The Wayro route from Huacachina to Cachora is 411 miles (661 km), about 10 h 29 min of driving without stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Peru: Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huancayo within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: 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 | 411 mi (661 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-30A → AP-650 → PE-3S → PE-3SV |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Huacachina–Cachora drive in a few lines
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (84 mi) carry about 88% of the 411 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Huacachina and Cachora
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 2–52 | 50 | Ica |
| local roads | 52–56 | 4 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 56–90 | 34 | Ica |
| PE-30A | 90–367 | 277 | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 367–368 | 1 | Apurímac |
| AP-650 | 368–372 | 4 | Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 372–375 | 3 | Apurímac |
| PE-3S | 375–398 | 23 | Apurímac |
| PE-3SV | 398–408 | 10 | Apurímac |
| local roads | 408–411 | 3 | Apurímac |
- Mile 113 of this route: Ica → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 257 of this route: Ayacucho → Apurímac (region line)
Places worth a stop between Huacachina and Cachora
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Maria Reiche (mile 72), Nazca lines (mile 73), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 91), Cantalloc Aqueducts (mile 93), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 372), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 374), Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (mile 378)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 147), Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (mile 378)
- Museums and history: Huayuri (mile 50), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 72), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 91), Cantalloc Aqueducts (mile 93), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 372), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 374)
Huayuri
Sometimes called the Lost City of Huayuri, this large pre-Columbian site in the coastal desert of the Ica Region flourished from 1150 to 1450 CE, during the Late Intermediate Period.
Museo Maria Reiche
Opened in 1994, Museo Maria Reiche (Casa Museo Maria Reiche) is a house museum at kilometer 421.3 of the Pan-American Highway South in El Ingenio district, about 27.5 km from Nasca and 21.3 km from Palpa.
Nazca lines
Scratched into the Nazca Desert of southern Peru between 500 BC and 500 AD, the Nazca lines are geoglyphs made by removing surface pebbles to expose different-colored ground.
Museo Arqueológico Antonini
On Avenida de la Cultura in Nazca, the Museo Arqueológico Antonini holds many of the finds recovered by the Italian archaeological mission Proyecto Nasca (1982–2011).
Cantalloc Aqueducts
About 3 km east of Nazca, the Cantalloc Aqueducts are part of a system of more than 40 aqueducts built by the Nazca culture and used year-round.
Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve
Set in the Lucanas Province of Ayacucho, Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve exists mainly to protect the habitat of the vicuña.
Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac
The Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac is housed in the Casa Hacienda Illanya, a building in Abancay, Peru.
Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay
Abancay Cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, is a Catholic church in Abancay, Apurímac, whose construction probably began around 1645 during the colonial era.
Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa
Perched on a hill about 9 km from Abancay, Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (Mirador de Taraccasa) has play areas, an artificial lagoon, a zoo, a cross and views over the city.
When you get to Cachora
Sayhuite
About 47 kilometers east of Abancay in Peru's Apurímac region, Sayhuite is an archaeological site considered a center of Inca religious worship focused on water.
Inka Raqay, Apurímac
Inka Raqay (Inkaraqay) is a small archaeological complex in Cachora District, Abancay Province, in Peru's Apurímac Region.
More drives to Cachora
- Andahuaylas to Cachora
- Ayacucho, Peru to Cachora
- Nazca to Cachora
- Ica to Cachora
- Huancayo to Cachora
- Chincha Alta to Cachora
From Huacachina to other places in Peru
- Huacachina to La Merced
- Huacachina to Puerto Ocopa
- Huacachina to Huanchaco
- Huacachina to Yucay
- Huacachina to Andahuaylillas
- Huacachina to Kiteni
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Huacachina to Cachora?
About 10 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 411 miles.
What is the driving distance from Huacachina to Cachora?
About 411 miles (661 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 Huacachina to Cachora?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Peru: Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huancayo within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Huacachina to Cachora?
In order: PE-1S, PE-30A, AP-650, PE-3S and PE-3SV. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Huacachina to Cachora?
Closest to the road: Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 72, 0.1 mi from the route); Cantalloc Aqueducts (archaeological site, mile 93, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (museum, mile 372, 0.2 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.