What are the most spectacular roads in Peru?

Located in the heart of the Andes, in the western part of South America, Peru is very challenging for drivers due to its geography that comprises the coast, the Andes Mountains, and the Amazon Rainforest. With such topography, it has more than 230 roads listed as the most spectacular in the world.

When traveling to the country, you can’t miss Curvas de Huanchaca, a series of 24 hairpin turns located on the boundary between Cusco and Apurimac. It’s one of the most hairpinned roads in the world, offering travelers a spectacular, vertigo-inducing drive. Or the harrowing paved road to Anticona Pass in the Andes, at an elevation of 4,824m (15,826ft) above sea level. The pass is often incorrectly said to be the highest paved road in South America.

If you want to try scary drives, don’t forget the Pasamayo Serpentine, a lethal coastal road known for fatal traffic accidents. The road has no safety fences, and one mishap, and you plunge off the cliff and into the sea. Or Pato Canyon Road, a path hewn out of sheer rock, located in the Ancash Region. And if you’re up for paved mountain roads, don’t miss the awe-inspiring drive to Punta Olímpica in the Andes, climbing up to 4,732m (15,525ft) above sea level. It's one of the highest paved roads in the country.

Abra Rapaz is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.937m (16,197ft) above the sea level, located in the highlands of Lima, in the high cordillera of central Peru. The road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails.

Google Earth often displays unusual sights during virtual exploration. In the Andes of Peru, the silhouette of a large aircraft appears in a remote high-altitude location, creating interest among virtual travelers.

Abra Lliullita is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,645m (15,239ft) above sea level, located in the Grau Province, in the heart of Apurímac Department in Peru.

Located in central Peru, Carretera Singa-Yunguilla is one of the most dangerous routes in the world. In many places this high mountain road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. It’s definitely not a “Sunday drive”.

Located in the Tacna Region of southern Peru, the TA-104 is a challenging regional road that offers a high-stakes driving experience. Stretching through a barren, volcanic landscape, this route is a vital link in the high desert, but its technical nature and extreme exposure make it a journey reserved for those with nerves of steel and a reliable vehicle.

Laguna Orcococha is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.625m (15,173ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Castrovirreyna in Peru.

Driving from Puquina to Salinas Moche is a journey into the thin, freezing air of the high Andes. At its peak, this track reaches a staggering 4,601m (15,095ft) above sea level, making it one of the most demanding routes in the Moquegua region. This isn't a place for a casual drive; it’s a high-altitude grind through a landscape of grey rock and clouds where both your lungs and your engine will be begging for air.

Laguna de Suches is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.491m (14,734ft) above the sea level, located in Candarave Province, in Peru.

Pacaraos is a remote high-mountain town sitting at an elevation of 3,331m (10,928ft) above sea level in the Huaral Province of Peru. The road to reach this settlement, known as Camino a Pacaraos, is famous for its extreme narrowness and the vertiginous drops that flank the route.

Llanganuco Orconcocha is a high mountain crystal blue lake located in the Cordillera Blanca in the Andes of Peru at an elevation of 3.850m (12,631ft) above the sea level.

Chicarhuapunta is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,289m (14,071ft) above sea level, located in the Huaylas Province of Peru.

Laguna Shegue is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.580m (15,206ft) above the sea level located in the province of Huaral in Peru.

Abra Chaucha is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,728m (15,511ft) above sea level, located in Peru.

Laguna Canchis is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.475m (14,681ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes of Peru, in the province Huarochirí.

Paso de Mojon is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.291m (14,078ft) above the sea level, located in the Departament of Ancash, in Peru.

The Carretera Sacaycacha-Pallasca, located in the Pallasca Province of the Ancash region in Peru, is one of the most high-risk routes in the Andes. Spanning 17.8 km (11 miles), this road is defined by its extreme verticality, lack of protections, and a technically challenging mixed-surface composition of asphalt and dirt sections. For any driver, this single-lane corridor is a definitive test of technical skill and psychological endurance, as it traverses terrain with unprotected drops exceeding 600 meters (2,000ft).

Abra Tres Cruces is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.738m (12,263ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Yauyos in Peru.

Laguna Alcacocha is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.350m (14,271ft) above the sea level located at the top of the Andean mountains in the Pasco region of Peru.

The road to Gruta Huagapo, officially known as JU-105, is a spectacular mountain route located in the Tarma Province of Peru. Connecting the towns of Acobamba and San Pedro de Cajas, this road serves as the main access to one of South America's deepest and most fascinating natural wonders.

Deep in the Sandia Province of the Puno Region, Road 34H stands as one of the most formidable and dizzying routes in the Peruvian Andes. Stretching for 61 km (38 miles) from Quiscupunco to the town of Sandia, this high-mountain corridor crosses the legendary Abra Sandia pass and skirts the shores of Laguna Saytococha, offering a journey that tests the nerves of even the most seasoned expedition drivers.

Abra de Viscos is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.695m (15,403ft) above the sea level, located in the Departament of Arequipa, in Peru.

Abra Acopunco is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.042m (13,261ft) above the sea level, located in the Departamento de Cusco, Peru.

Abra Mio is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.764m (15,629ft) above the sea level, located in the Huaral Province, Peru.

Laguna La Viuda is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.560m (14,960ft) above the sea level, located in the Lima Region, in western Peru.

Laguna Viscacha is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.614m (15,137ft) above the sea level, located in Mariscal Nieto Province, in Peru.

Punta Fierro Cruz is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.823m (15,823ft) above the sea level, located in the Yauli province, in Peru.

Laguna Loriscota is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.550m (14,927ft) above the sea level, located in Puno Region, Peru.

Punta Yahuarcocha is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.980m (16,338ft) above the sea level, located in the Angaraes province, in the region of Huancavelica, Peru

The road connecting Yungay Pampa and Mirasanta is a challenging mountain drive located in the Huaylas Province, within the Ancash Region of Peru. Situated inside the Huascaran National Park, this unpaved route offers breathtaking views and a technical driving experience through the heart of the Andes.

Queropalca is a high mountain town at an elevation of 3.971m (13,028ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes of Peru, in the Lauricocha Province, Cauri District.

Punta Caudalosa Chica is an extreme high-altitude mountain pass reaching 4,990m (16,371ft) above sea level in the Huancavelica region of Peru. Located in the Angaraes province, this remote track is a brutal climb through the heart of the Andes. It is a road born from the mining activity in the area, where the oxygen is scarce and the terrain is as unstable as the weather. Driving here means pushing both your vehicle and your body to their absolute limits in one of the highest navigable points in the country.

Huayunca is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.115m (16,781ft) above the sea level, located located in Peru in Departamento de Apurimac, on the boundary of Cusco and Apurimac regions. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Laguna Chichis is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.539m (14,891ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes of Peru, in the province Huarochirí.

Punta Chanca is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.852m (15,918ft) above the sea level, located in the Department of Lima, in Central Peru.

Ticsani Volcano is a volcano in the Andes of Peru, at an elevation of 4.875m (15,994ft) above the sea level, located in the Moquegua Region, Mariscal Nieto Province, in the districts of Cuchumbaya and San Cristóbal, in Peru.

Abra Tolconi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.860m (15,945ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes of Peru, in the Arequipa Region.

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