Mollepata to Paracas is about 488 road miles (785 km): roughly 13 h 0 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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 road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance by road | 488 mi (785 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | CU-109 → PE-3S → AP-650 → PE-30A → PE-1S → PE-28 |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Mollepata to Paracas drive plays out
PE-30A (276 mi) and PE-1S (121 mi) carry about 81% of the 488 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Mollepata to Paracas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| CU-109 | 0–6 | 6 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 6–70 | 64 | Cusco, Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 70–74 | 4 | Apurímac |
| AP-650 | 74–78 | 4 | Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 78–79 | 1 | Apurímac |
| PE-30A | 79–355 | 276 | Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| PE-1S | 355–390 | 35 | Ica |
| local roads | 390–393 | 3 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 393–479 | 86 | Ica |
| PE-28 | 479–487 | 8 | Ica |
| local roads | 487–488 | 1 | Ica |
- Mile 15 of this route: Cusco → Apurímac (region line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Apurímac → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 333 of this route: Ayacucho → Ica (region line)
Stops between Mollepata and Paracas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sayhuite (mile 46), Usnu Muqu (mile 70), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 74), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 354), Nazca lines (mile 373), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 373), St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 444)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 299)
- Museums and history: Sayhuite (mile 46), Usnu Muqu (mile 70), Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (mile 74), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 354), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 373), Pernil Alto (mile 390), St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 444)
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.
Usnu Muqu
Usnu Muqu is an archaeological site near the main square of Tamburco, in Abancay Province of Peru's Apurímac Region.
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.
St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica
Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.
In Paracas itself
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 Mollepata to other places in Peru
- Mollepata to Huacachina
- Mollepata to Andahuaylillas
- Mollepata to Kiteni
- Mollepata to Lampa
- Mollepata to Chucuito
- Mollepata to Desaguadero
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Mollepata to Paracas?
About 13 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 488 miles.
What is the driving distance from Mollepata to Paracas?
About 488 miles (785 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 Mollepata to Paracas 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 Mollepata to Paracas?
In order: CU-109, PE-3S, AP-650, PE-30A, PE-1S and PE-28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Mollepata and Paracas?
Closest to the road: Usnu Muqu (archaeological site, mile 70, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico y Antropológico de Apurímac (museum, mile 74, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 373, 0.0 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.