Tarma to Huacachina is about 318 road miles (511 km): roughly 8 h 59 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Roads are often poorly maintained and may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Total distance | 318 mi (511 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-22B → JU-656 → PE-22 → LM-618 → PE-1S |
| Regions on the route | Junín, Lima, Lima Province, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Tarma–Huacachina drive in a few lines
PE-1S (181 mi) and PE-22 (95 mi) carry about 87% of the 318 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Junín, Lima, Lima Province, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tarma to Huacachina, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-22B | 0–6 | 6 | Junín |
| JU-656 | 6–26 | 20 | Junín |
| connecting roads | 26–27 | 1 | Junín |
| PE-22 | 27–58 | 31 | Junín |
| LM-618 | 58–63 | 5 | Junín, Lima |
| PE-22 | 63–127 | 64 | Lima, Lima Province |
| local roads | 127–134 | 7 | Lima Province |
| PE-1S | 134–315 | 181 | Lima Province, Lima, Ica |
| local roads | 315–318 | 3 | Ica |
- Mile 60 of this route: Junín → Lima (region line)
- Mile 114 of this route: Lima → Lima Province (region line)
- Mile 167 of this route: Lima Province → Lima (region line)
- Mile 242 of this route: Lima → Ica (region line)
Places worth a stop between Tarma and Huacachina
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Sitio Puruchuco (mile 131), Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka (mile 132), Museum Transformers (mile 141), Huaca Malena (mile 196), La Centinela (mile 252)
- Nature and outdoors: La Herradura, Lima (mile 142)
- Museums and history: Huanchihuaylas (mile 127), Cajamarquilla (mile 128), Museo de Sitio Puruchuco (mile 131), Huaca Túpac Amaru A (mile 136), Museum Transformers (mile 141), Huaca Malena (mile 196), La Centinela (mile 252)
Huanchihuaylas
Huanchihuaylas, also called Huancho Huaylas, is an archaeological site in the Ate district of Lima, Peru's capital.
Cajamarquilla
In the Jicamarca Valley about 25 kilometers inland from Lima, Cajamarquilla is an archaeological site covering roughly 167 hectares, among the largest archaeological monuments in Peru.
Museo de Sitio Puruchuco
Run by Peru's Ministry of Culture, the Puruchuco site museum (Museo de Sitio Arturo Jiménez Borja) in Lima's Ate district opened in 1960.
Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka
In Lima's Ate district, the Peruvian Japanese National Planetarium Mutsumi Ishitsuka belongs to the Geophysical Institute of Peru.
Huaca Túpac Amaru A
Huaca Túpac Amaru A is a rectangular platform in Lima's San Luis district, linked to the Lima and Ychsma cultures and once an administrative center controlling water from the Huatica canal.
Museum Transformers
Museum Transformers (Museo Transformers) is a privately run museum located in the city of Lima, Peru.
La Herradura, Lima
A beach in Lima's Chorrillos District, La Herradura has served as a seaside resort since the early 20th century and has drawn surfers since the 1960s.
Huaca Malena
In Asia district of Cañete Province, Lima region, Huaca Malena is an archaeological site that has its own on-site museum for visitors.
La Centinela
Between Chincha Baja and Tambo de Mora, La Centinela was the main late settlement of the Chincha lordship and later became the seat of Inca administration in the valley.
When you get to Huacachina
St. Jerome Cathedral, Ica
Also called Ica Cathedral, St. Jerome Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Ica, Peru.
Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins"
Ica's regional archaeological museum, named for Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins, focuses on the different Indigenous cultures that lived in Peru.
More drives to Huacachina
- Lima to Huacachina
- Huaral to Huacachina
- Barranca to Huacachina
- Churin to Huacachina
- Cerro de Pasco to Huacachina
- Oxapampa to Huacachina
From Tarma to other places in Peru
- Tarma to Aguaytía
- Tarma to Tocache
- Tarma to Moyobamba
- Tarma to Satipo
- Tarma to Huancavelica
- Tarma to Casma
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tarma to Huacachina?
About 8 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 318 miles.
How far is Huacachina from Tarma by car?
About 318 miles (511 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 Tarma to Huacachina?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tarma to Huacachina?
In order: PE-22B, JU-656, PE-22, LM-618 and PE-1S. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tarma and Huacachina?
Closest to the road: Museo de Sitio Puruchuco (museum, mile 131, 0.4 mi from the route); Museum Transformers (private museum, mile 141, 0.2 mi from the route); La Centinela (archaeological site, mile 252, 0.6 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.