The Wayro route from Cusco to Tacna is 558 miles (898 km), about 15 h 10 min of driving without stops.
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 by road | 558 mi (898 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 15 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3S → CU-117 → CU-1627 → PE-34F → CU-126 → CU-130 → PE-34E → PE-34A → PE-34 → PE-1SD |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
The Cusco–Tacna drive in a few lines
PE-34E (127 mi) and PE-1SD (85 mi) carry about 38% of the 558 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Cusco, Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna. Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cusco and Tacna
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–8 | 8 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 8–55 | 47 | Cusco |
| CU-117 | 55–59 | 4 | Cusco |
| CU-1627 | 59–70 | 11 | Cusco |
| PE-34F | 70–77 | 7 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 77–78 | 1 | Cusco |
| local roads | 78–81 | 3 | Cusco |
| CU-126 | 81–91 | 10 | Cusco |
| CU-130 | 91–135 | 44 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 135–138 | 3 | Cusco |
| PE-34E | 138–265 | 127 | Cusco, Arequipa |
| PE-34A | 265–303 | 38 | Arequipa |
| local roads | 303–307 | 4 | Arequipa |
| connecting roads | 307–308 | 1 | Arequipa |
| PE-34A | 308–334 | 26 | Arequipa |
| local roads | 334–344 | 10 | Arequipa |
| PE-34 | 344–377 | 33 | Arequipa |
| PE-1SD | 377–462 | 85 | Arequipa, Moquegua |
| local roads | 462–558 | 96 | Moquegua, Tacna |
- Mile 167 of this route: Cusco → Arequipa (region line)
- Mile 175 of this route: Arequipa → Cusco (region line)
- Mile 180 of this route: Cusco → Arequipa (region line)
- Mile 432 of this route: Arequipa → Moquegua (region line)
- Mile 484 of this route: Moquegua → Tacna (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Tacna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sillkinchani (mile 8), Yura Hot Springs (mile 297), Zona Monumental de Yanahuara (mile 311)
- Nature and outdoors: Yura Hot Springs (mile 297)
- Museums and history: Sillkinchani (mile 8), Ayamachay (mile 70), Zona Monumental de Yanahuara (mile 311), Islay (mile 378)
Sillkinchani
About 7 km southeast of Cusco, on an east-facing slope between Saylla and San Jerónimo districts, Sillkinchani is an archaeological site occupied from the Late Intermediate Period through the Late Horizon.
Ayamachay
Ayamachay is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Combapata District of Cusco's Canchis Province, above the left bank of the Salcca River near the village of Oroscocha.
Yura Hot Springs
Roughly 28 km north-northwest of Arequipa, the Yura Hot Springs (Baños termales de Yura) are a thermal bathing complex in the Yura district.
Teatro Municipal, Arequipa
Opened in 1940 on calle Mercaderes in historic Arequipa, the Teatro Municipal seats 1,058 and was declared part of Peru's historic heritage in 1987.
Zona Monumental de Yanahuara
The Zona Monumental de Yanahuara is the historic core of Yanahuara, in the district of the same name in Peru's Arequipa department.
Islay
In the industrial heart of Matarani, Pueblo Viejo de Islay holds the ruins of a port town founded on August 30, 1827, as Arequipa's main port, replacing Quilca.
In Tacna itself
Tacna Cathedral
Next to the Paseo Cívico on San Martín Avenue, Tacna Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in the center of the city.
Municipal Theatre of Tacna
In the center of Tacna, the Municipal Theatre of Tacna is the city's municipal stage for performances.
Casa Museo Basadre
Facing the Paseo Cívico in Tacna, the Casa Museo Basadre was the home of Tacna-born historian Jorge Basadre Grohmann.
More drives to Tacna
From Cusco to other places in Peru
- Cusco to Abancay
- Cusco to Andahuaylas
- Cusco to Nazca
- Cusco to Ayacucho, Peru
- Cusco to Huancavelica
- Cusco to Pisco
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cusco to Tacna?
About 15 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 558 miles.
How far is Tacna from Cusco by car?
About 558 miles (898 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 Cusco to Tacna drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cusco to Tacna?
In order: PE-3S, CU-117, CU-1627, PE-34F, CU-126, CU-130, PE-34E, PE-34A, PE-34 and PE-1SD. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cusco and Tacna?
Closest to the road: Sillkinchani (archaeological site, mile 8, 0.2 mi from the route); Yura Hot Springs (hot spring, mile 297, 1 mi from the route); Zona Monumental de Yanahuara (historic district, mile 311, 0.9 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.