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.

Paso Pacoorcco is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.758m (15,610ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes of Peru, in the Moquegua Region, General Sánchez Cerro Province, Ubinas District.

Abra Ares is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.018m (16,463ft) above the sea level, located in the region of Arequipa, in Southern Peru. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Peru is one of the most popular places for tourism. Wherever you travel, having an itinerary planned for your trip is essential- Read this article to know more.

Mina Corihuarmi is an open-pit gold mine at an elevation of 4.883m (16,020ft) above the sea level, located in Junín, a region in the central highlands and westernmost Peruvian Amazon.

Wamp'una is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.843m (15,889ft) above the sea level, located in Lima Province in Peru.

Located in the province Huaral in Peru, Carretera Sumbilca-Pacaybamba is one of the most extreme roads of the country. Drivers must remain cautious as the journey has been known to claim the lives of careless drivers. Drive with care as this is a mountain road with hairpin curves and dangerous dropoffs.

Carretera Chicrin-Cerro de Pasco is a high mountain road located in the Pasco region, in central Peru. The road runs entirely over 3.500m above the sea level.

Paso Wiswillani is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.807m (15,771ft) above the sea level, located in the Arequipa Region of Peru.

Laguna Cochachuyo is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.324m (14,186ft) above the sea level located in the province of Pasco in Peru. The road is very rough--only try driving it in a 2wd car, if you're planning to buy a new car.

Alto de Tapacocha is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4.732m (15,524ft) above the sea level, located in the province Recuay in Peru.

Paso Huachococha is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.366m (14,324ft) above the sea level, located in the region Ancash, in central Peru.

At an elevation of 4,407m (14,458ft) above sea level, Hatun K'irawniyuq is a high mountain peak located in the Arequipa Region of Peru. Situated within the rugged Andes range, the road to the summit is a demanding high-altitude track that serves as a remote connection in one of the most arid and geologically active areas of the country.

Reaching a staggering elevation of 5,045m (16,551ft) above sea level, Nevado Huayracancha (also spelled Wayrakancha) is one of the most formidable high mountain passes in the Peruvian Andes. Located on the regional border between Lima and Junin, this route is one of the highest roads in the country, serving as a vital high-altitude corridor through the rugged Cordillera Central.

Abra Tucuccasa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496m (14,750ft) above the sea level, located in the region Ayacucho of Peru.

Laguna Pumacocha is a high mountain lagoon at an elevation of 4.370m (14,337ft) above the sea level, located in the Yauyos Province, in the Lima Region of Peru.

Abra Mañazo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,518m (14,822ft) above sea level, located in the Puno Province of southern Peru. This remote Andean route offers a high-altitude adventure through one of the most desolate landscapes in the region.

Abra de Rumualdo is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 3,434m (11,266ft) above sea level in the Caylloma Province of Peru. The journey over the pass is a brutal test of endurance along the Carretera Cincha–Huanca. This is not a standard mountain crossing; it is a remote and unpredictable route where the road surface disintegrates as you climb higher, turning from a simple departmental road into a narrow, high-altitude ledge that demands total concentration from anyone behind the wheel.

Abra Sotacocha is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.261m (13,979ft) above the sea level, located in Ayacucho region, in south-central Peru.

Carretera PA-100 is a high mountain road located in the Pasco region, in central Peru. The road runs entirely over 4.000m above the sea level.

Abra Huaytire is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.768m (15643ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Moquegua and Tacna departments in southern Peru.

Carretera LM-119 is one of the scariest roads in the world. It’s located in Santo Domingo de los Olleros District, province Huarochirí in Peru.

Abra Tiabaya is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.747m (9,012ft) above the sea level, located in Peru’s Arequipa Region.

Abra Livini-Tarata is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.803m (15,757ft) above the sea level, located in the Tacna Region in southern Peru.

Cerro Choquecota is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5.001m (16,407ft) above the sea level, located in the Puno Region, in southern Peru.

Laguna Jochauma is a high mountain lagoon at an elevation of 4.947m (16,230ft) above sea level, located in the Arequipa Region, Castilla Province, Orcopampa District of Peru.

The mountain road connecting San Francisco de Mosca and Antapirca is a high-altitude unpaved route located in the Pasco region of central Peru. Traversing the rugged Andean topography, the road represents a critical link between the Huánuco and Pasco departments, maintaining an elevation consistently above 2,000 meters.

Laguna Ashcajocha is a high mountain lagoon at an elevation of 4.383m (14,379ft) above the sea level, located in the region Ayacucho of Peru.

Abra Progreso is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.432m (14,540ft) above the sea level, located in the Grau Province in Peru.

Pampa Galeras-Barbara D'Achille is a national reserve located in the district and province of Lucanas, department of Ayacucho, in Central Peru. Its main purpose is to protect the habitat of the vicuña.

Laguna Saquicocha is a high mountain lagoon at an elevation of 4.397m (14,425ft) above the sea level, located in the Ancash Region of Peru.

Located in the province of Huaral in Peru, Carretera LM-110 is one of the scariest roads of the country.

Laguna Gallococha is a high mountain lagoon, at an elevation of 4.815m (15,797ft) above the sea level, located in the Department of Lima, in Central Peru.

Cerro Yaritani is an extreme high-altitude mountain pass at an elevation of 4,956m (16,259ft) above sea level, located in the Cusco Region of southeastern Peru. The access to the summit via a technical gravel road is a demanding Andean transit, requiring specialized 4x4 equipment to manage the sustained verticality and the high-risk atmospheric conditions of the Vilcanota range.

Cerro Iglisane is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5.052m (16,574ft) above the sea level, located in the General Sánchez Cerro Province in Peru.

Laguna Chiuri is a high mountain lagoon, at an elevation of 4.828m (15,839ft) above the sea level, located in the Department of Lima, in Central Peru.

Navigating remote high-altitude corridors—from the Kotal-e Lashkar Rah in Afghanistan to the Inca Trail sectors in Peru—requires a strict logistical protocol for food supply. In environments where infrastructure is non-existent, managing dietary requirements through plant-based self-sufficiency is often a strategic advantage, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with unregulated animal products in areas lacking cold-chain logistics.

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