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Hiring a campervan in Tacna means setting off from Peru's southernmost city, an oasis of orchards and vineyards set in the desert, half an hour's drive from the Chilean border. Around it, the Caplina valley leads to the Miculla petroglyphs and the Calientes hot springs, highland roads climb to the terraces of Tarata and the lagoons of Candarave, and the coast unrolls its beaches as far as the port of Ilo. Our partner company Intorno hands over its vehicles at its Tacna depot.
Its fleet is built for dirt roads: Toyota Hilux and Great Wall 4x4s with a camper cabin or roof tent, and Peugeot Boxer vans sleeping four.
1 rental partner
Where to pick up your vehicle in Tacna?
Observed prices
Rental prices observed in Tacna
| Vehicle | Winter July | Spring October | Summer January | Autumn April |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campervan | from €275/day median €342/day | from €247/day median €307/day | from €252/day median €314/day | from €250/day median €311/day |
Daily prices observed on October 23, 2026 for a 15-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 1 rental companies compared. 0% of offers with unlimited mileage. Median excess: €1,339.
Road trip ideas
Road trips from Tacna
1 The Caplina valley, from Pocollay to Calientes
- Tacna
- Pocollay
- Calana
- Pachía
- Miculla
- Calientes
- Tacna
Heading up the Caplina, Pocollay and Calana line up their country restaurants, where you can taste picante a la tacneña and patasca. Pachía gives access to the Miculla site, hundreds of rocks engraved by pre-Hispanic peoples, reached by suspension bridges over the riverbed. A little higher up, the thermal pools of Calientes round off the day before returning to Tacna.
- Distance
- about 80 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Peugeot Boxer van or converted pick-up
2 The Tarata highlands and Aricota Lagoon
- Tacna
- Tarata
- Ticaco
- Candarave
- Aricota Lagoon
- Curibaya
- Ilabaya
- Tacna
To the north-east, the road leaves the desert and climbs to Tarata, a stone village surrounded by farming terraces and crossed by a stretch of the Inca trail. Via Ticaco and high-altitude tracks, you reach Candarave, at the foot of the Yucamane volcano, then Aricota Lagoon, a turquoise lake set in an arid canyon. The descent via Curibaya and Ilabaya joins the Pan-American Highway. Partly unpaved tracks: drive in daylight.
- Distance
- about 400 km
- Recommended vehicle
- 4x4 pick-up camper
3 One-way to Arequipa via Ilo and Moquegua
- Tacna
- Boca del Río
- Ite
- Ilo
- Moquegua
- Cerro Baúl
- Arequipa
To the south-west, Boca del Río is the beach where Tacna's residents spend the summer; the coastal road then runs north, between cliffs and desert, to the Ite wetlands, a bird refuge at the mouth of the Locumba river, and on to the port of Ilo and its seafront. You then head inland to Moquegua, its pisco bodegas and Cerro Baúl, the sacred mesa of the Wari, before crossing the desert to Arequipa.
- Distance
- about 500 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Converted van or pick-up
Weather and seasons
When to go in Tacna?
Best time
April-May and October-November
April to May, October to November
highs 19 to 22 °C, lows 10 to 13 °C
The shoulder seasons offer the best balance when leaving from Tacna: mild, very sunny days in town, practically no rain and nights still bearable on the Tarata highlands. October and November are among the brightest months of the year, with twelve hours of sunshine a day on average.
High season
Southern summer, December to March
December to March
highs 23 to 25 °C, lows 13 to 16 °C
This is the season of the Boca del Río beaches and of school holidays in both Peru and Chile: visitors from Arica flock in and the border gets busy. The year's rare rains fall mostly at altitude, where the southern summer turns some Candarave tracks muddy; in town it is hot but rarely muggy.
Winter
Southern winter, June to September
June to September
highs 17 to 18 °C, lows 8 to 9 °C
Winter stays dry and mild in Tacna, but the morning sky is often veiled by mist from the Pacific. At altitude, nights become freezing: an insulated cabin beats a roof tent for the climb to Candarave. At the end of August, the city celebrates its return to Peru, after half a century of Chilean administration, with a great flag procession.
Climate in Tacna, month by month
Most pleasant months: August to June.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24 °C | 15 °C | 14 mm | 11 h/day |
| Feb | 25 °C | 16 °C | 15 mm | 11 h/day |
| Mar | 25 °C | 15 °C | 4 mm | 11 h/day |
| Apr | 22 °C | 13 °C | 1 mm | 11 h/day |
| May | 19 °C | 11 °C | 1 mm | 11 h/day |
| Jun | 17 °C | 9 °C | 2 mm | 10 h/day |
| Jul | 17 °C | 8 °C | 3 mm | 10 h/day |
| Aug | 17 °C | 8 °C | 2 mm | 11 h/day |
| Sep | 18 °C | 9 °C | 2 mm | 11 h/day |
| Oct | 20 °C | 10 °C | 1 mm | 12 h/day |
| Nov | 21 °C | 11 °C | 3 mm | 12 h/day |
| Dec | 23 °C | 13 °C | 7 mm | 12 h/day |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Practical tips
Everything to know before hitting the road
Weekends of Chilean visitors
Tacna's shops, restaurants and dental practices draw many Arica residents every week: on Saturdays and Sundays, the centre and the Santa Rosa border post are packed. Pick up the vehicle on a weekday if you can, and leave town early in the morning to avoid the traffic jams on Avenida Bolognesi.
Customs checks when leaving Tacna
Tacna enjoys a special tax regime, with its free zone, Zofratacna, and its shopping arcades. On the Pan-American Highway towards Moquegua, Peruvian customs checkpoints inspect the goods being carried: keep the receipts for your purchases, do not carry large quantities of new items, and have the rental contract and vehicle papers ready.
Fuel and water before the desert coast
Between Boca del Río and Ite, the coastal road crosses an almost empty desert, with no regular petrol station or shade. Leave Tacna with a full tank, several jerrycans of water and food, and watch out for sand blown onto the road by the afternoon wind on the clifftop bends.
The centre on foot, the vehicle in the car park
The Paseo Cívico, the parabolic arch and the cathedral are easy to visit on foot, but the neighbouring shopping streets are clogged with shared taxis and delivery vans. Leave the pick-up or van in your accommodation's enclosed car park, and book a room that has one before you arrive.
What travellers ask
Your questions about a road trip in Tacna
Where can I pick up a campervan in Tacna?
Intorno, our partner company, has a depot in Tacna. It offers Toyota Hilux 4x4s with one or two roof tents, Toyota Hilux and Great Wall pick-ups fitted with a camper cabin, and Peugeot Boxer Höseg and Mora campervans for four people. The exact handover location is given in your confirmation; plan a taxi to get there.
How much does it cost to hire a campervan in Tacna?
The rate depends on the season, the number of days and the model: a Hilux with a roof tent for two does not cost the same as a pick-up camper or a van for four. Run a search with your dates: offers departing from Tacna are shown per day, mandatory fees included, and can be booked online.
Can I drive into Chile with a vehicle hired in Tacna?
Arica is only an hour's drive away via the Santa Rosa and Chacalluta border post. But a hired vehicle can only leave Peru if the rental company expressly authorises it and provides the documents required by customs and insurance valid in Chile: ask before booking. Otherwise, buses and shared taxis link Tacna's international terminal with Arica.
Can I return the vehicle in Arequipa or Lima?
Yes, they are also departure cities of our partners, as are Puno and Cusco. Arequipa, 228 km as the crow flies, is reached via Moquegua; Lima, 990 km as the crow flies, requires a long drive up the desert coast. Enter the return city when searching: any one-way fees are then included in the displayed price.
Which vehicle should I choose for the Candarave highlands?
A 4x4 pick-up with a camper cabin, Toyota Hilux Truck Camper or Great Wall, is the best suited: ground clearance, four-wheel drive and a heatable shelter against the cold of high-altitude nights. The Great Wall Poer is the only model observed with an automatic gearbox. Peugeot Boxer vans are better for the Caplina valley, the coast and the main paved roads.
Verified customer reviews
They rented in Tacna with CoolDrive Nomad
4.3
818 reviews
First rental of this type of vehicle in a professional context where the rental must take place from France to Canada. Many questions and Cooldrive (Marlène) has been a valuable support in guiding my choices. Efficiency and responsiveness beforehand, and on-site a vehicle and service that met our expectations. No complaints. Great!
Alain L.
Canada · Oct 2025
Avis Vérifiés
Too rigid computer system
Eric L.
Portugal · Oct 2025
Avis Vérifiés
Very good customer experience with Cooldrive. I highly recommend it! Thanks to the team who were attentive and available for organizing my trip to Canada.
B.
Canada · Oct 2025
Trustpilot
Frequently asked questions
FAQ — Campervan and motorhome hire in Tacna
What documents do I need to drive in the Tacna region?
Peru drives on the right. Bring your national licence together with an international driving permit, which the traffic police may ask for during checks, frequent in this border region. Passport, rental contract and the vehicle's registration card must stay on board. The minimum age and years of driving experience required are listed in the conditions of each offer.
How do I get to Tacna by plane?
Carlos Ciriani Santa Rosa airport, served mainly by flights from Lima, lies south of the city, on the road to the Chilean border, about fifteen minutes from the centre. Taxis wait outside the terminal. Travellers landing at Arica airport reach Tacna by shared taxi, border formalities included.
Where can I sleep in a campervan around Tacna?
Campsites are almost non-existent: people mostly sleep in a hotel's enclosed car park in town, or at the country restaurants and rural lodgings of Pocollay and Pachía, with the owner's permission. In summer, some Boca del Río beaches tolerate vans; avoid vacant lots on the outskirts of the city.
Is altitude a problem when leaving from Tacna?
Not in town or on the coast: Tacna lies at low altitude, in the desert. The change is abrupt, however, towards Tarata and Candarave, over 3,000 metres up, reached after a few hours of climbing. Spend a night at an intermediate stage, drink plenty of water and avoid any strenuous effort on your first day in the highlands.
What is there to see in Tacna before hitting the road?
The Paseo Cívico brings together the parabolic arch, a monument to the heroes of the War of the Pacific, the cathedral and its ornamental fountain. The railway museum occupies the station of the Tacna-Arica line, one of the oldest on the continent. To the north, the Alto de la Alianza battlefield overlooks the city, and the Zela house recalls the beginnings of independence.
When should I book a campervan in Tacna?
With a single depot in town, the available models go quickly for January and February, at the height of the beach season, and for July and late August, when the national holidays and then Tacna's own celebrations fill the city. Book several months ahead for those periods; the rest of the year, a few weeks is often enough.
About us
Why start a campervan trip from Tacna
Tacna offers a rare starting point in Peru: you take the wheel at desert level, under an almost always dry sky, without facing the altitude of the Andes straight away. In a single day, the Caplina valley reveals its orchards, rock carvings and hot springs; in a few days, the terraces of Tarata, the volcanoes of Candarave and Aricota Lagoon reveal mountains that few foreign travellers explore, while the coast leads to the birds of Ite and the port of Ilo.
Our partner company Intorno offers 4x4 pick-ups with a camper cabin or roof tent and Peugeot Boxer vans, suited to these contrasting roads. Arequipa, Puno, Cusco and Lima, other departure cities of our partners, open the way to a one-way trip north, and the nearness of Arica lets you extend the journey on the Chilean side by bus.