A hairy paved road to Anticona Pass in the Andes

A hairy paved road to Anticona Pass in the Andes

Peru, south-america

Length

37.4 km

Elevation

4,824 m

Difficulty

extreme

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure junkies, buckle up for Abra Anticona, a seriously high-altitude pass in the Peruvian Andes, straddling the Lima and Junin regions! We're talking 4,824m (15,826ft) above sea level – that's higher than most clouds! It's often mistakenly called the highest paved road in South America, but regardless, it's a wild ride.

You'll find it snaking through the Cordillera Central on the Carretera Central (Ruta 22), all nicely paved. At the top, there's even a little bar and parking spot to soak in the views!

The whole shebang is about 37.4 km (23 miles) from Casapalca heading east to the JU-102 road.

Now, don't think this is a Sunday drive. This road is steep, twisty, and full of surprises. Think hairpin bends, crazy amounts of trucks and buses, landslides, and llamas randomly running across the road. Cyclists should probably skip this one for safety reasons. Oh, and the weather? Expect the unexpected!

Give yourself around an hour to conquer it. The peak, also called Ticlio Pass or Nevado de Ticlio, marks the spot where South America splits, with rivers flowing to either the Pacific or Atlantic.

Where is it?

A hairy paved road to Anticona Pass in the Andes is located in Peru (south-america). Coordinates: -8.7672, -73.5221

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Road Details

Country
Peru
Continent
south-america
Length
37.4 km
Max Elevation
4,824 m
Difficulty
extreme
Coordinates
-8.7672, -73.5221

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