Papallacta is one of the highest towns accessible by car on Earth
Ecuador, south-america
76.7 km
3,300 m
easy
Year-round
Alright, wanderlusters, listen up! If you're cruising around Ecuador's Napo Province, you HAVE to check out Papallacta. This isn't your average pit stop – it's the highest town in the whole country, perched way up at 3,300m (that's over 10,800 feet!). Seriously, you can practically touch the sky.
Word on the street is "Papallacta" means "Land of Potatoes" – fitting, right? But the real draw is the ridiculously awesome hot springs. Think steamy, soothing goodness surrounded by mountain views. It's the perfect day trip escape, especially if you're coming from Quito.
Getting there is a breeze on the fully paved E20 highway. This 76.7 km (47.65 mile) stretch winds its way from Pifo to Baeza, slicing right through the Andes.
Heads up: you'll be climbing! The road takes you up to a breathtaking peak of over 4,000m (we're talking serious views of mountains and glaciers), after you pass through cute towns and tiny villages. You're basically driving from Quito, on the edge of the Amazon jungle, straight into postcard-perfect scenery. Get your camera ready!
Where is it?
Papallacta is one of the highest towns accessible by car on Earth is located in Ecuador (south-america). Coordinates: -1.8203, -78.1672
Road Details
- Country
- Ecuador
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 76.7 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,300 m
- Difficulty
- easy
- Coordinates
- -1.8203, -78.1672
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