Huancayo to Ica Road Trip: Route, Stops & Drive Time

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Huancayo to Ica is about 316 road miles (508 km): roughly 8 h 14 min at the wheel if you don't stop.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Peru — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution
  • 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: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
Inka Mach'ayIskuquchaRanrapataUchkus InkañanSt. Anthony Cathedral, HuancavelicaMuseo Regional Daniel Hernández MorilloHuancayoIca
Route from Huancayo to Ica with the 6 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance by road316 mi (508 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 14 min
Main roads, in orderPE-3S → PE-26 → PE-26B → HV-116 → PE-28A → HV-121 → HV-122 → HV-118 → I-C-106
Regions on the routeJunín, Huancavelica, Ayacucho, Ica
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 12.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below6

On the road from Huancayo to Ica

HV-118 (47 mi) and PE-26 (45 mi) carry about 29% of the 316 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Junín, Huancavelica, Ayacucho, Ica. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Huancayo to Ica, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miRegion
local roads0–11Junín
PE-3S1–4140Junín, Huancavelica
PE-2641–8645Huancavelica
PE-26B86–12943Huancavelica
HV-116129–17041Huancavelica, Ayacucho
PE-28A170–20434Ayacucho, Huancavelica
HV-121204–2139Huancavelica
HV-122213–23219Huancavelica
HV-118232–27947Huancavelica, Ica
I-C-106279–30728Ica
local roads307–3169Ica
  • Mile 18 of this route: Junín → Huancavelica (region line)
  • Mile 168 of this route: Huancavelica → Ayacucho (region line)
  • Mile 180 of this route: Ayacucho → Huancavelica (region line)
  • Mile 278 of this route: Huancavelica → Ica (region line)

Places worth a stop between Huancayo and Ica

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Inka Mach'ay (mile 23), Iskuqucha (mile 41)
  • Museums and history: Inka Mach'ay (mile 23), Iskuqucha (mile 41), Ranrapata (mile 55), Uchkus Inkañan (mile 75), St. Anthony Cathedral, Huancavelica (mile 86), Museo Regional Daniel Hernández Morillo (mile 86)

Inka Mach'ay

Mile 23 · Archaeological site · 0.5 mi from the route

Inka Mach'ay is an archaeological site in Peru's Huancavelica Region, in the Ñahuimpuquio District of Tayacaja Province.

Iskuqucha

Mile 41 · Archaeological site · 0.2 mi from the route

Iskuqucha is an archaeological site in Peru's Junín Region, in the La Oroya District of Yauli Province.

Ranrapata

Mile 55 · Archaeological site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Ranrapata, Quechua for "stony slope uphill," is a pre-Inca archaeological complex in Acoria district, Huancavelica, with evidence dating from the Early Intermediate Period to the Late Horizon.

Uchkus Inkañan

Mile 75 · Archaeological site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Uchkus Inkañan is an archaeological site in Peru's Huancavelica Region, located in Yauli District of Huancavelica Province.

St. Anthony Cathedral, Huancavelica

Mile 86 · Cathedral · 1 mi from the route

St. Anthony Cathedral is the main Catholic church in Huancavelica, a city in Peru.

Museo Regional Daniel Hernández Morillo

Mile 86 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Near the small plaza and church of San Juan de Dios in Huancavelica, Museo Regional Daniel Hernández Morillo sits at an altitude of 3,676 meters.

In Ica itself

St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica

Cathedral · in Ica

Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.

Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins"

Anthropology museum · in Ica

Ica's regional archaeological museum, named for Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins, focuses on the different Indigenous cultures that lived in Peru.

More drives to Ica

From Huancayo to other places in Peru

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Huancayo to Ica?

About 8 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 316 miles.

What is the driving distance from Huancayo to Ica?

About 316 miles (508 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 Huancayo to Ica drive?

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.

What roads does the drive from Huancayo to Ica use?

In order: PE-3S, PE-26, PE-26B, HV-116, PE-28A, HV-121, HV-122, HV-118 and I-C-106. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Huancayo and Ica?

Closest to the road: Inka Mach'ay (archaeological site, mile 23, 0.5 mi from the route); Iskuqucha (archaeological site, mile 41, 0.2 mi from the route); St. Anthony Cathedral, Huancavelica (cathedral, mile 86, 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.