Where does my cruise ship dock in Lima?

Your ship docks directly at the Lima cruise terminal in Peru.

Can I walk from the cruise port into Lima?

Walking into Lima from the cruise port isn't practical. Plan to use a shuttle, taxi, or public transport.

How do I get from the cruise port to Lima centre?

Typical options include Shuttle bus, Taxi, Ride-hail (Uber/Bolt), Local bus, Other transport. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.

How much time do I need in Lima?

Plan for at least 5 hours ashore to see Lima independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.

What currency is used in Lima and are cards accepted?

Lima uses the Peruvian sol. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.

Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?

Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Lima cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.

When should I be back at the ship?

Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.

Callao (Lima) Cruise Port

Lima, Peru · South America

Cruise ships dock at Terminal Norte Multipropósito (Muelle Norte) - Cruise Berth, Lima.

Plan my port days

DIY 5/10

Industrial multipurpose port serving Lima. Everything worth seeing needs transport, but the city rewards the effort.

🚢 Docked port15 km / 9.3 mi to city centre

You cannot walk out of the port and the surrounding dock district is not safe on foot. Take the shuttle to the gate, use a booked taxi or app car from there, and allow two hours for the return trip in Lima traffic.

Get the full port plan for your entire cruise

At a glance

Family friendlyIndependent tours at dockUber availableMin. 5h neededAllow 120 min return buffer

Port summary

Cruise ships berth at APM Terminals' Terminal Norte Multipropósito, inside an active container and bulk port. Passengers cannot walk on the quay or out of the gate: a free ship or port bus carries you to the APN main entrance, and from there you need a taxi, a ride-hailing app or a pre-booked driver. Real Felipe fortress and the Monumental Callao art district are ten minutes away; Lima's UNESCO historic centre is 30-60 minutes and Miraflores 30-50, and traffic, not distance, is what decides. Build in a two-hour buffer for the ride back and agree every fare before you set off.

Cruise dock

Terminal Norte Multipropósito (Muelle Norte) - Cruise Berth

The only berth in Lima set up for cruise ships, operated by APM Terminals inside the working north multipurpose terminal. Passengers are bussed from the ship's side to the APN main gate; walking on the quay is not permitted.

Latitude: -12.04592, Longitude: -77.143137

See dock on port map →

Getting to Lima

From the cruise terminal to the city centre

Shuttle busRecommended

10 min Free

Ships and the terminal run a free bus from the ship's side to the APN main entrance gate - walking inside the port is not permitted. It only takes you to the gate, not into town.

At the bottom of the gangway on the quay

TaxiRecommended

40 min S/45-70 (US$12-20) (≈ €3–17 / $3.2–19)

Agree the fare in cash before you get in; drivers quote in soles or dollars. Roughly 30-50 minutes to Miraflores and 30-60 to the historic centre, depending on traffic.

Authorised taxi dispatch just outside the APN main gate

Ride-hail (Uber/Bolt)Recommended

40 min S/35-60 (≈ €8.6–15 / $9.3–16)

Uber, Cabify and inDrive all work in Lima and usually undercut the gate taxis. Pickup inside the port is impossible, so walk out to the gate first.

Order from the pavement just outside the gate, once you have a signal

Local bus

60 min S/2-5 (≈ €0.49–1.2 / $0.53–1.3)

Local combis and buses pass near the port but are crowded, cash only and hard to use without Spanish. Not recommended on a port day.

Combis on Avenida Manco Cápac and Avenida Sáenz Peña, a few minutes from the gate

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Map & things to do

Money & payments

Currency: Peruvian sol (S/) Cash needed: often Cards widely accepted

Carry small soles for taxis and markets and use cards for museums, malls and restaurants.

Things to do

Fortaleza del Real Felipe

Short stop

⭐ Highlight

The largest Spanish fortress in the Americas, ten minutes from the ship.

⏱ 90 min💶 S/20 entry, guided tour included (≈ €4.9 / $5.3)👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Morning, when the first guided tours go out

Huaca Pucllana

Short stop

⭐ Highlight

A 1,500-year-old clay pyramid marooned in the middle of modern Miraflores.

⏱ 75 min💶 S/15 guided entry (≈ €3.7 / $4)📋 Book ahead👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Morning guided tours; entry is guided only and stops mid-afternoon

Pachacámac

⭐ Highlight

Adobe pyramids in the desert that drew pilgrims for 1,500 years before the Incas.

⏱ 180 min💶 S/15 site and museum (≈ €3.7 / $4)👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Morning, before the desert sun gets hard

Plaza Mayor de Lima

Short stop

⭐ Highlight

Lima's founding square, ringed by the cathedral and the Government Palace.

⏱ 60 min💶 Free👨‍👩‍👧 Family♿ Accessible

🕐 Late morning; the Government Palace changing of the guard is at noon

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Build your perfect day in Lima

Tell us your cruise line, ship and departure date and we'll give you a complete set of full port information and playbooks of how to spend your day.

Inside the South America collection

Here's a peek at everything waiting for your Lima cruise day.

12 months

Typical weather

January

27°/ 20°0mm

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Good to have

Emergency & contacts

+51 1 429 3508

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Excursions compared

4 compared

Headline sights

Colonial Lima city tour with San Francisco catacombs and Miraflores

≈ 5 h · sold by 5 cruise lines

Cruise line

€110$123

Do it yourself

€54$60

Save ≈ €56Save ≈ $63 (51% off)

Take the free port bus from the ship's side to the APN main gate — walking inside the terminal is not allowed. From the gate, an authorised taxi or an Uber ordered on the pavement runs S/45–70 (€11–17) and 30–60 minutes to the Plaza Mayor depending on Lima traffic; agree the cash fare before you get in. The whole historic centre is then walkable: the Convento de San Francisco is two minutes down Jirón Áncash from the square, entry is S/20 (€5) and guided-only, with tours leaving every 20–30 minutes. A second taxi (S/40, €10) gets you to Parque Kennedy in Miraflores for the clifftop walk before the long ride back.

Walk-up fine

See the DIY plan →

Culture & history

Museo Larco pre-Columbian gold and the Miraflores Indian Market

≈ 4 h · sold by 4 cruise lines

Cruise line

€95$106

Do it yourself

€58$65

Save ≈ €37Save ≈ $41 (39% off)

Free port bus to the APN main gate, then a taxi or Uber straight to Pueblo Libre for S/45 (€11) and about 35 minutes — there is no reason to route via the historic centre. Museo Larco is open every day 09:00–19:00 and the general ticket is S/50 (€12); buying at museolarco.org/tickets gives a small discount and priority entry, which matters on multi-ship days. The garden café is a genuinely good lunch stop. A second taxi (S/25, €6) reaches the Indian Market on Avenida Petit Thouars in Miraflores for alpaca and silver at fixed-ish prices.

Best to pre-book

See the DIY plan →

+2 more

Ready-made port days

12 plans

Map of the stops on “Callao's Fortress and Mural Blocks”

3 stopsClosest to the ship

2–3 hoursEasy-goingBudgetBest to pre-book

Callao's Fortress and Mural Blocks

The rare Callao day that never goes near Lima - a colossal Spanish fortress and a mural quarter, both ten minutes from the ship.

≈ S/45 (~€11) pp including both taxi legs shared between twoOpen the playbook →

Map of the stops on “Colonial Lima in Half a Day”

4 stopsBest for first-timers

3–5 hoursModerateModerateRain-proofNo pre-booking needed

Colonial Lima in Half a Day

The UNESCO centre done on foot - founding square, cathedral, and the bone-lined catacombs under San Francisco.

≈ S/145 (~€35) pp including the taxi legs shared between twoOpen the playbook →

Map of the stops on “Museo Larco: Gold, Garden, Lunch”

3 stopsBest for museum lovers

3–5 hoursEasy-goingModerateRain-proofKidsBest to pre-book

Museo Larco: Gold, Garden, Lunch

The closest great museum to the berth, a lunch under bougainvillea, and an hour of alpaca shopping to finish.

≈ S/200 (~€49) pp including lunch and the taxi legs shared between twoOpen the playbook →

Map of the stops on “The Miraflores Clifftop Easy Day”

4 stopsBest for an easy day

3–5 hoursEasy-goingModerateKidsNo pre-booking needed

The Miraflores Clifftop Easy Day

Parks above the Pacific, paragliders overhead, a ceviche lunch and a mall built into a cliff - all flat, all walkable.

≈ S/175 (~€43) pp including lunch and the taxi legs shared between twoOpen the playbook →

+8 more

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Frequently asked questions

Where does my cruise ship dock in Lima?: Your ship docks directly at the Lima cruise terminal in Peru.
Can I walk from the cruise port into Lima?: Walking into Lima from the cruise port isn't practical. Plan to use a shuttle, taxi, or public transport.
How do I get from the cruise port to Lima centre?: Typical options include Shuttle bus, Taxi, Ride-hail (Uber/Bolt), Local bus, Other transport. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
How much time do I need in Lima?: Plan for at least 5 hours ashore to see Lima independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
What currency is used in Lima and are cards accepted?: Lima uses the Peruvian sol. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?: Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Lima cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
When should I be back at the ship?: Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.

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