By road, Ica and Maras are about 498 miles (802 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 29 min of driving.
- 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 road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance | 498 mi (802 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-30A → AP-650 → PE-3S → CU-606 → CU-111 |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Ica–Maras drive in a few lines
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (84 mi) carry about 72% of the 498 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ica to Maras
| 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 | 473–485 | 12 | Cusco |
| CU-111 | 485–493 | 8 | Cusco |
| local roads | 493–498 | 5 | 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)
Stops between Ica and Maras
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Maria Reiche (mile 70), Nazca lines (mile 71), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 89), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 369), 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), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 70), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 89), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 369), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 372), Tarahuasi (mile 441), Tampukancha (mile 477)
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.
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.
Museo Arqueológico Antonini
On Avenida de la Cultura in Nazca, the Museo Arqueológico Antonini holds many of the finds recovered by the Italian archaeological mission Proyecto Nasca (1982–2011).
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.
Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac
The Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac is housed in the Casa Hacienda Illanya, a building in Abancay, Peru.
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.
Tampukancha
Tampukancha is an Inca religious center in the Zurite District of Anta Province, about 30 miles from Cusco.
Once you reach Maras
Moray
About 50 km northwest of Cusco and just west of Maras, Moray sits on a plateau at roughly 3,500 meters. Its Inca ruins are mainly terraced circular depressions, the largest about 30 meters deep.
Quispiguanca
Quispiguanca, also written Q'espihuanca or Q'espiwanka, was a royal estate of the Inca emperor Huayna Capac.
Ayawayq'u
Ayawayq'u, also known as Yukay or Kapillayuq, is an archaeological site with rock paintings in the Yucay District of Urubamba Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
More drives to Maras
- Abancay to Maras
- Andahuaylas to Maras
- Ayacucho, Peru to Maras
- Nazca to Maras
- Huancavelica to Maras
- Huancayo to Maras
From Ica to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ica to Maras?
About 13 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 498 miles.
How far is Maras from Ica by car?
About 498 miles (802 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 Maras 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 Ica to Maras use?
In order: PE-1S, PE-30A, AP-650, PE-3S, CU-606 and CU-111. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ica to Maras?
Closest to the road: Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 70, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (museum, mile 369, 0.2 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.