The Wayro route from Ica to Paucartambo is 559 miles (899 km), about 15 h 7 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 road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Total distance | 559 mi (899 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 15 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-30A → AP-650 → PE-3S → CU-606 → PE-28G → CU-112 |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Ica–Paucartambo drive in a few lines
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-3S (92 mi) carry about 66% of the 559 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Ica to Paucartambo
| 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 | 473–497 | 24 | Cusco |
| local roads | 497–502 | 5 | Cusco |
| PE-28G | 502–518 | 16 | Cusco |
| CU-112 | 518–538 | 20 | Cusco |
| local roads | 538–542 | 4 | Cusco |
| connecting roads | 542–546 | 4 | Cusco |
| CU-112 | 546–557 | 11 | Cusco |
| local roads | 557–559 | 2 | 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)
Where to stop on the way to Paucartambo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Maria Reiche (mile 70), Nazca lines (mile 71), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 372), Usnu Muqu (mile 373), Puqro (mile 500), Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte (mile 500)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 145)
- Museums and history: Pernil Alto (mile 53), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 70), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 372), Usnu Muqu (mile 373), Tarahuasi (mile 441), Puqro (mile 500), Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte (mile 500)
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.
Usnu Muqu
Usnu Muqu is an archaeological site near the main square of Tamburco, in Abancay Province of Peru's Apurímac Region.
Tarahuasi
Tarahuasi is an archaeological site in Limatambo District, Anta Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
Puqro
Puqro is an Inca-era archaeological site within the Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Park in Cusco, once part of a water system linked to the Qhalispuquio shrine and the Sisikancha.
Museo de Arte Popular del Instituto Americano de Arte
On Avenida Sol in Cusco, at Galerías Turísticas 103, you'll find the Museo de Arte Popular of the American Institute of Art.
More drives to Paucartambo
- Cusco to Paucartambo
- Abancay to Paucartambo
- Andahuaylas to Paucartambo
- Ayacucho, Peru to Paucartambo
- Nazca to Paucartambo
- Quillabamba to Paucartambo
From Ica to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ica to Paucartambo?
About 15 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 559 miles.
How far is Paucartambo from Ica by car?
About 559 miles (899 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 Paucartambo 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 Paucartambo?
In order: PE-1S, PE-30A, AP-650, PE-3S, CU-606, PE-28G and CU-112. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ica and Paucartambo?
Closest to the road: Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 70, 0.1 mi from the route); Usnu Muqu (archaeological site, mile 373, 0.1 mi from the route); Puqro (archaeological site, mile 500, 0.3 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.