Plan on about 14 h 11 min of driving for the 552-mile (888 km) trip from Tarapoto to Jauja, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Road travel at night is particularly dangerous.”
| Distance by road | 552 mi (888 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 14 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-5N → SM-839 → PE-18A → PE-3N → JU-645 → PE-3SA |
| Regions on the route | San Martín, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Tarapoto to Jauja: the shape of the trip
PE-5N (268 mi) and PE-3N (128 mi) carry about 72% of the 552 miles. It runs through 4 regions: San Martín, Huánuco, Pasco, Junín. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Tarapoto to Jauja: the road sequence
| 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 | 76–280 | 204 | San Martín, Huánuco |
| PE-18A | 280–367 | 87 | Huánuco |
| PE-3N | 367–495 | 128 | Huánuco, Pasco, Junín |
| JU-645 | 495–506 | 11 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 506–507 | 1 | Junín |
| local roads | 507–513 | 6 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 513–518 | 5 | Junín |
| PE-3SA | 518–551 | 33 | Junín |
| local roads | 551–552 | 1 | Junín |
- Mile 207 of this route: San Martín → Huánuco (region line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Huánuco → Pasco (region line)
- Mile 455 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tarapoto and Jauja
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Hatun Uchku (mile 380), Catedral de Tarma (mile 516)
- Nature and outdoors: Catarata de Pucayaquillo (mile 11), Tingo María National Park (mile 296), Junín National Reserve (mile 450), Cachipuquio (mile 485)
- Museums and history: Kotosh (mile 367), Hatun Uchku (mile 380), Catedral de Tarma (mile 516), Tunanmarca (mile 544), Hatunmarka (mile 545)
Catarata de Pucayaquillo
Catarata de Pucayaquillo is a waterfall in the Shapaja District of San Martín Province, in Peru's San Martín region.
Tingo María National Park
Established in 1965 in Peru's Huánuco region, Tingo María National Park protects montane forest and the Cueva de las Lechuzas, a cave where oilbirds nest.
Kotosh
Near the town of Huánuco, Kotosh is an archaeological site of buildings that span six periods of continuous occupation.
Hatun Uchku
Hatun Uchku is a cave in Peru that holds both archaeological and paleontological remains.
Junín National Reserve
Junín National Reserve protects Lake Junín and the surrounding wet puna of the central Andes, along with its ecosystem and wildlife, in Peru's Junín region.
Cachipuquio
West of San Pedro de Cajas in Tarma Province, Junín, Cachipuquio (also called Cachipozo) is a saltwater spring in Peru's central Andes, where the water collects in two salt pools.
Catedral de Tarma
Tarma's cathedral, also called the Cathedral of Santa Ana, is a neoclassical church built in 1954 in Tarma, Junín region, Peru.
Tunanmarca
Tunanmarca, also called Siquillapucara, is an archaeological site in the Tunan Marca District of Jauja Province, in Peru's Junín Region.
Hatunmarka
Hatunmarka is an archaeological site in Marco District, Jauja Province, in Peru's Junín Region.
When you get to Jauja
Lake Paca
Lake Paca lies 4 kilometers north of Jauja, a town that once served as Peru's first capital.
Lake Tragadero
Lake Tragadero lies in Peru's Junín Region, in an area with dry winters and warm summers.
Iglesia Matriz de Santa Fe
Iglesia Matriz de Santa Fe is the main Catholic church of Jauja and the seat of the Santa Fe de Jauja parish, standing out as the town's principal architectural monument.
More drives to Jauja
- Cerro de Pasco to Jauja
- Lima to Jauja
- Huánuco to Jauja
- Huaral to Jauja
- Barranca to Jauja
- Pucallpa to Jauja
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 La Merced
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tarapoto to Jauja?
About 14 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 552 miles.
How far is Jauja from Tarapoto by car?
About 552 miles (888 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 Jauja?
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 Jauja?
In order: PE-5N, SM-839, PE-18A, PE-3N, JU-645 and PE-3SA. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tarapoto to Jauja?
Closest to the road: Hatun Uchku (archaeological site, mile 380, 0.2 mi from the route); Catedral de Tarma (cathedral, mile 516, 0.4 mi from the route); Hatunmarka (archaeological site, mile 545, 1 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.