PE-1S → PE-28 |
| Regions on the route | Áncash, Lima, Lima Province, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Chimbote to Paracas drive plays out
PE-1N (259 mi) and PE-1S (145 mi) carry about 96% of the 421 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Áncash, Lima, Lima Province, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Chimbote to Paracas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Áncash |
| PE-1N | 1–169 | 168 | Áncash, Lima |
| LM-101 | 169–176 | 7 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 176–177 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-1N | 177–268 | 91 | Lima, Lima Province |
| PE-1S | 268–413 | 145 | Lima Province, Lima, Ica |
| connecting roads | 413–414 | 1 | Ica |
| PE-28 | 414–421 | 7 | Ica |
- Mile 133 of this route: Áncash → Lima (region line)
- Mile 231 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 301 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 376 of this route: Lima → Ica (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Paracas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Paramonga (mile 138), Bandurria (mile 181), Chancay Museum (mile 217), Teatro Municipal de Lima (mile 263), Catacombs of Lima (mile 263), National Museum of Peru (mile 285), La Centinela (mile 386)
- Museums and history: Las Haldas (mile 55), Paramonga (mile 138), Bandurria (mile 181), Chancay Museum (mile 217), Catacombs of Lima (mile 263), National Museum of Peru (mile 285), La Centinela (mile 386)
Chanquillo
Chanquillo (Chankillo) is an ancient complex in the coastal desert of Áncash, with a hilltop fort, the Thirteen Towers solar observatory, and residential and gathering areas.
Las Haldas
Las Haldas is an archaeological complex on the Pacific coast about 300 km north of Lima and 20 km south of the Casma valley, dating to before and during Peru's Initial Period.
Paramonga
Paramonga was a city built at the edge of the Chimor kingdom during the Late Intermediate Period. The archaeological site sits on the Fortaleza River near Pativilca, north of Lima.
Bandurria
About 3 km south of Huacho on the Huaura River, Bandurria is an archaeological site in the Lima Region that has been dated to 4,000 BC.
Chancay Museum
Chancay's municipal museum opened in 1991 inside the Castillo de Chancay and in 2012 moved to a new home facing the town's Plaza de Armas.
Teatro Municipal de Lima
Opened as the Teatro Forero, the Municipal Theatre of Lima is a theater and concert hall in the historic center and home of Peru's National Symphony Orchestra.
Catacombs of Lima
Beneath the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco in Lima's historic center, the catacombs are underground ossuaries that now function as a museum.
National Museum of Peru
Opened in July 2021 within the Pachacamac archaeological zone in Lurín, the National Museum of Peru is planned to hold pre-Columbian and Inca artifacts dating back to 5,000 BCE.
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.
In Paracas itself
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 Chimbote to other places in Peru
- Chimbote to Huaral
- Chimbote to Huánuco
- Chimbote to Tarma
- Chimbote to Aguaytía
- Chimbote to Oxapampa
- Chimbote to La Merced
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Chimbote to Paracas?
About 10 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 421 miles.
How far is Paracas from Chimbote by car?
About 421 miles (678 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 Chimbote 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 Chimbote to Paracas?
In order: PE-1N, LM-101, PE-1S and PE-28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Chimbote and Paracas?
Closest to the road: Paramonga (archaeological site, mile 138, 0.1 mi from the route); Chancay Museum (museum, mile 217, 0.3 mi from the route); Catacombs of Lima (museum, mile 263, 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.