By road, Tarapoto and Cajabamba are about 447 miles (720 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 20 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 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.”
| Distance | 447 mi (720 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-5N → PE-08C → PE-08B → CA-1552 → CA-1541 → CA-1531 → CA-1509 → CA-1517 → CA-1555 → CA-1561 → CA-776 → PE-3N |
| Regions on the route | San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Tarapoto to Cajabamba: the shape of the trip
PE-5N (192 mi) and PE-08B (120 mi) carry about 70% of the 447 miles. It runs through 3 regions: San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tarapoto to Cajabamba, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Martín |
| PE-5N | 2–194 | 192 | San Martín, Amazonas |
| PE-08C | 194–218 | 24 | Amazonas |
| PE-08B | 218–334 | 116 | Amazonas, Cajamarca |
| CA-1552 | 334–339 | 5 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 339–344 | 5 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1541 | 344–355 | 11 | Cajamarca |
| PE-08B | 355–359 | 4 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 359–361 | 2 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1531 | 361–370 | 9 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 370–377 | 7 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1509 | 377–382 | 5 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 382–383 | 1 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1517 | 383–389 | 6 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1555 | 389–395 | 6 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 395–400 | 5 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1561 | 400–404 | 4 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 404–406 | 2 | Cajamarca |
| CA-776 | 406–409 | 3 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 409–411 | 2 | Cajamarca |
| PE-3N | 411–447 | 36 | Cajamarca |
- Mile 137 of this route: San Martín → Amazonas (region line)
- Mile 316 of this route: Amazonas → Cajamarca (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Cajabamba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Departamental San Martín (mile 70), Macro (mile 231), Museo Huauco (mile 344)
- Nature and outdoors: Yumbilla Falls (mile 191), Gocta Cataracts (mile 204)
- Museums and history: Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista (mile 15), Museo Departamental San Martín (mile 70), Yalape (mile 224), Macro (mile 231), Kuélap (mile 233), La Congona (mile 271), Museo Huauco (mile 344)
Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista
Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista is a Peruvian museum in Lamas district, in the San Martín department.
Museo Departamental San Martín
In the city of Moyobamba, San Martín region, the Museo Departamental San Martín is an archaeology and ethnography museum covering the area's past.
Yumbilla Falls
Near the town of Cuispes in Peru's Amazonas region, Yumbilla Falls became internationally known after a 2007 survey by the Geographical Institute of Peru.
Gocta Cataracts
In Bongará Province of the Amazonas region, Gocta is a year-round waterfall with two drops that flows into the Cocahuayco River.
Yalape
Yalape is an archaeological site of the Chachapoya culture in Levanto district, Chachapoyas province, in Peru's Amazonas department.
Macro
Built by the Chachapoyas culture around 1100 to 1300 AD, Macro covers three hectares of platforms and circular stone foundations.
Kuélap
Built by the Chachapoyas culture in the 6th century AD, Kuélap is a walled settlement on a ridge above the Utcubamba Valley, near the towns of María and Tingo in Amazonas, Peru.
La Congona
Built by the Chachapoyas culture, La Congona is an archaeological complex of carved stone laid out symmetrically and bound with mud mortar.
Museo Huauco
Museo Huauco is a museum on the main square of the Sucre district in Cajamarca, Peru.
More drives to Cajabamba
- Trujillo to Cajabamba
- Casma to Cajabamba
- Caraz to Cajabamba
- Huaraz to Cajabamba
- Barranca to Cajabamba
- Sullana to Cajabamba
From Tarapoto to other places in Peru
- Tarapoto to Aguaytía
- Tarapoto to Huánuco
- Tarapoto to Cerro de Pasco
- Tarapoto to Churin
- Tarapoto to Tarma
- Tarapoto to Jauja
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tarapoto to Cajabamba?
About 13 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 447 miles.
How far is Cajabamba from Tarapoto by car?
About 447 miles (720 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 Tarapoto to Cajabamba?
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 Tarapoto to Cajabamba use?
In order: PE-5N, PE-08C, PE-08B, CA-1552, CA-1541, CA-1531, CA-1509, CA-1517, CA-1555, CA-1561, CA-776 and PE-3N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tarapoto to Cajabamba?
Closest to the road: Museo Departamental San Martín (museum, mile 70, 0.9 mi from the route); Macro (archaeological site, mile 231, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Huauco (museum, mile 344, 0.3 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.