Lima to Atalaya is about 383 road miles (617 km): roughly 11 h 54 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: 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 | 383 mi (617 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 54 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-22 → LM-618 → PE-3N → JU-645 → PE-22B → PE-5S → PE-5SB → PE-5SA |
| Regions on the route | Lima Province, Lima, Junín, Ucayali |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Lima to Atalaya: the shape of the trip
PE-22 (102 mi) and PE-5SA (79 mi) carry about 47% of the 383 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Lima Province, Lima, Junín, Ucayali. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Lima to Atalaya
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Lima Province |
| PE-22 | 3–74 | 71 | Lima Province, Lima |
| LM-618 | 74–80 | 6 | Lima, Junín |
| PE-22 | 80–111 | 31 | Junín |
| PE-3N | 111–126 | 15 | Junín |
| JU-645 | 126–137 | 11 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 137–138 | 1 | Junín |
| local roads | 138–144 | 6 | Junín |
| PE-22B | 144–194 | 50 | Junín |
| PE-5S | 194–235 | 41 | Junín |
| PE-5SB | 235–295 | 60 | Junín |
| local roads | 295–304 | 9 | Junín |
| PE-5SA | 304–383 | 79 | Junín, Ucayali |
- Mile 25 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 78 of this route: Lima → Junín (region line)
- Mile 306 of this route: Junín → Ucayali (region line)
- Mile 360 of this route: Ucayali → Junín (region line)
- Mile 382 of this route: Junín → Ucayali (region line)
Stops between Lima and Atalaya
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa Museo Villa Mercedes (mile 9), San Juan de Pariachi (mile 12)
- Nature and outdoors: Chiri Yaku (mile 181), Catarata El Tirol (mile 181), Catarata Bayoz (mile 214)
- Museums and history: Puruchuco (mile 7), Casa Museo Villa Mercedes (mile 9), San Juan de Pariachi (mile 12), Catedral de Huaycán (mile 14), Catedral de Tarma (mile 144)
Puruchuco
Puruchuco, in Lima's Ate District, is an archaeological site that served as an administrative center during the Inca period.
Casa Museo Villa Mercedes
Casa Museo Villa Mercedes is a house museum in the Ate Vitarte district of Lima, Peru.
San Juan de Pariachi
A former Inca administrative center in Lima's Ate district, San Juan de Pariachi is an archaeological site made up of three groups of structures.
Catedral de Huaycán
In Huaycán, a part of Lima, this Catholic cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Chosica, whose patron saint is Saint Martin de Porres.
Catedral de Tarma
Tarma's cathedral, also called the Cathedral of Santa Ana, is a neoclassical church built in 1954 in Tarma, Junín region, Peru.
Chiri Yaku
In the Vitoc District of Chanchamayo Province, Junín Region, Chiri Yaku is a waterfall at an elevation of about 1,033 meters.
Catarata El Tirol
A few kilometers from San Ramón in Chanchamayo, Catarata El Tirol drops about 30 meters, surrounded by vegetation.
Catarata Bayoz
Catarata Bayoz is a waterfall in Chanchamayo province, in the Junín department of central Peru.
More drives to Atalaya
From Lima to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lima to Atalaya?
About 11 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 383 miles.
How far is Atalaya from Lima by car?
About 383 miles (617 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 Lima to Atalaya drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Lima to Atalaya?
In order: PE-22, LM-618, PE-3N, JU-645, PE-22B, PE-5S, PE-5SB and PE-5SA. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Lima and Atalaya?
Closest to the road: Casa Museo Villa Mercedes (historic house museum, mile 9, 0.5 mi from the route); San Juan de Pariachi (archaeological site, mile 12, 0.4 mi from the route); Catedral de Huaycán (cathedral, mile 14, 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.