Urubamba to Paracas is about 550 road miles (885 km): roughly 14 h 57 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Peru: Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huancayo within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: 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.”
| Distance | 550 mi (885 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 14 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-28F → CU-111 → PE-3S → CU-606 → AP-650 → PE-30A → PE-1S → PE-28 |
| Regions on the route | Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Urubamba to Paracas: the shape of the trip
PE-30A (277 mi) and PE-1S (120 mi) carry about 72% of the 550 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Urubamba to Paracas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Cusco |
| PE-28F | 1–12 | 11 | Cusco |
| CU-111 | 12–21 | 9 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 21–32 | 11 | Cusco |
| local roads | 32–38 | 6 | Cusco |
| CU-606 | 38–56 | 18 | Cusco |
| local roads | 56–65 | 9 | Cusco |
| PE-3S | 65–132 | 67 | Cusco, Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 132–136 | 4 | Apurímac |
| AP-650 | 136–140 | 4 | Apurímac |
| connecting roads | 140–141 | 1 | Apurímac |
| PE-30A | 141–418 | 277 | Apurímac, Ayacucho, Ica |
| PE-1S | 418–452 | 34 | Ica |
| local roads | 452–455 | 3 | Ica |
| PE-1S | 455–541 | 86 | Ica |
| PE-28 | 541–549 | 8 | Ica |
| local roads | 549–550 | 1 | Ica |
- Mile 79 of this route: Cusco → Apurímac (region line)
- Mile 251 of this route: Apurímac → Ayacucho (region line)
- Mile 394 of this route: Ayacucho → Ica (region line)
Places worth a stop between Urubamba and Paracas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (mile 129), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 416), Los Paredones (mile 417), Nazca lines (mile 435), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 436), Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins" (mile 506)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (mile 129), Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve (mile 361)
- Museums and history: Tampukancha (mile 29), Tarahuasi (mile 65), Museo Arqueológico Antonini (mile 416), Los Paredones (mile 417), Museo Maria Reiche (mile 436), Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins" (mile 506)
Tampukancha
Tampukancha is an Inca religious center in the Zurite District of Anta Province, about 30 miles from Cusco.
Tarahuasi
Tarahuasi is an archaeological site in Limatambo District, Anta Province, in Peru's Cusco Region.
Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa
Perched on a hill about 9 km from Abancay, Parque Ecológico de Taraccasa (Mirador de Taraccasa) has play areas, an artificial lagoon, a zoo, a cross and views over the city.
Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve
Set in the Lucanas Province of Ayacucho, Pampa Galeras – Barbara D'Achille National Reserve exists mainly to protect the habitat of the vicuña.
Museo Arqueológico Antonini
On Avenida de la Cultura in Nazca, the Museo Arqueológico Antonini holds many of the finds recovered by the Italian archaeological mission Proyecto Nasca (1982–2011).
Los Paredones
Near Nazca, Los Paredones is an Inca site that served as an administrative control center between coast and highlands under Túpac Yupanqui, built of adobe on carved stone bases.
Nazca lines
Scratched into the Nazca Desert of southern Peru between 500 BC and 500 AD, the Nazca lines are geoglyphs made by removing surface pebbles to expose different-colored ground.
Museo Maria Reiche
Opened in 1994, Museo Maria Reiche (Casa Museo Maria Reiche) is a house museum at kilometer 421.3 of the Pan-American Highway South in El Ingenio district, about 27.5 km from Nasca and 21.3 km from Palpa.
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.
When you get to Paracas
Paracas Candelabra
Carved into the northern face of the Paracas Peninsula on Pisco Bay, the Paracas Candelabra is a prehistoric geoglyph; nearby pottery dates to about 200 BCE.
Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello
Inside the Paracas National Reserve, the Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello opened in 1964 and is named for the archaeologist who studied the Paracas culture.
More drives to Paracas
- Lima to Paracas
- Huaral to Paracas
- Huancayo to Paracas
- Huancavelica to Paracas
- Jauja to Paracas
- Barranca to Paracas
From Urubamba to other places in Peru
- Urubamba to Andahuaylillas
- Urubamba to Kiteni
- Urubamba to Lampa
- Urubamba to Coroico, Bolivia
- Urubamba to Copacabana, Bolivia
- Urubamba to Tiwanaku, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Urubamba to Paracas?
About 14 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 550 miles.
What is the driving distance from Urubamba to Paracas?
About 550 miles (885 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 Urubamba to Paracas drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Peru: Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huancayo within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junín). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Urubamba to Paracas use?
In order: PE-28F, CU-111, PE-3S, CU-606, AP-650, PE-30A, PE-1S and PE-28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Urubamba and Paracas?
Closest to the road: Los Paredones (archaeological site, mile 417, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Maria Reiche (museum, mile 436, 0.1 mi from the route); Regional Museum of Ica "Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins" (anthropology museum, mile 506, 0.4 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.