By road, Tarapoto and Chota are about 354 miles (570 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 58 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 safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Distance | 354 mi (570 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-5N → PE-04C → PE-3N → PE-3NC |
| Regions on the route | San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Tarapoto to Chota is like
PE-5N (265 mi) and PE-3N (36 mi) carry about 85% of the 354 miles. It runs through 3 regions: San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tarapoto to Chota
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Martín |
| PE-5N | 2–267 | 265 | San Martín, Amazonas |
| PE-04C | 267–288 | 21 | Amazonas, Cajamarca |
| PE-3N | 288–324 | 36 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 324–326 | 2 | Cajamarca |
| PE-3NC | 326–350 | 24 | Cajamarca |
| local roads | 350–354 | 4 | Cajamarca |
- Mile 137 of this route: San Martín → Amazonas (region line)
- Mile 268 of this route: Amazonas → Cajamarca (region line)
What to see on the way from Tarapoto to Chota
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba (mile 70), Museo Departamental San Martín (mile 70), Condorcaga (mile 346)
- Nature and outdoors: Yumbilla Falls (mile 191), Catarata Pabellón (mile 191), Cutervo National Park (mile 302)
- Museums and history: Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista (mile 15), St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba (mile 70), Museo Departamental San Martín (mile 70), Wilca (mile 209), Condorcaga (mile 346)
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.
St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba
The Cathedral of St. James, also known as Moyobamba Cathedral, is the main church of the Territorial Prelature of Moyobamba and 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.
Catarata Pabellón
Named for the hill where it falls, Catarata Pabellón is a waterfall in Peru's Amazonas department with a drop of roughly 400 meters, one of the highest in Peru.
Wilca
Wilca is an archaeological site in Peru's Amazonas Region, in the eastern part of Cajaruro District, Utcubamba Province, near the border with Bongará Province.
Área de conservación regional Bosques Secos Interandinos de Cutervo
The Bosques Secos Interandinos de Cutervo regional conservation area is a protected area in Peru's Cajamarca department.
Cutervo National Park
Established in 1961, Cutervo National Park protects a stretch of the northern Peruvian Andes in the Cajamarca region.
Condorcaga
Condorcaga is an archaeological zone in the Lajas District of Chota Province, in Peru's Cajamarca region.
More drives to Chota
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 Chota?
About 8 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 354 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tarapoto to Chota?
About 354 miles (570 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 Tarapoto to Chota drive?
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 Chota use?
In order: PE-5N, PE-04C, PE-3N and PE-3NC. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tarapoto to Chota?
Closest to the road: St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba (cathedral, mile 70, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Departamental San Martín (museum, mile 70, 0.9 mi from the route); Condorcaga (archaeological site, mile 346, 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.