
Driving the potholed road to Abra Chaucha in the central highlands
Peru, south-america
118 km
4,728 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, adventure seekers! Abra Chaucha in Peru is calling your name! This incredible mountain pass punches through the Andes at a staggering 4,728m (15,511ft) – that's HIGH!
You'll find it east of Lima, straddling the Junín and Lima regions, smack-dab in the Peruvian central highlands. It's part of Carretera 24, a 118km (73-mile) route from Huancayo to Tinco that’s an east-west rollercoaster ride.
Now, the road IS paved... but hold your horses! It’s seen better days, let’s just say. Think narrow stretches, seriously steep climbs, and more potholes than you can shake a stick at. Trust me, you do NOT want to tackle this at night. Some of those potholes are absolute monsters and could leave your ride seriously hurting – we're talking suspension, shocks, the whole shebang. But, if you're up for it, the scenery along this route is seriously dramatic, with pass after pass offering insane highland views! Get ready for an unforgettable ride!
Where is it?
Driving the potholed road to Abra Chaucha in the central highlands is located in Peru (south-america). Coordinates: -11.9158, -75.2749
Road Details
- Country
- Peru
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 118 km
- Max Elevation
- 4,728 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -11.9158, -75.2749
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