Pisco to Ollantaytambo is about 549 road miles (883 km): roughly 14 h 54 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 safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance by road | 549 mi (883 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 54 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1SE → PE-1S → PE-30A → AP-650 → PE-3S → CU-606 → CU-110 → PE-28B |
| Regions on the route | Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Pisco to Ollantaytambo: the shape of the trip
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (108 mi) carry about 70% of the 549 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 8 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Pisco and Ollantaytambo
| 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 |
| connecting roads | 417–421 | 4 | Apurímac |
| PE-3S | 421–488 | 67 | Apurímac, Cusco |
| local roads | 488–498 | 10 | Cusco |
| CU-606 | 498–515 | 17 | Cusco |
| local roads | 515–521 | 6 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 521–526 | 5 | Cusco |
| local roads | 526–533 | 7 | Cusco |
| CU-110 | 533–545 | 12 | Cusco |
| PE-28B | 545–548 | 3 | Cusco |
| local roads | 548–549 | 1 | Cusco |
- Mile 159 of this route: Ica → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 303 of this route: Ayacucho → Apurímac (region line)
- Mile 475 of this route: Apurímac → Cusco (region line)
Stops between Pisco and Ollantaytambo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 47), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 117), Nazca lines (mile 118), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 137), Cantalloc Aqueducts (mile 138), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 419), Sayhuite (mile 446), Wat'a, Cusco (mile 534)
- Nature and outdoors: Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 193)
- Museums and history: St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica (mile 47), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 117), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 137), Cantalloc Aqueducts (mile 138), Virgin of the Rosary Cathedral, Abancay (mile 419), Sayhuite (mile 446), Wat'a, Cusco (mile 534)
St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica
Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Wat'a, Cusco
Wat'a is an archaeological zone in Peru's Cusco Region, located in Anta Province's Huarocondo District, north of the town of Huarocondo.
When you get to Ollantaytambo
Ñaupa Iglesia
Near Ollantaytambo, Ñaupa Iglesia is an Inca archaeological site regarded as a huaca and astronomical observatory, where imperial stonework blends with natural rock formations.
Templo del Sol
Templo del Sol sits in Ollantaytambo District, about 80 km northeast of Cusco and 40 km from Machu Picchu, at roughly 2,792 meters above sea level.
Sitio arqueológico de Raqaypata
Raqaypata is an archaeological site at the top of the Perolniyoc waterfall, at about 3,560 meters above sea level.
More drives to Ollantaytambo
- Abancay to Ollantaytambo
- Andahuaylas to Ollantaytambo
- Ayacucho, Peru to Ollantaytambo
- Nazca to Ollantaytambo
- Huancavelica to Ollantaytambo
- Ica to Ollantaytambo
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 Ollantaytambo?
About 14 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 549 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pisco to Ollantaytambo?
About 549 miles (883 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 Ollantaytambo 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 Pisco to Ollantaytambo?
In order: PE-1SE, PE-1S, PE-30A, AP-650, PE-3S, CU-606, CU-110 and PE-28B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pisco and Ollantaytambo?
Closest to the road: Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 117, 0.2 mi from the route); Cantalloc Aqueducts (archaeological site, mile 138, 0.3 mi from the route); Sayhuite (archaeological site, mile 446, 0.4 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.