The 4 best road trips in Peru

16.11.2023 - 17:53 / lonelyplanet.com

Peru has plenty of lesser-known pre-Incan archaeological sites, lush jungles, and tranquil beaches to explore – but you'll need a car to reach them.

While car rental prices in Peru are steep compared to bus tickets, the ability to make the various stopovers on one of these epic road trips is well worth the investment. 

Before embarking on a road trip to any region, keep in mind some road etiquette in Peru: tourists driving here will find that big city traffic is chaotic, and locals don’t always heed typical rules upon interregional highways (speed limits, turn signals, etc.). 

If you avoid driving at night and take things slow, your road trip will be a safe and unforgettable success.

Here are the best road trips in Peru.

Lima-Nazca; 450km (280 miles); allow 2-3 days

From the bustle of the Peruvian capital Lima, venture south down the arid Pan-American Highway and cruise past weekend getaway favorites like San Bartolo (surfers should prioritize a stop at Cerro Azul, a small fishing town favored by local wave hunters).

Continue through Peru’s vast southern desert for another 90 minutes and the Pan-American reaches the unique coastline of Paracas.

A stop in Paracas will allow you to stretch your legs as you stroll the rugged beaches and spot wildlife such as sea lions or take an epic boat ride out to what’s known locally as the "poor man’s Galapagos Islands," Islas Ballestas, to Humboldt penguins.

From Paracas’ Pacific coastline, Ica is just an hour inland and bordered by wineries and pisco producers. Just 10 minutes beyond the city center is the desert oasis, Huacachina. The natural pool is surrounded by spectacular dunes, making Huacachina a hot spot for dune buggies and sandboarders.

After a full day of adrenaline-induced activities, get back in the car and head to your last stop on this southern road trip: Nazca.

This is your chance to change modes of transportation by opting for a six-seater plane ride over the mysterious geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines. Two miles out of town are the spiraling stone canals also built by the Nazca culture (in 200 CE and 700 CE), the Cantalloc Aqueducts.

Detour: Stop in Palpa before you get to Nazca to see the Palpa Lines, the lesser-known but just as impressive geoglyphs, viewable from a lookout 8km (5 miles) south of Palpa. Better yet, combine the viewing with the same flight over the Nazca Lines.

La Merced-Pozuzo; 157km (98 miles); allow 4-5 days (not including pit-stops)

The gateway to Peru’s central jungle, La Merced is your jumping-off point for this scenic road trip that concludes in the tranquil selva alta (high jungle) of Oxapampa, reachable only by land.

As you leave La Merced, take the time to stop by the native Ashaninka Pampa Michi community to learn about