Plan on about 10 h 23 min of driving for the 419-mile (675 km) trip from Pisco to Abancay, before any stops.
- 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 | 419 mi (675 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1SE → PE-1S → PE-30A → AP-650 |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Pisco–Abancay drive in a few lines
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (108 mi) carry about 92% of the 419 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac. Of the 8 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Pisco and Abancay
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Ica |
| PE-1SE | 3–24 | 21 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 24–98 | 74 | Ica |
| local roads | 98–101 | 3 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 101–135 | 34 | Ica |
| PE-30A | 135–412 | 277 | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 412–413 | 1 | Apurímac |
| AP-650 | 413–417 | 4 | Apurímac |
| local roads | 417–419 | 2 | Apurímac |
- Mile 159 of this route: Ica → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 303 of this route: Ayacucho → Apurímac (region line)
Places worth a stop between Pisco and Abancay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 47), Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins" (mile 47), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 117), Nazca lines (mile 118), Los Paredones (mile 136), Cantalloc Aqueducts (mile 138)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 193)
- Museums and history: St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 47), Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins" (mile 47), Huayuri (mile 95), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 117), Los Paredones (mile 136), Cantalloc Aqueducts (mile 138)
St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica
Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.
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.
Huayuri
Sometimes called the Lost City of Huayuri, this large pre-Columbian site in the coastal desert of the Ica Region flourished from 1150 to 1450 CE, during the Late Intermediate Period.
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.
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.
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.
Cantalloc Aqueducts
About 3 km east of Nazca, the Cantalloc Aqueducts are part of a system of more than 40 aqueducts built by the Nazca culture and used year-round.
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.
Arriving in Abancay
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.
Lake Uspaccocha
Inside Ampay National Sanctuary, north of the city of Abancay, Lake Uspaccocha (also Uspaycocha) is an Andean lake at 3,750 meters above sea level.
More drives to Abancay
- Huancayo to Abancay
- Lima to Abancay
- Cusco to Abancay
- Puno to Abancay
- Juliaca to Abancay
- Puerto Maldonado to Abancay
From Pisco to other places in Peru
- Pisco to Huaral
- Pisco to Barranca
- Pisco to Churin
- Pisco to Tarma
- Pisco to Cerro de Pasco
- Pisco to La Merced
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pisco to Abancay?
About 10 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 419 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pisco to Abancay?
About 419 miles (675 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 Pisco to Abancay 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.
What roads does the drive from Pisco to Abancay use?
In order: PE-1SE, PE-1S, PE-30A and AP-650. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pisco and Abancay?
Closest to the road: Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins" (anthropology museum, mile 47, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 117, 0.2 mi from the route); Los Paredones (archaeological site, mile 136, 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.