Plan on about 7 h 47 min of driving for the 310-mile (499 km) trip from Huaraz to Cajabamba, before any stops.
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.”
| Distance by road | 310 mi (499 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-14A → PE-1N → PE-1NQ → LI-122 → LI-121 → LI-972 → LI-964 → PE-3N → LI-931 |
| Regions on the route | Áncash, La Libertad, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
How the Huaraz to Cajabamba drive plays out
PE-14A (87 mi) and PE-3N (74 mi) carry about 52% of the 310 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Áncash, La Libertad, Cajamarca. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Huaraz to Cajabamba
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Áncash |
| PE-14A | 2–89 | 87 | Áncash |
| PE-1N | 89–115 | 26 | Áncash |
| PE-1NQ | 115–139 | 24 | Áncash, La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 139–168 | 29 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 168–170 | 2 | La Libertad |
| LI-122 | 170–173 | 3 | La Libertad |
| LI-121 | 173–213 | 40 | La Libertad |
| LI-972 | 213–217 | 4 | La Libertad |
| LI-964 | 217–230 | 13 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 230–232 | 2 | La Libertad |
| PE-3N | 232–244 | 12 | La Libertad |
| LI-931 | 244–248 | 4 | La Libertad |
| PE-3N | 248–310 | 62 | La Libertad, Cajamarca |
- Mile 137 of this route: Áncash → La Libertad (region line)
- Mile 302 of this route: La Libertad → Cajamarca (region line)
What to see on the way from Huaraz to Cajabamba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pallka (mile 63), Manchan (mile 89)
- Museums and history: Pallka (mile 63), Mojeque (mile 86), Manchan (mile 89), Marcahuamachuco (mile 279), Viracochapampa (mile 280)
Pallka
Pallka (also spelled Pallca) is an archaeological site of a monumental Formative-period settlement in the middle Casma Valley, east of the town of Casma and south of Yaután.
Mojeque
Also called Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke, Mojeque is an archaeological site in Casma Province, Ancash, that archaeologists believe served as a temple or religious structure.
Manchan
Manchan is an archaeological site on a sandy plain beside farmland in the Casma Valley, 9.5 km from the ocean, occupied in the Late Intermediate and Late Horizon periods.
Marcahuamachuco
Pre-Inca ruins in Peru's La Libertad Region make up Marcahuamachuco, an archaeological site worth a stop for road-trippers in the area.
Viracochapampa
Viracochapampa holds the remains of a pre-Inca building complex in Peru that served as one of the administrative centers of the Wari culture.
More drives to Cajabamba
- Trujillo to Cajabamba
- Casma to Cajabamba
- Caraz to Cajabamba
- Barranca to Cajabamba
- Sullana to Cajabamba
- Moyobamba to Cajabamba
From Huaraz to other places in Peru
- Huaraz to Barranca
- Huaraz to Huaral
- Huaraz to Huanchaco
- Huaraz to Churin
- Huaraz to Cerro de Pasco
- Huaraz to Malabrigo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Huaraz to Cajabamba?
About 7 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 310 miles.
How far is Cajabamba from Huaraz by car?
About 310 miles (499 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 Huaraz to Cajabamba?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Huaraz to Cajabamba?
In order: PE-14A, PE-1N, PE-1NQ, LI-122, LI-121, LI-972, LI-964, PE-3N and LI-931. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Huaraz to Cajabamba?
Closest to the road: Pallka (archaeological site, mile 63, 0.6 mi from the route); Manchan (archaeological site, mile 89, 0.9 mi from the route); Viracochapampa (archaeological site, mile 280, 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.