The Wayro route from Nazca to Churin is 394 miles (634 km), about 9 h 40 min of driving without 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.”
| Distance | 394 mi (634 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → PE-1N → PE-20C → LM-667 → PE-18 |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Lima, Lima Province |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Nazca–Churin drive in a few lines
PE-1S (272 mi) and PE-18 (62 mi) carry about 85% of the 394 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Ica, Lima, Lima Province. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Nazca and Churin
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 1–34 | 33 | Ica |
| local roads | 34–38 | 4 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 38–277 | 239 | Ica, Lima, Lima Province |
| PE-1N | 277–313 | 36 | Lima Province, Lima |
| connecting roads | 313–314 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-20C | 314–321 | 7 | Lima |
| LM-667 | 321–332 | 11 | Lima |
| PE-18 | 332–394 | 62 | Lima |
- Mile 162 of this route: Ica → Lima (region line)
- Mile 237 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 308 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Nazca and Churin
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Nazca lines (mile 17), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 17), St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 88), La Centinela (mile 150), Casona of the National University of San Marcos (mile 275), Huaca El Retablo (mile 283)
- Nature and outdoors: La Herradura, Lima (mile 262), Lachay National Reserve (mile 334)
- Museums and history: Museo Maria Reiche (mile 17), St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 88), La Centinela (mile 150), Casona of the National University of San Marcos (mile 275), Huaca Corpus I (mile 277), Huaca El Retablo (mile 283)
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.
La Centinela
Between Chincha Baja and Tambo de Mora, La Centinela was the main late settlement of the Chincha lordship and later became the seat of Inca administration in the valley.
La Herradura, Lima
A beach in Lima's Chorrillos District, La Herradura has served as a seaside resort since the early 20th century and has drawn surfers since the 1960s.
Casona of the National University of San Marcos
A Spanish colonial building in Lima's historic center, the Casona of the National University of San Marcos hosts the university's cultural center and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage area since 1988.
Huaca Corpus I
Part of the Pando group of huacas, the Corpus I archaeological complex sits in the lower Rímac Valley in Lima's Pando urbanization.
Huaca El Retablo
Also known as Collique 2 or Huaca Chasqui, Huaca El Retablo is an archaeological site in the Comas district of Lima.
Lachay National Reserve
Around 105 km north of Lima, in Peru's Lima region, Lachay National Reserve protects part of the lomas ecosystem.
More drives to Churin
- Huánuco to Churin
- Aguaytía to Churin
- Tocache to Churin
- Pucallpa to Churin
- Juanjuí to Churin
- Tarapoto to Churin
From Nazca to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nazca to Churin?
About 9 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 394 miles.
How far is Churin from Nazca by car?
About 394 miles (634 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 Nazca to Churin?
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 Nazca to Churin use?
In order: PE-1S, PE-1N, PE-20C, LM-667 and PE-18. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nazca to Churin?
Closest to the road: Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 17, 0.1 mi from the route); St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (cathedral, mile 88, 0.7 mi from the route); La Centinela (archaeological site, mile 150, 0.6 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.