Driving the paved BR-163 across the Amazonia

Driving the paved BR-163 across the Amazonia

Brazil, south-america

Length

1,732 km

Elevation

N/A

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

BR-163 is a wild ride through the Brazilian Amazon that you won't forget!

Okay, so it used to be *infamous*. We're talking trucks swallowed by mud for days on end. Picture this: a desolate, dusty track that turned into an absolute nightmare during the rainy season (December to June). Vehicles could be stuck for over a week!

But guess what? In 2021, they finally paved the whole thing! That crazy 10-day round trip? Sliced down to 4! But heads up, heavy trucks during super wet weather could still mess things up a bit.

This epic highway stretches 1,732 km (1,076 miles) from Cuiabá (Mato Grosso's capital) all the way to Santarém (the second-biggest Amazon River city after Manaus, in Pará state). Get ready for an adventure!

Where is it?

Driving the paved BR-163 across the Amazonia is located in Brazil (south-america). Coordinates: -11.8996, -53.7556

Share this road

Road Details

Country
Brazil
Continent
south-america
Length
1,732 km
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
-11.8996, -53.7556

Related Roads in south-america

Cuesta de Mirandahard

Cuesta de Miranda

🇦🇷 Argentina

Okay, buckle up, road trip fans! We're heading to Argentina's La Rioja Province for a ride on the Cuesta de Miranda. This baby climbs to a cool 2,020 meters (that's 6,627 feet!) and is totally paved, so no need for a monster truck. You'll cruise along Ruta Nacional Nº 40, a legendary route that slices through Argentina. This stretch of road took about 10 years to build back in the day, and was finally fully paved in 2015. You'll be hugging the Miranda River, but listen up: weather here can be a beast. Avalanches, heavy snow, and landslides are a real threat, and ice patches are super common. So keep an eye on the forecast and maybe avoid this one when things get dicey. Prepare for a twisty, turny adventure that keeps you on your toes.

Jatunchacua: Driving the high Paso Retrochero in the Peruvian Andesextreme

Jatunchacua: Driving the high Paso Retrochero in the Peruvian Andes

🇵🇪 Peru

Crank up your adventure meter because Jatunchacua Pass, a.k.a. Paso Jatunchacua (or maybe Paso Retrochero, depending on who you ask!), is calling your name! Straddling the Lima and Pasco regions of Peru, this beast tops out at a breathless 4,833m (15,856ft). Yep, you're practically touching the sky! Nestled in the Cordillera Negra, south of Huascarán National Park, this isn't your average Sunday drive. Think desolate beauty, crazy weather, and a landscape that keeps you on your toes. The road itself? A masterpiece of engineering, clinging to the sides of jagged, mineral-rich mountains. This 26 km (16.1 mile) stretch from Pampahuay to Bañadería is slow going, thanks to the rough, unpaved surface and the lack of oxygen. But trust me, the views are worth it. Picture stunning high-altitude lagoons mirroring dramatic rock formations—this is the "unknown" Andes at its finest. You'll need a 4x4 with a low-range gearbox – seriously. This isn't a joyride for standard vehicles or newbies. The weather can flip from scorching sun to a blizzard in minutes, turning the gravel into a slippery nightmare. The climb? Exceptionally steep, with ramps hitting a 14% gradient. Brace yourself for the summit's 10 hairpin turns carved into the mountainside. These switchbacks demand precision, as the drops are no joke, and guardrails are MIA. Whether you call it Jatunchacua or Retrochero, the challenge is the same: a grueling ascent through the thin air of the Cordillera Negra. High-altitude sickness is real, and your vehicle will feel the strain. Pack extra fuel, respect the mountain, and prepare for an adventure you won't forget!

Huahum Passhard

Huahum Pass

🇦🇷 Argentina

Okay, adventure awaits at Paso Huahum! This international mountain pass sits pretty high in the Andes, about 2,051 feet up, marking the border between Chile and Argentina. It's one of the lower passes around, making it a bit more accessible. You'll find it connecting San Martín de los Andes in Argentina with Panguipulli in Chile. On the Chilean side, you're on Ruta CH-203, while Argentina calls it Ruta Provincial 48. Word of warning: both are gravel roads. Expect it to be unpaved, rocky, and steep on the Chilean side, but a bit more graded in Argentina. You can manage it in a 2WD with decent clearance if you take it slow and steady, especially on those long, dry stretches. Keep an eye out for washboarding, ruts, and dips! Now for the really cool part: the Chilean side involves a ferry ride across Lake Pirihueico! The Hua Hum ferry is your ticket, running daily between Puerto Fuy and Puerto Pirihueico, clocking in at around 1.5 hours. This pass is a key route from Chile's Los Ríos Region into Argentina's Neuquén Province, and the best part? It stays open year-round – no snow closures here! The scenery is absolutely worth the trek!

Where is Cerro Atacazo?hard

Where is Cerro Atacazo?

🇪🇨 Ecuador

Cerro Atacazo is a stratovolcano at an elevation of 4.155m (13,631ft) above sea level located in highest roads in the country Where is Cerro Atacazo? The peak is located southwest of , in the north-central part of the country. What’s at the summit of Cerro Atacazo? , the summit is crowned with many antennas. The views of Quito are Is the road to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo unpaved? The road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s a bumpy gravel road that has been eroded by rainstorms and is dusty in dry weather and muddy in wet. This is a demanding, tough road in remote mountains with uncertain weather, where altitude can cause real problems. You’ll need a 4WD, high-clearance vehicle . Your vehicle needs to be in good shape and be prepared for a lag in power. How long is the road to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo? The road to the antennas is very steep. It’s 9.5km (5.9 miles) long starting from . Over this distance, the elevation gain is 943m and the average gradient is Travel Guide to La Virgen Pass Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click  to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.