Tacna to Calama, Chile is about 444 road miles (714 km): roughly 10 h 12 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Peru into Chile at about mile 24.
Full advisory: Peru, Chile. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
| Total distance | 444 mi (714 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S → B-150 |
| Border crossing | about mile 24, Peru → Chile |
| Regions on the route | Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Chile
The route crosses at about mile 24, from Tacna into Arica y Parinacota. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| Entering Peru (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for tourist stays of 90 days or less; border officials set your length of stay. Passport: must be valid for at least 6 months after you enter; you need an entry record, such as a passport stamp, even at remote land crossings. |
| Driving in Peru | A U.S. license works for up to 180 days; an International Driving Permit is suggested. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Peru (updated August 20, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Tacna to Calama drive plays out
B-150 (33 mi) and PE-1S (21 mi) carry about 12% of the 444 miles. The first 24 miles are in Peru; the last 420 are in Chile. It runs through 4 regions: Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Tacna to Calama: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tacna |
| PE-1S | 1–22 | 21 | Tacna |
| local roads | 22–327 | 305 | Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta |
| B-150 | 327–360 | 33 | Antofagasta |
| local roads | 360–444 | 84 | Antofagasta |
- Mile 24 of this route: Tacna → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
- Mile 95 of this route: Arica y Parinacota → Tarapacá (region line)
- Mile 287 of this route: Tarapacá → Antofagasta (region line)
Stops between Tacna and Calama
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 61), Pozos de Dolores (mile 153), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 195), Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve (mile 215)
- Nature and outdoors: Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 61), Pozos de Dolores (mile 153), Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve (mile 215), Monte de la Soledad (mile 274)
- Museums and history: Faro Concordia (mile 25), Morro de Arica (mile 36), Faro Península Alacrán (mile 36), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (mile 195)
Faro Concordia
In Chile's far north in the Arica y Parinacota Region, Faro Concordia is a border lighthouse with a pyramid-shaped metal tower painted in red and white bands.
Morro de Arica
Rising steeply from Arica and the sea to 139 meters above sea level, Morro de Arica is a headland with a gentler slope on its eastern side.
Faro Península Alacrán
Part of Chile's lighthouse network, Faro Península Alacrán is an unmanned lighthouse on the Alacrán Peninsula in the city of Arica.
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument
Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (Monumento natural Picaflor de Arica) is a natural area protected under Chilean law.
Pozos de Dolores
Near the village of Dolores in the Pampa del Tamarugal, the Pozos de Dolores are natural springs where water rises to the surface.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works are two former saltpeter refineries in northern Chile, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 for the history of saltpeter mining.
Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve
About 70 km east of Iquique in the Tarapacá Region, Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve is split into three sectors: Zapiga, the native forest of La Tirana, and Pintados.
Salar de Pintados
South of the village of La Tirana in the Tarapacá Region, Salar de Pintados is a salt flat whose basin lies largely within the Pampa del Tamarugal.
Monte de la Soledad
Monte de la Soledad is a habitat with special characteristics on the Salar de Llamara in Chile's Antofagasta Region.
When you get to Calama
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Calama
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, also called Calama Cathedral, is the main Catholic church of the Diocese of San Juan Bautista de Calama in Chile.
More drives to Calama
- Arica to Calama
- Sucre to Calama, Chile
- Oruro to Calama, Chile
- Potosí to Calama, Chile
- Salta to Calama, Chile
More drives from Tacna
- Tacna to Chucuito
- Tacna to Puno
- Tacna to Juliaca
- Tacna to Lampa
- Tacna to La Rinconada
- Tacna to Andahuaylillas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tacna to Calama, Chile?
About 10 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 444 miles.
How far is Calama, Chile from Tacna by car?
About 444 miles (714 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.
Where does the Tacna to Calama drive cross the border?
At about mile 24, from Peru into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Tacna into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Tacna to Calama drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tacna to Calama?
In order: PE-1S and B-150. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tacna to Calama?
Closest to the road: Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (nature area, mile 61, 0.4 mi from the route); Pozos de Dolores (spring, mile 153, 0.3 mi from the route); Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (historic site, mile 195, 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.