By road, Tarapoto and Oxapampa are about 515 miles (829 km) apart, or roughly 14 h 31 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 | 515 mi (829 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 14 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-5N → SM-839 → PE-18A → PE-3N → PA-105 → PA-106 → PA-605 → PA-608 → PA-640 → PA-637 → PE-5NA |
| Regions on the route | San Martín, Huánuco, Pasco |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Tarapoto to Oxapampa
PE-5N (268 mi) and PE-18A (87 mi) carry about 69% of the 515 miles. It runs through 3 regions: San Martín, Huánuco, Pasco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tarapoto to Oxapampa
| 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 | 367–423 | 56 | Huánuco, Pasco |
| PA-105 | 423–437 | 14 | Pasco |
| PA-106 | 437–446 | 9 | Pasco |
| PA-605 | 446–450 | 4 | Pasco |
| connecting roads | 450–452 | 2 | Pasco |
| PA-608 | 452–483 | 31 | Pasco |
| local roads | 483–487 | 4 | Pasco |
| PA-640 | 487–494 | 7 | Pasco |
| PA-637 | 494–501 | 7 | Pasco |
| PE-5NA | 501–515 | 14 | Pasco |
- Mile 207 of this route: San Martín → Huánuco (region line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Huánuco → Pasco (region line)
Places worth a stop between Tarapoto and Oxapampa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huanacaure (mile 294), Shillacoto (mile 365), Hatun Uchku (mile 380)
- Nature and outdoors: Catarata de Pucayaquillo (mile 11), Cueva de las Lechuzas (mile 291), Tingo María National Park (mile 296), Yanachaga–Chemillén National Park (mile 509)
- Museums and history: Huanacaure (mile 294), Shillacoto (mile 365), Kotosh (mile 367), Hatun Uchku (mile 380), Guellayhuasin (mile 403)
Catarata de Pucayaquillo
Catarata de Pucayaquillo is a waterfall in the Shapaja District of San Martín Province, in Peru's San Martín region.
Cueva de las Lechuzas
Cueva de las Lechuzas is a cave located at an altitude of about 673 meters above sea level.
Huanacaure
Huanacaure is an archaeological site of the Inca and earlier cultures in Chinchao District, Huánuco Province, in Peru's Huánuco 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.
Shillacoto
Shillacoto is an archaeological site in the Huánuco district of Peru's Huánuco Region, excavated between 1967 and 1969 under the direction of Chiaki Kano.
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.
Guellayhuasin
Guellayhuasin is an archaeological site northwest of the village of Pallanchacra in Peru's Pasco region, at an elevation of 3,167 meters.
Yanachaga–Chemillén National Park
In Peru's Pasco region, Yanachaga–Chemillén National Park is a protected area preserving part of the rainforests and cloud forests of central Peru.
More drives to Oxapampa
- Jauja to Oxapampa
- Huaral to Oxapampa
- Lima to Oxapampa
- Tocache to Oxapampa
- Juanjuí to Oxapampa
- Moyobamba to Oxapampa
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 Oxapampa?
About 14 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 515 miles.
How far is Oxapampa from Tarapoto by car?
About 515 miles (829 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 Oxapampa?
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 Oxapampa use?
In order: PE-5N, SM-839, PE-18A, PE-3N, PA-105, PA-106, PA-605, PA-608, PA-640, PA-637 and PE-5NA. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tarapoto and Oxapampa?
Closest to the road: Huanacaure (archaeological site, mile 294, 0.7 mi from the route); Shillacoto (archaeological site, mile 365, 0.7 mi from the route); Hatun Uchku (archaeological site, mile 380, 0.2 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.