Plan on about 7 h 1 min of driving for the 265-mile (427 km) trip from Lima to Chimbote, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance | 265 mi (427 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → LM-101 |
| Regions on the route | Lima Province, Lima, Áncash |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Lima to Chimbote: the shape of the trip
PE-1N (256 mi) and LM-101 (7 mi) carry about 99% of the 265 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Lima Province, Lima, Áncash. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Lima to Chimbote
| 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 | 96–264 | 168 | Lima, Áncash |
| local roads | 264–265 | 1 | Áncash |
- Mile 35 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 133 of this route: Lima → Áncash (region line)
Places worth a stop between Lima and Chimbote
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerro Trinidad (mile 46), Chancay Museum (mile 48)
- Nature and outdoors: Lachay National Reserve (mile 63), Albufera El Paraíso (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Huaca El Rosario (mile 7), Colli Museum (mile 12), Cerro Trinidad (mile 46), Chancay Museum (mile 48), Caral (mile 103), La Cantina (mile 222)
Huaca El Rosario
Huaca El Rosario is an archaeological site in the San Martín de Porres district of Lima, Peru's capital.
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.
Cerro Trinidad
South of Chancay town in the lower Chancay Valley, Cerro Trinidad is a pre-Inca archaeological complex near the Baños de Boza site.
Chancay Museum
Chancay's municipal museum opened in 1991 inside the Castillo de Chancay and in 2012 moved to a new home facing the town's Plaza de Armas.
Lachay National Reserve
Around 105 km north of Lima, in Peru's Lima region, Lachay National Reserve protects part of the lomas ecosystem.
Albufera El Paraíso
In Huaura Province, in the Lima region, Albufera El Paraíso is a saltwater lagoon where crabs, lizards, great egrets and flamingos live.
Caral
The Sacred City of Caral-Supe holds the remains of the main city of the Caral civilization, 182 km north of Lima, 23 km inland and 350 meters above sea level.
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.
La Cantina
South of Casma, La Cantina is a little-known Early Horizon archaeological site in an area that also holds Chankillo, Cerro Sechín and Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke.
Arriving in Chimbote
Huaca San Pedro
Huaca San Pedro is an archaeological site within the city of Chimbote, Ancash, the only huaca inside the city, though today it appears quite worn.
More drives to Chimbote
From Lima to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lima to Chimbote?
About 7 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 265 miles.
What is the driving distance from Lima to Chimbote?
About 265 miles (427 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.
Is it safe to drive from Lima to Chimbote?
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 Chimbote?
In order: PE-1N and LM-101. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Lima and Chimbote?
Closest to the road: Cerro Trinidad (archaeological site, mile 46, 0.4 mi from the route); Chancay Museum (museum, mile 48, 0.4 mi from the route); Chanquillo (astronomical observatory, mile 221, 2 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.