How to get by car to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo?

How to get by car to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo?

Ecuador, south-america

Length

9.5 km

Elevation

4,155 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! I've got a road for you: Cerro Atacazo in Ecuador's Pichincha province. This stratovolcano clocks in at a whopping 4,155m (13,631ft), making this one of the highest drives in the country.

Find it southwest of Quito, smack-dab in the north-central part of Ecuador. Trust me, the views of the city from up here are worth the climb, especially with all those cool antennas at the summit.

Now, let's be real: this isn't your average Sunday drive. The road is entirely unpaved – think bumpy gravel, eroded by epic rainstorms. It's dusty when dry, a muddy mess when wet. This is a tough, remote mountain road, and the altitude will test you. So, bring your trusty 4WD, high-clearance vehicle. Make sure your ride is in tip-top shape because you *will* notice the power lag up here.

The climb to those antennas is *steep*. We're talking 9.5km (5.9 miles) from Guamani, gaining 943m in elevation. That's an average gradient of almost 10%! Get ready for an unforgettable experience.

Where is it?

How to get by car to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo? is located in Ecuador (south-america). Coordinates: -1.6294, -78.4568

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Road Details

Country
Ecuador
Continent
south-america
Length
9.5 km
Max Elevation
4,155 m
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
-1.6294, -78.4568

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