Tumbes to Cajabamba is about 529 road miles (851 km): roughly 13 h 3 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.”
| Distance | 529 mi (851 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → PE-08 → CA-1486 → CA-1624 → PE-3N |
| Regions on the route | Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
How the Tumbes to Cajabamba drive plays out
PE-1N (349 mi) and PE-08 (96 mi) carry about 84% of the 529 miles. It runs through 5 regions: Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Tumbes to Cajabamba
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-1N | 0–306 | 306 | Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque |
| connecting roads | 306–308 | 2 | Lambayeque |
| local roads | 308–311 | 3 | Lambayeque |
| PE-1N | 311–354 | 43 | Lambayeque, La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 354–355 | 1 | La Libertad |
| local roads | 355–360 | 5 | La Libertad |
| PE-08 | 360–456 | 96 | La Libertad, Cajamarca |
| local roads | 456–468 | 12 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1486 | 468–495 | 27 | Cajamarca |
| CA-1624 | 495–511 | 16 | Cajamarca |
| connecting roads | 511–514 | 3 | Cajamarca |
| PE-3N | 514–529 | 15 | Cajamarca |
- Mile 65 of this route: Tumbes → Piura (region line)
- Mile 245 of this route: Piura → Lambayeque (region line)
- Mile 337 of this route: Lambayeque → La Libertad (region line)
- Mile 363 of this route: La Libertad → Cajamarca (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tumbes and Cajabamba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Brüning Museum (mile 301), St. Mary's Cathedral, Chiclayo (mile 308), Úcupe (mile 332), San Jose de Moro (mile 351)
- Museums and history: Piura Cathedral (mile 179), Brüning Museum (mile 301), St. Mary's Cathedral, Chiclayo (mile 308), Úcupe (mile 332), La Otra Banda (mile 332), San Jose de Moro (mile 351)
Humedal de Santa Julia
On the west side of Piura, the 12-hectare Santa Julia wetland collects rainwater from nearby areas and supports a range of plants and wildlife, including wild birds.
Piura Cathedral
Piura Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, is a Catholic church in the city of Piura.
Brüning Museum
Two blocks from Lambayeque's main square, the Brüning Museum opened in 1966 and grew from the collections of German researcher Hans Heinrich Brüning.
St. Mary's Cathedral, Chiclayo
Chiclayo Cathedral, seat of the Diocese of Chiclayo, is a neoclassical church begun in 1869 to plans commissioned from Gustave Eiffel.
Úcupe
Úcupe, 39 km from Chiclayo near the Saña River, is an archaeological zone of the Moche and Sicán cultures, including Huaca Limón and Huaca El Pueblo, where the Lord of Úcupe was found.
La Otra Banda
Near the hamlet of La Otra Banda, south of Zaña in Lambayeque, archaeologists from Chicago's Field Museum uncovered a 4,000-year-old temple and theater in June 2024.
San Jose de Moro
San Jose de Moro is a Moche archaeological site in the Pacanga District of Chepén Province, in Peru's La Libertad region.
More drives to Cajabamba
- Trujillo to Cajabamba
- Casma to Cajabamba
- Caraz to Cajabamba
- Huaraz to Cajabamba
- Barranca to Cajabamba
- Sullana to Cajabamba
From Tumbes to other places in Peru
- Tumbes to Malabrigo
- Tumbes to Casma
- Tumbes to Chota
- Tumbes to Celendín
- Tumbes to Jaén
- Tumbes to Chachapoyas
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tumbes to Cajabamba?
About 13 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 529 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tumbes to Cajabamba?
About 529 miles (851 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 Tumbes to Cajabamba?
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 Tumbes to Cajabamba use?
In order: PE-1N, PE-08, CA-1486, CA-1624 and PE-3N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tumbes and Cajabamba?
Closest to the road: Brüning Museum (archaeological museum, mile 301, 0.2 mi from the route); St. Mary's Cathedral, Chiclayo (cathedral, mile 308, 0.3 mi from the route); San Jose de Moro (archaeological site, mile 351, 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.