The Wild Road to Abra Huayraccasa

Abra Huayraccasa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.971m (16,309ft), located in the region Huancavelica, in Peru.

Abra Huayraccasa

Set high in the Andes mountain range, the road to the summit, also known as Wayra Q'asa, is totally unpaved. It’s called HV-115. It can be extremely dangerous after rains or snowfalls. Many sources claim this pass in central Peru has an altitude of 5,059m, and that it is the highest road pass in the Americas but it's nowhere near being that. Over the pass there’s a sign but no longer makes the claim, though it still does have the 5,059m altitude on it.

The road to the summit is 63.2km (39.27 miles) long running west-east from 28D road to Lircay, capital of the province Angaraes. To drive the road without stopping will take most people between 3 and 4 hours. Located near Abra Chonta, a pass at 4.875m (15,994ft) above the sea level, the temperature falls down to minus 30 degrees centigrade during winter. The views of the surrounding mountainous terrain are amazing. The road, which is mainly dirt surface, has also been classified as one of the world’s most dangerous roads and must therefore not be attempted by any but the most experienced of drivers, as it is full of deep potholes, dizzying hairpin bends and surrounded by continuous sheer drops.