Plan on about 6 h 38 min of driving for the 245-mile (395 km) trip from Lima to Huánuco, before any stops.
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.”
| Total distance | 245 mi (395 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → PE-20C → LM-667 → PE-18 → PE-3N |
| Regions on the route | Lima Province, Lima, Pasco, Huánuco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Driving Lima to Huánuco: the shape of the trip
PE-18 (171 mi) and PE-1N (39 mi) carry about 86% of the 245 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Lima Province, Lima, Pasco, Huánuco. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Lima and Huánuco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Lima Province |
| PE-1N | 1–40 | 39 | Lima Province, Lima |
| connecting roads | 40–41 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-20C | 41–48 | 7 | Lima |
| LM-667 | 48–60 | 12 | Lima |
| PE-18 | 60–231 | 171 | Lima, Pasco, Huánuco |
| PE-3N | 231–243 | 12 | Huánuco |
| local roads | 243–245 | 2 | Huánuco |
- Mile 35 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 158 of this route: Lima → Pasco (region line)
- Mile 214 of this route: Pasco → Huánuco (region line)
Places worth a stop between Lima and Huánuco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Hatun Uchku (mile 230)
- Nature and outdoors: Lachay National Reserve (mile 62)
- Museums and history: Huaca El Rosario (mile 7), Pampa de los Perros (mile 10), Huaca Tungasuca (mile 13), Goñicutac (mile 192), Hatun Uchku (mile 230)
Huaca El Rosario
Huaca El Rosario is an archaeological site in the San Martín de Porres district of Lima, Peru's capital.
Pampa de los Perros
Pampa de los Perros, also called Huaca Rosada, is an archaeological site in the Ventanilla district of Callao, within Peru's Constitutional Province of Callao.
Huaca Tungasuca
Between Lima's Carabayllo and Comas districts, Huaca Tungasuca (Muralla de Tungasuca) is a raised walkway wall built by the Colli culture from mud and stone, with large trapezoidal adobe blocks, in the Late Intermediate Period.
Lachay National Reserve
Around 105 km north of Lima, in Peru's Lima region, Lachay National Reserve protects part of the lomas ecosystem.
Goñicutac
Goñicutac is a Yaro archaeological site in Pasco, Peru, where the citadel holds dwellings, a three-story complex and remains of farming, civic and religious structures.
Hatun Uchku
Hatun Uchku is a cave in Peru that holds both archaeological and paleontological remains.
Once you reach Huánuco
Kotosh
Near the town of Huánuco, Kotosh is an archaeological site of buildings that span six periods of continuous occupation.
Cathedral of the Lord of Burgos, Huánuco
Huánuco Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Lord of Burgos, is the mother church of the Diocese of Huánuco, created in 1865. The original building dates from 1618.
Shillacoto
Shillacoto is an archaeological site in the Huánuco district of Peru's Huánuco Region, excavated between 1967 and 1969 under the direction of Chiaki Kano.
More drives to Huánuco
- Pucallpa to Huánuco
- Tarapoto to Huánuco
- Huancayo to Huánuco
- Chimbote to Huánuco
- Trujillo to Huánuco
- Chiclayo to Huánuco
From Lima to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lima to Huánuco?
About 6 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 245 miles.
How far is Huánuco from Lima by car?
About 245 miles (395 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 Huánuco 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 Huánuco use?
In order: PE-1N, PE-20C, LM-667, PE-18 and PE-3N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Lima to Huánuco?
Closest to the road: Huaca El Rosario (archaeological site, mile 7, 2 mi from the route); Huaca Tungasuca (archaeological site, mile 13, 2 mi from the route); Hatun Uchku (archaeological site, mile 230, 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.