The Wayro route from Ica to Chinchero is 502 miles (808 km), about 13 h 31 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: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance | 502 mi (808 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-30A → AP-650 → PE-3S → CU-606 → PE-28F |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Ica to Chinchero
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-3S (86 mi) carry about 72% of the 502 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ica to Chinchero
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 1–50 | 49 | Ica |
| local roads | 50–53 | 3 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 53–88 | 35 | Ica |
| PE-30A | 88–365 | 277 | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac |
| AP-650 | 365–370 | 5 | Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 370–373 | 3 | Apurímac |
| PE-3S | 373–441 | 68 | Apurímac, Cusco |
| local roads | 441–450 | 9 | Cusco |
| CU-606 | 450–468 | 18 | Cusco |
| local roads | 468–473 | 5 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 473–491 | 18 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 491–492 | 1 | Cusco |
| PE-28F | 492–501 | 9 | Cusco |
| local roads | 501–502 | 1 | Cusco |
- Mile 111 of this route: Ica → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 255 of this route: Ayacucho → Apurímac (region line)
- Mile 428 of this route: Apurímac → Cusco (region line)
Places worth a stop between Ica and Chinchero
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Maria Reiche (mile 70), Nazca lines (mile 71), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 372)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 145)
- Museums and history: Huayuri (mile 48), Pernil Alto (mile 53), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 70), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 372), Tarahuasi (mile 441), Templo de la Sagrada Familia, Cusco (mile 492)
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.
Pernil Alto
At Pernil Alto, in the Río Grande District of Palpa province, archaeologists have traced how the site's inhabitants took up agriculture between about 3800 and 3000 BCE.
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.
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.
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.
Tarahuasi
Tarahuasi is an archaeological site in Limatambo District, Anta Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
Templo de la Sagrada Familia, Cusco
Also known as the Templo de Jesús, María y José, the Templo de la Sagrada Familia is a Renaissance church in the city of Cusco, Peru.
Arriving in Chinchero
Lake Piuray
Lake Piuray (Laguna Piuray) lies in the Chinchero district of Cusco, in the Vilcanota range. Its deep blue water is fed by several streams, including the Pongobamba and Huila Huila.
Machu Colca
A few minutes outside Chinchero, Machu Colca (Machu Qollqa) is an archaeological site in Huayllabamba District, Urubamba Province, Cusco Region.
More drives to Chinchero
- Písac to Chinchero
- Abancay to Chinchero
- Andahuaylas to Chinchero
- Ayacucho, Peru to Chinchero
- Nazca to Chinchero
- Huancayo to Chinchero
From Ica to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ica to Chinchero?
About 13 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 502 miles.
How far is Chinchero from Ica by car?
About 502 miles (808 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 Ica to Chinchero 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.
Which highways go from Ica to Chinchero?
In order: PE-1S, PE-30A, AP-650, PE-3S, CU-606 and PE-28F. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ica and Chinchero?
Closest to the road: Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 70, 0.1 mi from the route); Nazca lines (geoglyph, mile 71, 0.7 mi from the route); Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (cathedral, mile 372, 0.4 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.