By road, Tarapoto and Casma are about 520 miles (837 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 16 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.”
| Total distance | 520 mi (837 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-5N → SM-839 → SM-111 → PE-12A → PE-3N → PE-12 → AN-107 → PE-1NQ → PE-1N |
| Regions on the route | San Martín, Huánuco, La Libertad, Áncash |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
How the Tarapoto to Casma drive plays out
PE-12A (211 mi) and PE-5N (169 mi) carry about 73% of the 520 miles. It runs through 4 regions: San Martín, Huánuco, La Libertad, Áncash. Of the 4 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tarapoto and Casma
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Martín |
| PE-5N | 2–66 | 64 | San Martín |
| SM-839 | 66–71 | 5 | San Martín |
| local roads | 71–76 | 5 | San Martín |
| PE-5N | 76–181 | 105 | San Martín |
| SM-111 | 181–203 | 22 | San Martín |
| PE-12A | 203–414 | 211 | San Martín, Huánuco, La Libertad, Áncash |
| PE-3N | 414–440 | 26 | Áncash |
| PE-12 | 440–477 | 37 | Áncash |
| AN-107 | 477–481 | 4 | Áncash |
| connecting roads | 481–482 | 1 | Áncash |
| PE-1NQ | 482–496 | 14 | Áncash |
| connecting roads | 496–498 | 2 | Áncash |
| PE-1N | 498–520 | 22 | Áncash |
- Mile 219 of this route: San Martín → Huánuco (region line)
- Mile 311 of this route: Huánuco → La Libertad (region line)
- Mile 318 of this route: La Libertad → Áncash (region line)
Places worth a stop between Tarapoto and Casma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Pato (mile 423)
- Nature and outdoors: Catarata de Pucayaquillo (mile 11), Cañón del Pato (mile 423), Calipuy National Reserve (mile 444)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto (mile 490)
Catarata de Pucayaquillo
Catarata de Pucayaquillo is a waterfall in the Shapaja District of San Martín Province, in Peru's San Martín region.
Cañón del Pato
Carved by the Santa River where the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra come closest, Cañón del Pato is a narrow river canyon in the Áncash region.
Calipuy National Reserve
Set aside mainly to protect guanaco populations, Calipuy National Reserve is a protected area in Peru's La Libertad region.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto
Facing the Plaza de Armas of Nuevo Chimbote, this cathedral (Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Pedro Apóstol) covers about 2,000 square meters and holds 1,600 people.
When you get to Casma
Cerro Sechín
Cerro Sechín is an archaeological site in Casma Province, Áncash Region, dating to around 1600 BC. Peruvian archaeologists Julio C. Tello and Toribio Mejía Xesspe found it in July 1937.
Sechin Alto
Dating to the Early Formative period, Sechin Alto is a massive architectural complex in Casma Province, Ancash, on the left bank of the Sechín River east of the town of Sechín.
Sechin Bajo
In the Sechín River valley about 12 km from the Pacific and 330 km northwest of Lima, Sechin Bajo is an archaeological site with ruins dating from 3500 to 1300 BCE.
More drives to Casma
- Barranca to Casma
- Huaral to Casma
- Lima to Casma
- Cerro de Pasco to Casma
- Huánuco to Casma
- Tocache to Casma
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 does it take to drive from Tarapoto to Casma?
About 13 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 520 miles.
How far is Casma from Tarapoto by car?
About 520 miles (837 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 Casma?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tarapoto to Casma?
In order: PE-5N, SM-839, SM-111, PE-12A, PE-3N, PE-12, AN-107, PE-1NQ and PE-1N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tarapoto to Casma?
Closest to the road: Catarata de Pucayaquillo (waterfall, mile 11, 3 mi from the route); Cañón del Pato (canyon, mile 423, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto (cathedral, mile 490, 2 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.