By road, Maras and Paracas are about 542 miles (873 km) apart, or roughly 14 h 50 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: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance by road | 542 mi (873 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 14 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | CU-111 → PE-3S → CU-606 → AP-650 → PE-30A → PE-1S → PE-28 |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Maras to Paracas: the shape of the trip
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (119 mi) carry about 73% of the 542 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Maras to Paracas
| 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 | 449–534 | 85 | Ica |
| PE-28 | 534–541 | 7 | Ica |
| local roads | 541–542 | 1 | 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)
What to see on the way from Maras to Paracas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sayhuite (mile 101), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 126), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 409), Los Paredones (mile 409), Nazca lines (mile 428), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 428), St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 499)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 354)
- Museums and history: Tarahuasi (mile 58), Sayhuite (mile 101), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 126), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 409), Los Paredones (mile 409), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 428), St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 499)
Tarahuasi
Tarahuasi is an archaeological site in Limatambo District, Anta Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
Sayhuite
About 47 kilometers east of Abancay in Peru's Apurímac region, Sayhuite is an archaeological site considered a center of Inca religious worship focused on water.
Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay
Abancay Cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, is a Catholic church in Abancay, Apurímac, whose construction probably began around 1645 during the colonial era.
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).
Los Paredones
Near Nazca, Los Paredones is an Inca site that served as an administrative control center between coast and highlands under Túpac Yupanqui, built of adobe on carved stone bases.
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.
St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica
Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.
Once you reach Paracas
Paracas Candelabra
Carved into the northern face of the Paracas Peninsula on Pisco Bay, the Paracas Candelabra is a prehistoric geoglyph; nearby pottery dates to about 200 BCE.
Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello
Inside the Paracas National Reserve, the Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello opened in 1964 and is named for the archaeologist who studied the Paracas culture.
More drives to Paracas
- Lima to Paracas
- Huaral to Paracas
- Huancayo to Paracas
- Huancavelica to Paracas
- Jauja to Paracas
- Barranca to Paracas
From Maras to other places in Peru
- Maras to Mollepata
- Maras to Huacachina
- Maras to Andahuaylillas
- Maras to Kiteni
- Maras to Lampa
- Maras to Chucuito
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maras to Paracas?
About 14 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 542 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maras to Paracas?
About 542 miles (873 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 Maras to Paracas?
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.
What roads does the drive from Maras to Paracas use?
In order: CU-111, PE-3S, CU-606, AP-650, PE-30A, PE-1S and PE-28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Maras to Paracas?
Closest to the road: Sayhuite (archaeological site, mile 101, 0.3 mi from the route); Los Paredones (archaeological site, mile 409, 0.3 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.