Palambla-Huancabamba Road
Pista Palambla-Huancabamba is a high mountain track located in the province Huancabamba, in Northern Peru. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. Words can’t describe the road and pictures don’t do it justice.
The road, located deep in the eastern mountains, reminds the infamous Death Road. It’s a high mountain track climbing up to 3.240m above the sea level. There are some narrow sections –totally impassable for 2 cars at the same time. If two vehicles have to pass each other, one might have to reverse for some kilometers of winding narrow road to get to a place wide enough to pass. It shouldn’t be attempted by those who don't know how to reverse.
Nestled in a valley high in the Piuran Sierra, the fog is usual in this section and it’s heavily trafficked by buses and trucks. This track can get very muddy and slippery after rain making it challenging to get through. This difficult and tiring road is impossible for ordinary vehicles in the wet season. During and after a storm the road may be impassable, even with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The road, part of the Route 2, is gravel. It’s 65.5 km long in the northern Andes of Peru, not far from Ecuador, and links Palambla and Huancabamba, two small towns in the province Huancabamba in the region Piura. Along this section there have been hundreds of fatalities, as well as material losses valued at many millions. This road tests the skill, and courage, of any driver. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. The area is known for its concentration of healing energy vortices. There are sacred healing lagoons and ancient ruins of ceremonial temples in the hills.
Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson
Pic&video: davidglg