
Driving the road from Celendin to Yerbabuena: absolutely no room for mistakes
Peru, south-america
163 km
N/A
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because the Celendín-Yerbabuena Highway in Cajamarca, Peru is a WILD ride! Picture this: 163 km (101 miles) of perfectly paved road snaking between the towns of Celendín and Yerbabuena, which sounds idyllic, right? Wrong!
This isn't your Sunday drive kinda road. We’re talking seriously narrow stretches with a sheer 1,000-meter drop on one side and a towering rock face on the other. Seriously, you’ll be gripping the wheel so hard your knuckles will turn white.
The road’s in great condition, thankfully, but those corners! Imagine feeling like one of your tires is flirting with the edge as you navigate over 500 hairpin turns. Talk about stunning views – you’ll be gazing at incredible mountains the entire time. But be warned, if you’re afraid of heights, this might be your personal hell, with hundred-meter drops and zero guardrails in many places. It's an unforgettable – and slightly terrifying – adventure!
Where is it?
Driving the road from Celendin to Yerbabuena: absolutely no room for mistakes is located in Peru (south-america). Coordinates: -10.5707, -74.3935
Road Details
- Country
- Peru
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 163 km
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -10.5707, -74.3935
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