Chincha Alta to Atalaya is about 500 road miles (804 km): roughly 14 h 33 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 safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Total distance | 500 mi (804 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-22 → LM-618 → PE-3N → JU-645 → PE-22B → PE-5S → PE-5SB → PE-5SA |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Lima, Lima Province, Junín, Ucayali |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Chincha Alta to Atalaya drive plays out
PE-1S (118 mi) and PE-22 (95 mi) carry about 43% of the 500 miles. It runs through 5 regions: Ica, Lima, Lima Province, Junín, Ucayali. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Chincha Alta to Atalaya: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 1–119 | 118 | Ica, Lima, Lima Province |
| connecting roads | 119–120 | 1 | Lima Province |
| local roads | 120–126 | 6 | Lima Province |
| PE-22 | 126–190 | 64 | Lima Province, Lima |
| LM-618 | 190–196 | 6 | Lima, Junín |
| PE-22 | 196–227 | 31 | Junín |
| PE-3N | 227–242 | 15 | Junín |
| JU-645 | 242–254 | 12 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 254–255 | 1 | Junín |
| local roads | 255–260 | 5 | Junín |
| PE-22B | 260–311 | 51 | Junín |
| PE-5S | 311–352 | 41 | Junín |
| PE-5SB | 352–411 | 59 | Junín |
| local roads | 411–420 | 9 | Junín |
| PE-5SA | 420–499 | 79 | Junín, Ucayali |
| local roads | 499–500 | 1 | Ucayali |
- Mile 12 of this route: Ica → Lima (region line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 142 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 194 of this route: Lima → Junín (region line)
- Mile 423 of this route: Junín → Ucayali (region line)
- Mile 477 of this route: Ucayali → Junín (region line)
- Mile 498 of this route: Junín → Ucayali (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Chincha Alta and Atalaya
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huaca Malena (mile 58), Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka (mile 122), Casa Museo Villa Mercedes (mile 126)
- Nature and outdoors: Catarata El Tirol (mile 298)
- Museums and history: Cerro de Oro (mile 36), Huaca Malena (mile 58), Museo de la Electricidad (mile 114), Huaca La Merced (mile 116), Huaca Melgarejo (mile 122), Casa Museo Villa Mercedes (mile 126), Catedral de Tarma (mile 260)
Cerro de Oro
Spread over roughly 150 hectares on a hill beside the Pacific, Cerro de Oro is a monumental archaeological zone in the Cañete Valley, surrounded by farm plots in San Luis de Cañete district.
Huaca Malena
In Asia district of Cañete Province, Lima region, Huaca Malena is an archaeological site that has its own on-site museum for visitors.
Museo de la Electricidad
Set in Barranco, Lima, the Museo de la Electricidad is a science museum that presents an overview of electrical research in Peru.
Huaca La Merced
Huaca La Merced is an archaeological site in Lima's Surquillo district, declared part of Peru's cultural heritage in 2002.
Huaca Melgarejo
Huaca Melgarejo is an archaeological site in the La Molina district of Lima, Peru's capital.
Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka
In Lima's Ate district, the Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka belongs to the Geophysical Institute of Peru.
Casa Museo Villa Mercedes
Casa Museo Villa Mercedes is a house museum in the Ate Vitarte district of Lima, Peru.
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.
Catarata El Tirol
A few kilometers from San Ramón in Chanchamayo, Catarata El Tirol drops about 30 meters, surrounded by vegetation.
More drives to Atalaya
From Chincha Alta to other places in Peru
- Chincha Alta to Huaral
- Chincha Alta to Jauja
- Chincha Alta to Barranca
- Chincha Alta to Churin
- Chincha Alta to Tarma
- Chincha Alta to Cerro de Pasco
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Chincha Alta to Atalaya?
About 14 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 500 miles.
How far is Atalaya from Chincha Alta by car?
About 500 miles (804 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 Chincha Alta to Atalaya?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Chincha Alta to Atalaya?
In order: PE-1S, PE-22, LM-618, PE-3N, JU-645, PE-22B, PE-5S, PE-5SB and PE-5SA. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Chincha Alta to Atalaya?
Closest to the road: Huaca Malena (archaeological site, mile 58, 0.7 mi from the route); Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka (planetarium, mile 122, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa Museo Villa Mercedes (historic house museum, mile 126, 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.