Callao cruise port guide

Arrival & Getting Ashore

Ocean cruise ships dock inside the working Port of Callao. APM Terminals' passenger operation serves visiting cruise lines including Princess, Holland America and Norwegian. Complete your ship's clearance, then follow the passenger transport instructions for your berth.

Before you leave, find out where you'll meet your driver: at the ship, an authorised port pickup point or the end of a cruise-line transfer. Give your driver that exact location. A general APM office address or cargo gate won't replace your ship's passenger instructions.

If there's a shuttle, ask where it goes. A ride through the port and a transfer into the city are different services.

About this port

Lima's civic centre has squares, churches and colonial architecture; Miraflores has a coastal promenade for a more open-air day. Callao itself has the Real Felipe fortress and a historic waterfront district. These are three different outings, so choose one main area.

Callao is the port for Lima, but neither Lima's historic centre nor Miraflores is at the gangway. Sort out a reliable journey both ways before you start making your sightseeing list.

Getting Around

Use a reputable booked vehicle, a cruise-line transfer or an organised excursion to reach your chosen district. Once you're there, you can walk around. Don't plan on walking from an industrial berth into Lima.

Princess describes central Lima as roughly 8 miles from the port. Its traffic estimate isn't a dependable upper limit, and it doesn't describe a trip to Miraflores. Agree your destination with your driver, then let conditions on the day guide how much you try to fit in.

Things to Do

Historic Lima: make Plaza Mayor the centre of your outing, with the Cathedral and Government Palace around it. Add the Church and Convent of San Francisco if its visit arrangements suit your timing. Staying in this area gives you time to look at the balconies, pause for lunch and walk some of Jirón de la Unión without continually changing districts.

Miraflores: choose a section of the cliff-top Malecón and the Parque del Amor for a coastal walk. It's a full alternative to the historic centre, especially if you want fresh air and a leisurely meal.

A Callao-focused visit: the Real Felipe fortress and Callao Monumental offer military history and contemporary art closer to the port city. Arrange transport to a named visitor location and check fortress entry before you leave.

Getting back to your ship

Getting back: fix your return journey before planning the rest of the day. Leave time for the terminal controls after the road journey, and keep your ship's local contact details with you.

Before heading out, check how you'll get through the controlled port area in both directions, even if you're staying in Callao. Use the exact passenger return point you recorded on arrival; a published city address alone won't tell your driver how to reach the berth.

Agree your return collection point with the driver. In Miraflores, choose a street-level meeting place rather than somewhere vaguely "by the beach". If a transfer dropped you in Lima or Miraflores, check that it collects from the same place and find out its last usable departure for your ship.

For an independent car booking, check whether waiting time and the return journey are included. A one-way drop-off leaves you with an uncertain return if the plan is just to find another vehicle.

If traffic or your driver's advice suggests you have less spare time than expected, stop adding sights.

Practical Information

Keep the destination and pickup address written in Spanish and saved offline. Before you travel, agree the currency, how the fare is worked out and how you'll pay; don't assume a standard port-to-city taxi price.

Central squares and the coastal promenade may look flat, but that doesn't tell you whether the whole route from the ship is accessible. If you need assistance, check the port transfer vehicle, attraction entrance and each walking section together.