Plan on about 9 h 50 min of driving for the 359-mile (577 km) trip from Huaraz to La Merced, 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 | 359 mi (577 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-3N → HU-109 → HU-1139 → HU-110 → HU-1163 → PA-504 → PA-506 → PA-102 → JU-105 → PE-22B |
| Regions on the route | Áncash, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Huaraz to La Merced: the shape of the trip
PE-3N (167 mi) and PE-22B (39 mi) carry about 57% of the 359 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Áncash, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Huaraz to La Merced: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Áncash |
| PE-3N | 1–117 | 116 | Áncash, Huánuco |
| HU-109 | 117–147 | 30 | Huánuco |
| HU-1139 | 147–165 | 18 | Huánuco |
| HU-110 | 165–171 | 6 | Huánuco |
| HU-1163 | 171–186 | 15 | Huánuco, Pasco |
| PA-504 | 186–191 | 5 | Pasco |
| PA-506 | 191–199 | 8 | Pasco |
| connecting roads | 199–201 | 2 | Pasco |
| PA-102 | 201–238 | 37 | Pasco |
| connecting roads | 238–243 | 5 | Pasco |
| PE-3N | 243–294 | 51 | Pasco, Junín |
| JU-105 | 294–320 | 26 | Junín |
| PE-22B | 320–359 | 39 | Junín |
- Mile 95 of this route: Áncash → Huánuco (region line)
- Mile 180 of this route: Huánuco → Pasco (region line)
- Mile 263 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
Places worth a stop between Huaraz and La Merced
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Choquerecuay (mile 15), Cachipuquio (mile 299)
- Nature and outdoors: Junín National Reserve (mile 259), Cachipuquio (mile 299), Catarata de Pacchacoto (mile 300)
- Museums and history: Choquerecuay (mile 15), Jecosh (mile 18), Hatun Machay (mile 45), Huánuco Pampa (mile 120), Gorish (mile 203)
Choquerecuay
Choquerecuay, also called Pueblo Viejo, is an Inca archaeological site in Recuay Province, Áncash, notable for a ceremonial pyramid known as an ushnu.
Jecosh
Jecosh is an archaeological site in the Ticapampa District of Recuay Province, Peru, lying at roughly 3,649 meters above sea level.
Hatun Machay
Hatun Machay is a rock forest in Peru where archaeological remains can be found among the stone formations.
Huánuco Pampa
Also known as Huánuco Viejo, Huánuco Pampa is a large archaeological site in La Unión District whose ruins sit on a plateau above the Vizcarra River in the central Andes.
Gorish
In the Vilcabamba district of Daniel Alcides Carrión province, Pasco, Gorish is a Yaro archaeological site with plazas, chullpas, collpas and houses.
Junín National Reserve
Junín National Reserve protects Lake Junín and the surrounding wet puna of the central Andes, along with its ecosystem and wildlife, in Peru's Junín region.
Cachipuquio
West of San Pedro de Cajas in Tarma Province, Junín, Cachipuquio (also called Cachipozo) is a saltwater spring in Peru's central Andes, where the water collects in two salt pools.
Catarata de Pacchacoto
Catarata de Pacchacoto is a waterfall in San Pedro de Cajas district, Tarma Province, in Peru's Junín department.
More drives to La Merced
- Jauja to La Merced
- Lima to La Merced
- Tocache to La Merced
- Juanjuí to La Merced
- Tarapoto to La Merced
- Huancavelica to La Merced
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 does it take to drive from Huaraz to La Merced?
About 9 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 359 miles.
How far is La Merced from Huaraz by car?
About 359 miles (577 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 La Merced?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Huaraz to La Merced use?
In order: PE-3N, HU-109, HU-1139, HU-110, HU-1163, PA-504, PA-506, PA-102, JU-105 and PE-22B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Huaraz to La Merced?
Closest to the road: Choquerecuay (archaeological site, mile 15, 0.3 mi from the route); Jecosh (archaeological site, mile 18, 1 mi from the route); Cachipuquio (spring, mile 299, 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.