By road, Lima and Cajamarca are about 527 miles (848 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 13 min of driving.
Full advisory: 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 | 527 mi (848 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → LM-101 → PE-1NQ → LI-585 → LI-571 → PE-08 |
| Regions on the route | Lima Province, Lima, Áncash, La Libertad, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Lima to Cajamarca: the shape of the trip
PE-1N (368 mi) and PE-08 (102 mi) carry about 89% of the 527 miles. It runs through 5 regions: Lima Province, Lima, Áncash, La Libertad, Cajamarca. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Lima to Cajamarca, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Lima Province |
| PE-1N | 1–89 | 88 | Lima Province, Lima |
| LM-101 | 89–96 | 7 | Lima |
| PE-1N | 96–254 | 158 | Lima, Áncash |
| PE-1NQ | 254–277 | 23 | Áncash, La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 277–345 | 68 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 345–348 | 3 | La Libertad |
| local roads | 348–355 | 7 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 355–409 | 54 | La Libertad |
| LI-585 | 409–416 | 7 | La Libertad |
| LI-571 | 416–421 | 5 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 421–424 | 3 | La Libertad, Cajamarca |
| PE-08 | 424–526 | 102 | Cajamarca |
| local roads | 526–527 | 1 | Cajamarca |
- Mile 35 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 133 of this route: Lima → Áncash (region line)
- Mile 276 of this route: Áncash → La Libertad (region line)
- Mile 423 of this route: La Libertad → Cajamarca (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Lima and Cajamarca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baths of Boza (mile 40), Paramonga (mile 127), Cathedral of Trujillo (mile 347)
- Nature and outdoors: Lachay National Reserve (mile 63)
- Museums and history: Colli Museum (mile 12), Baths of Boza (mile 40), Paramonga (mile 127), Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto (mile 260), Cathedral of Trujillo (mile 347)
Colli Museum
Opened in 2003 by self-taught explorer Enrique Niquín, the Colli Museum (Museo de los Colli) in Lima's Comas district shows original and replica ceramics, maps, and models of the Collique Fortress.
Baths of Boza
In Aucallama district of Huaral province, the pre-Inca complex of Baños de Boza lies in the lower Chancay Valley, near the Cerro Trinidad archaeological complex.
Lachay National Reserve
Around 105 km north of Lima, in Peru's Lima region, Lachay National Reserve protects part of the lomas ecosystem.
Paramonga
Paramonga was a city built at the edge of the Chimor kingdom during the Late Intermediate Period. The archaeological site sits on the Fortaleza River near Pativilca, north of Lima.
Chanquillo
Chanquillo (Chankillo) is an ancient complex in the coastal desert of Áncash, with a hilltop fort, the Thirteen Towers solar observatory, and residential and gathering areas.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto
Facing the Plaza de Armas of Nuevo Chimbote, this cathedral (Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Pedro Apóstol) covers about 2,000 square meters and holds 1,600 people.
Huaca del Sol
Near the volcanic peak of Cerro Blanco in the Moche Valley outside Trujillo, the Huaca del Sol is an adobe brick pyramid built by the Moche civilization.
Cathedral of Trujillo
Facing the Plaza de Armas, Trujillo Cathedral is the city's main church, built over 19 years from 1647 to 1666.
Swamps of Huanchaco
Also called the Wetlands of Huanchaco, this reserve at Huanchaco Beach, about 14 km northwest of Trujillo, supplied the reeds that the Moche used to build caballitos de totora fishing boats.
Arriving in Cajamarca
Huacaloma
Huacaloma is an archaeological site about 3.5 km southeast of Cajamarca's historic center, at around 2,800 m in Peru's northern highlands.
St. Catherine's Cathedral, Cajamarca
Known as Cajamarca Cathedral, St. Catherine's Cathedral is the main Catholic place of worship in the city of Cajamarca.
Ventanillas de Otuzco
About 8 km northwest of Cajamarca, in Baños del Inca district, the Ventanillas de Otuzco are a Peruvian archaeological site worth a short detour.
More drives to Cajamarca
From Lima to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lima to Cajamarca?
About 13 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 527 miles.
How far is Cajamarca from Lima by car?
About 527 miles (848 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 Cajamarca drive?
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 Lima to Cajamarca use?
In order: PE-1N, LM-101, PE-1NQ, LI-585, LI-571 and PE-08. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Lima and Cajamarca?
Closest to the road: Baths of Boza (archaeological site, mile 40, 1 mi from the route); Paramonga (archaeological site, mile 127, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of Trujillo (basilica, mile 347, 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.