The Wayro route from Tumbes to Chota is 442 miles (711 km), about 9 h 15 min of driving without stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to safety concerns, U.S. embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling on mountainous roads at night.”
| Total distance | 442 mi (711 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-1N → PE-06A → PE-3N |
| Regions on the route | Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Driving Tumbes to Chota: the shape of the trip
PE-1N (306 mi) and PE-06A (107 mi) carry about 93% of the 442 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, Cajamarca. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tumbes to Chota, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE-1N | 0–306 | 306 | Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque |
| connecting roads | 306–313 | 7 | Lambayeque |
| PE-06A | 313–420 | 107 | Lambayeque, Cajamarca |
| PE-3N | 420–440 | 20 | Cajamarca |
| local roads | 440–442 | 2 | Cajamarca |
- Mile 65 of this route: Tumbes → Piura (region line)
- Mile 245 of this route: Piura → Lambayeque (region line)
- Mile 350 of this route: Lambayeque → Cajamarca (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Tumbes and Chota
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Brüning Museum (mile 301), Cerro Pátapo ruins (mile 323)
- Museums and history: Centro histórico de Piura (mile 179), Brüning Museum (mile 301), Ventarron (mile 314), Cerro Pátapo ruins (mile 323), Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá (mile 324), Pampa Grande (mile 334)
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.
Centro histórico de Piura
The founding core of Piura, its historic center lies between Bolognesi, Loreto and San Teodoro avenues and the Piura River and was declared Cultural Heritage of Peru in 1987.
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.
Ventarron
Near Chiclayo in Lambayeque, Ventarrón is the site of a 4,500-year-old temple with painted murals, excavated in 2007 and used by cultures from the Early Cupisnique to the Moche.
Cerro Pátapo ruins
Near present-day Chiclayo, the Cerro Pátapo ruins are the remains of a pre-Columbian city built mainly by the Wari culture, which flourished from 350 to 1000 CE.
Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá
In Peru's Lambayeque region, Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá is an archaeological site holding the remains of a pre-Inca ceremonial center.
Pampa Grande
East of Chiclayo on the south bank of the Chancay-Lambayeque River, Pampa Grande is an archaeological site in the Lambayeque Valley of northern Peru.
More drives to Chota
From Tumbes to other places in Peru
- Tumbes to Malabrigo
- Tumbes to Casma
- Tumbes to Celendín
- Tumbes to Cajabamba
- Tumbes to Jaén
- Tumbes to Chachapoyas
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tumbes to Chota?
About 9 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 442 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tumbes to Chota?
About 442 miles (711 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Tumbes to Chota drive?
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 Chota use?
In order: PE-1N, PE-06A and PE-3N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tumbes to Chota?
Closest to the road: Humedal de Santa Julia (wetland, mile 177, 1 mi from the route); Brüning Museum (archaeological museum, mile 301, 0.2 mi from the route); Cerro Pátapo ruins (archaeological site, mile 323, 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.