Lima to Huaraz is about 251 road miles (404 km): roughly 5 h 28 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: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance | 251 mi (404 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → LM-101 → PE-16 → PE-3N |
| Regions on the route | Lima Province, Lima, Áncash |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Lima–Huaraz drive in a few lines
PE-1N (116 mi) and PE-16 (75 mi) carry about 76% of the 251 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Lima Province, Lima, Áncash. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Lima to Huaraz, 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 | 96–124 | 28 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 124–126 | 2 | Lima |
| PE-16 | 126–201 | 75 | Lima, Áncash |
| PE-3N | 201–250 | 49 | Áncash |
| local roads | 250–251 | 1 | Áncash |
- Mile 35 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 148 of this route: Lima → Áncash (region line)
Stops between Lima and Huaraz
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huaca Pro (mile 10), Chancay Museum (mile 48), Bandurria (mile 84), Choquerecuay (mile 235)
- Nature and outdoors: Lachay National Reserve (mile 63), Albufera El Paraíso (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Huaca Pro (mile 10), Colli Museum (mile 12), Chancay Museum (mile 48), Bandurria (mile 84), Paramonga (mile 126), Hatun Machay (mile 206), Choquerecuay (mile 235)
Huaca Pro
On the left bank of the Chillón River in Lima's Los Olivos district, Huaca Pro is an archaeological site more than a thousand years old.
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.
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.
Bandurria
About 3 km south of Huacho on the Huaura River, Bandurria is an archaeological site in the Lima Region that has been dated to 4,000 BC.
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.
Hatun Machay
Hatun Machay is a rock forest in Peru where archaeological remains can be found among the stone formations.
Choquerecuay
Choquerecuay, also called Pueblo Viejo, is an Inca archaeological site in Recuay Province, Áncash, notable for a ceremonial pyramid known as an ushnu.
Once you reach Huaraz
Huascarán National Park
Protecting most of the Cordillera Blanca in the Ancash region, Huascarán National Park covers about 840,000 acres of the central Andes and is managed by Peru's SERNANP.
Mirador de Rataquenua
From this natural lookout on Rataquenua hill, at about 3,314 meters on the southeast side of Huaraz, you can see the city and part of the snowcapped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca.
Waullac
Waullac is an archaeological site in the hamlet of Antaoko, in the Independencia District of Huaraz Province, in Peru's Áncash Region.
More drives to Huaraz
- Chimbote to Huaraz
- Huánuco to Huaraz
- Trujillo to Huaraz
- Huancayo to Huaraz
- Chiclayo to Huaraz
- Chincha Alta to Huaraz
From Lima to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lima to Huaraz?
About 5 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 251 miles.
How far is Huaraz from Lima by car?
About 251 miles (404 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 Huaraz 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 Huaraz use?
In order: PE-1N, LM-101, PE-16 and PE-3N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Lima and Huaraz?
Closest to the road: Huaca Pro (archaeological site, mile 10, 0.3 mi from the route); Chancay Museum (museum, mile 48, 0.4 mi from the route); Choquerecuay (archaeological site, mile 235, 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.