Plan on about 10 h 56 min of driving for the 479-mile (771 km) trip from Ica to Caraz, before any stops.
Full advisory: 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 | 479 mi (771 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-1N → LM-101 → PE-16 → PE-3N |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Lima, Lima Province, Áncash |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Ica–Caraz drive in a few lines
PE-1S (189 mi) and PE-1N (112 mi) carry about 63% of the 479 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Ica, Lima, Lima Province, Áncash. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ica to Caraz, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-1S | 0–189 | 189 | Ica, Lima, Lima Province |
| PE-1N | 189–274 | 85 | Lima Province, Lima |
| connecting roads | 274–275 | 1 | Lima |
| LM-101 | 275–281 | 6 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 281–282 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-1N | 282–309 | 27 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 309–311 | 2 | Lima |
| PE-16 | 311–386 | 75 | Lima, Áncash |
| PE-3N | 386–478 | 92 | Áncash |
| local roads | 478–479 | 1 | Áncash |
- Mile 75 of this route: Ica → Lima (region line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 334 of this route: Lima → Áncash (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ica and Caraz
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Centinela (mile 64), Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima (mile 187), Chancay Museum (mile 233), Bandurria (mile 270), Choquerecuay (mile 421)
- Nature and outdoors: La Herradura, Lima (mile 175), Huascarán National Park (mile 441)
- Museums and history: La Centinela (mile 64), Museo de la Electricidad (mile 175), Huaca La Florida (mile 188), Chancay Museum (mile 233), Bandurria (mile 270), Choquerecuay (mile 421)
La Centinela
Between Chincha Baja and Tambo de Mora, La Centinela was the main late settlement of the Chincha lordship and later became the seat of Inca administration in the valley.
La Herradura, Lima
A beach in Lima's Chorrillos District, La Herradura has served as a seaside resort since the early 20th century and has drawn surfers since the 1960s.
Museo de la Electricidad
Set in Barranco, Lima, the Museo de la Electricidad is a science museum that presents an overview of electrical research in Peru.
Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima
In the Historic Centre of Lima, the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo is a Catholic religious complex dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and dating to the 1530s.
Huaca La Florida
Huaca La Florida is an archaeological site in Lima's Rímac district, dating to the Formative period.
Chancay Museum
Chancay's municipal museum opened in 1991 inside the Castillo de Chancay and in 2012 moved to a new home facing the town's Plaza de Armas.
Bandurria
About 3 km south of Huacho on the Huaura River, Bandurria is an archaeological site in the Lima Region that has been dated to 4,000 BC.
Choquerecuay
Choquerecuay, also called Pueblo Viejo, is an Inca archaeological site in Recuay Province, Áncash, notable for a ceremonial pyramid known as an ushnu.
Huascarán National Park
Protecting most of the Cordillera Blanca in the Ancash region, Huascarán National Park covers about 840,000 acres of the central Andes and is managed by Peru's SERNANP.
When you get to Caraz
Tumshukayko
Near Caraz in Ancash's Huaylas Province, Tumshukayko is a pre-Inca archaeological site discovered only recently and still under research.
Caraz Museum
The Caraz Museum, officially the Museo Municipal Hernán Osorio Herrera, is a municipal museum in Caraz district, Huaylas Province, in Peru's Ancash region.
More drives to Caraz
- Huaraz to Caraz
- Casma to Caraz
- Barranca to Caraz
- Huánuco to Caraz
- Huaral to Caraz
- Cerro de Pasco to Caraz
From Ica to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ica to Caraz?
About 10 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 479 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ica to Caraz?
About 479 miles (771 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 Ica to Caraz?
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 Ica to Caraz use?
In order: PE-1S, PE-1N, LM-101, PE-16 and PE-3N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ica and Caraz?
Closest to the road: Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima (convent, mile 187, 0.2 mi from the route); Chancay Museum (museum, mile 233, 0.4 mi from the route); Choquerecuay (archaeological site, mile 421, 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.