Callao (Lima) Cruise Port
Lima, Peru · South America
Cruise ships dock at Terminal Norte Multipropósito (Muelle Norte) - Cruise Berth, Lima.
Plan my port daysIndustrial multipurpose port serving Lima. Everything worth seeing needs transport, but the city rewards the effort.
At a glance
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
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
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
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 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
A pre-booked private car or driver-guide for the day is the calmest option at this port and removes most of the return-timing risk.
📍 Pre-booked driver meets you at the APN gate with a name board
Map & things to do
Money & payments
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.
🕐 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.
🕐 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.
🕐 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.
🕐 Late morning; the Government Palace changing of the guard is at noon
Puente de los Suspiros
Short stop🚶 Walk
The wooden Bridge of Sighs and the stepped lane that drops from it to the sea.
🕐 Late afternoon, when Barranco's bars start to open
Monumental Callao
Short stop🚶 Walk
A restored block of Callao mansions turned into murals, galleries and rooftop bars.
🕐 Weekend afternoons, when the galleries and bars are open
Playa Cantolao and the La Punta seafront
Short stop🏖️ Beach
A calm pebble beach and seafront promenade at the very tip of Callao.
🕐 Late morning, when the haze lifts off the islands
Mercado N°2 de Surquillo
Short stop🛒 Market
The market Lima's chefs shop at - Amazon fruit, dozens of potatoes, a ceviche counter.
🕐 Before 1pm, while the ceviche counters are still serving
La Mar Cebichería
🍽️ Restaurant
Gastón Acurio's ceviche house: lunch only, no bookings, worth the wait.
🕐 Arrive at noon - they stop serving mid-afternoon and take no reservations
Convento de San Francisco
Short stop⛪ Church / Cathedral
A baroque monastery whose guided tour ends in bone-lined catacombs.
🕐 Early afternoon; tours leave every 20-30 minutes
Museo Larco
🏛️ Museum
Twenty thousand years of Peruvian ceramics and gold in a whitewashed colonial mansion.
🕐 Opens at 10am and is quietest before noon
Malecón de Miraflores clifftop walk
Short stop📸 Viewpoint
Six kilometres of clifftop park above the Pacific, with paragliders overhead.
🕐 Late afternoon, for the paragliders and the sunset
Larcomar
Short stop🛍️ Shopping
An open-air mall cut into the cliff face, with alpaca shops and ocean terraces.
🕐 Afternoon, before the evening crowd arrives
Build your perfect day in Lima
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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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