Papallacta is one of the highest towns accessible by car on Earth
Located in Napo Province, Ecuador, Papallacta is the highest town in the country, at an elevation of 3.300m (10,827ft) above the sea level. It’s one of the highest towns accessible by car on Earth.
The road to the town is called E20 and crosses the Andes just off the Eastern Cordilleras. It has a well-deserved reputation for being dangerous because of unpredictable snowstorms and blizzards, and driving under these conditions, can be extremely challenging.
Located on the road from Quito which leads into the Amazon jungle, its thermal baths and the Reserva Ecologica Cayambe-Coca are the leading reasons to visit Papallacta. The scenic drive from Quito to Papallacta passes through several towns and small villages before ascending to a peak of over 4,000 m, from where mountains and glaciers are visible.