The Wayro route from Tacna to Iquique, Chile is 226 miles (364 km), about 5 h 12 min of driving without stops. 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: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
- 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.”
| Distance by road | 226 mi (364 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1S |
| Border crossing | about mile 24, Peru → Chile |
| Regions on the route | Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Crossing from Peru into 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.
The Tacna–Iquique drive in a few lines
PE-1S (21 mi) carries about 9% of the 226 miles. The first 24 miles are in Peru; the last 202 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá. Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tacna and Iquique
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tacna |
| PE-1S | 1–22 | 21 | Tacna |
| local roads | 22–195 | 173 | Tacna, Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá |
| connecting roads | 195–196 | 1 | Tarapacá |
| local roads | 196–226 | 30 | Tarapacá |
- Mile 24 of this route: Tacna → Arica y Parinacota (international border)
- Mile 95 of this route: Arica y Parinacota → Tarapacá (region line)
Stops between Tacna and Iquique
- 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)
- Nature and outdoors: Museo del Mar de Arica (mile 36), Picaflor de Arica Natural Monument (mile 61), Pozos de Dolores (mile 153)
- Museums and history: Faro Concordia (mile 25), St. Mark's Cathedral, Arica (mile 36), Museo del Mar de Arica (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.
St. Mark's Cathedral, Arica
Arica's Saint Mark's Cathedral is a cast-iron Catholic church commissioned under Peruvian President José Balta from the United States, built so it could be shipped to Arica via the port of Ancón.
Museo del Mar de Arica
Set on the Sangra pedestrian passage in central Arica, this natural history museum shows about 1,700 species of mollusks and other marine life in 35 display cases and three aquariums.
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.
When you get to Iquique
Naval Museum of Iquique
Housed in the 1871 former Peruvian customs building, a national historic monument, the Naval Museum of Iquique (Museo Naval de Iquique) preserves relics of the Naval Battle of Iquique fought in its bay.
Museo Corbeta Esmeralda
In Iquique, the Museo Corbeta Esmeralda is a full-scale replica of the Chilean corvette Esmeralda as it was the day before it sank in the 1879 Naval Battle of Iquique.
Iquique lighthouses
Part of Chile's lighthouse network, the Iquique breakwater light is a red, cone-shaped concrete tower whose red light marks the starboard side of the harbor entrance.
More drives to Iquique
- Arica to Iquique
- Antofagasta to Iquique
- Arequipa to Iquique, Chile
- Juliaca to Iquique, Chile
- La Paz, Bolivia to Iquique, Chile
- Cochabamba to Iquique, 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 Iquique, Chile?
About 5 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 226 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tacna to Iquique, Chile?
About 226 miles (364 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 Iquique 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Tacna to Iquique, Chile?
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.
What are good stops between Tacna and Iquique?
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.