By road, Maras and Huacachina are about 500 miles (805 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 33 min of driving.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Peru: Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huancayo within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: 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.”
| Total distance | 500 mi (805 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | CU-111 → PE-3S → CU-606 → AP-650 → PE-30A → PE-1S |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Maras to Huacachina
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (83 mi) carry about 72% of the 500 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Maras to Huacachina
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Cusco |
| CU-111 | 5–13 | 8 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 13–25 | 12 | Cusco |
| local roads | 25–30 | 5 | Cusco |
| CU-606 | 30–48 | 18 | Cusco |
| local roads | 48–58 | 10 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 58–125 | 67 | Cusco, Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 125–129 | 4 | Apurímac |
| AP-650 | 129–132 | 3 | Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 132–134 | 2 | Apurímac |
| PE-30A | 134–411 | 277 | Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| PE-1S | 411–445 | 34 | Ica |
| local roads | 445–449 | 4 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 449–498 | 49 | Ica |
| local roads | 498–500 | 2 | Ica |
- Mile 71 of this route: Cusco → Apurímac (region line)
- Mile 244 of this route: Apurímac → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 386 of this route: Ayacucho → Ica (region line)
Stops between Maras and Huacachina
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Killarumiyuq (mile 25), Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (mile 125), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 129), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 409), Nazca lines (mile 428), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 428)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (mile 125), Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 354)
- Museums and history: Killarumiyuq (mile 25), Tarahuasi (mile 58), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 129), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 409), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 428), Pernil Alto (mile 446)
Killarumiyuq
Killarumiyuq is an archaeological park in Ancahuasi District, Anta Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
Tarahuasi
Tarahuasi is an archaeological site in Limatambo District, Anta Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa
Perched on a hill about 9 km from Abancay, Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (Mirador de Taraccasa) has play areas, an artificial lagoon, a zoo, a cross and views over the city.
Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac
The Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac is housed in the Casa Hacienda Illanya, a building in Abancay, Peru.
Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve
Set in the Lucanas Province of Ayacucho, Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve exists mainly to protect the habitat of the vicuña.
Museo Arqueológico Antonini
On Avenida de la Cultura in Nazca, the Museo Arqueológico Antonini holds many of the finds recovered by the Italian archaeological mission Proyecto Nasca (1982–2011).
Nazca lines
Scratched into the Nazca Desert of southern Peru between 500 BC and 500 AD, the Nazca lines are geoglyphs made by removing surface pebbles to expose different-colored ground.
Museo Maria Reiche
Opened in 1994, Museo Maria Reiche (Casa Museo Maria Reiche) is a house museum at kilometer 421.3 of the Pan-American Highway South in El Ingenio district, about 27.5 km from Nasca and 21.3 km from Palpa.
Pernil Alto
At Pernil Alto, in the Río Grande District of Palpa province, archaeologists have traced how the site's inhabitants took up agriculture between about 3800 and 3000 BCE.
In Huacachina itself
Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins"
Ica's regional archaeological museum, named for Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins, focuses on the different Indigenous cultures that lived in Peru.
St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica
Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.
More drives to Huacachina
- Lima to Huacachina
- Huaral to Huacachina
- Barranca to Huacachina
- Churin to Huacachina
- Tarma to Huacachina
- Cerro de Pasco to Huacachina
From Maras to other places in Peru
- Maras to Mollepata
- Maras to Paracas
- Maras to Andahuaylillas
- Maras to Kiteni
- Maras to Lampa
- Maras to Chucuito
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maras to Huacachina?
About 13 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 500 miles.
How far is Huacachina from Maras by car?
About 500 miles (805 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 Maras to Huacachina drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Peru: Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huancayo within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Maras to Huacachina?
In order: CU-111, PE-3S, CU-606, AP-650, PE-30A and PE-1S. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Maras to Huacachina?
Closest to the road: Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (park, mile 125, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (museum, mile 129, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 428, 0.1 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.