By road, Trujillo and La Merced are about 514 miles (827 km) apart, or roughly 13 h 6 min of driving.
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.”
| Distance | 514 mi (827 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 13 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → PE-1NQ → LM-101 → PE-1NE → PE-18 → PA-100 → PE-3N → JU-105 → PE-22B |
| Regions on the route | La Libertad, Áncash, Lima, Pasco, Junín |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Trujillo to La Merced is like
PE-1N (225 mi) and PE-1NE (64 mi) carry about 56% of the 514 miles. It runs through 5 regions: La Libertad, Áncash, Lima, Pasco, Junín. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Trujillo to La Merced
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 1–70 | 69 | La Libertad |
| PE-1NQ | 70–93 | 23 | La Libertad, Áncash |
| connecting roads | 93–94 | 1 | Áncash |
| PE-1N | 94–250 | 156 | Áncash, Lima |
| LM-101 | 250–254 | 4 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 254–255 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-1NE | 255–319 | 64 | Lima |
| PE-18 | 319–365 | 46 | Lima, Pasco |
| PA-100 | 365–401 | 36 | Pasco |
| PE-3N | 401–449 | 48 | Pasco, Junín |
| JU-105 | 449–475 | 26 | Junín |
| PE-22B | 475–514 | 39 | Junín |
- Mile 72 of this route: La Libertad → Áncash (region line)
- Mile 214 of this route: Áncash → Lima (region line)
- Mile 357 of this route: Lima → Pasco (region line)
- Mile 418 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
Places worth a stop between Trujillo and La Merced
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Paramonga (mile 219), Museo Bolivariano de Pativilca (mile 225)
- Nature and outdoors: Tuquillo (mile 163), Junín National Reserve (mile 414)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen and San Pedro Apósto (mile 86), Sechin Bajo (mile 120), Paramonga (mile 219), Museo Bolivariano de Pativilca (mile 225), Caral (mile 244)
Ochiputur hillock
Ochiputur hillock (Loma Ochiputur) is a coastal hill in the Salaverry district of Trujillo province, 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.
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.
Chanquillo
Chanquillo (Chankillo) is an ancient complex in the coastal desert of Áncash, with a hilltop fort, the Thirteen Towers solar observatory, and residential and gathering areas.
Tuquillo
Along the Panamericana Norte in Huarmey Province, Áncash, the Tuquillo beach circuit runs on the Pacific from Puerto Culebras to the resort of Tuquillo, roughly between km 310 and 296.
Paramonga
Paramonga was a city built at the edge of the Chimor kingdom during the Late Intermediate Period. The archaeological site sits on the Fortaleza River near Pativilca, north of Lima.
Museo Bolivariano de Pativilca
Half a block from the Plaza de Armas of Pativilca, this museum occupies the house where Simón Bolívar kept his headquarters in 1823, showing paintings, books and objects from his era.
Caral
The Sacred City of Caral-Supe holds the remains of the main city of the Caral civilization, 182 km north of Lima, 23 km inland and 350 meters above sea level.
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.
More drives to La Merced
- Jauja to La Merced
- Lima to La Merced
- Tocache to La Merced
- Juanjuí to La Merced
- Tarapoto to La Merced
- Huancavelica to La Merced
From Trujillo to other places in Peru
- Trujillo to Barranca
- Trujillo to Huaral
- Trujillo to Churin
- Trujillo to Tocache
- Trujillo to Cerro de Pasco
- Trujillo to Huánuco
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Trujillo to La Merced?
About 13 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 514 miles.
What is the driving distance from Trujillo to La Merced?
About 514 miles (827 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 Trujillo to La Merced?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Trujillo to La Merced?
In order: PE-1N, PE-1NQ, LM-101, PE-1NE, PE-18, PA-100, PE-3N, JU-105 and PE-22B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Trujillo and La Merced?
Closest to the road: Sechin Bajo (archaeological site, mile 120, 1 mi from the route); Paramonga (archaeological site, mile 219, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Bolivariano de Pativilca (museum, mile 225, 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.