The 007 Road Trip: Driving to James Bond's Futuristic Hideout at Cerro Paranal

The 007 Road Trip: Driving to James Bond's Futuristic Hideout at Cerro Paranal

Chile, south-america

Length

8.6 km

Elevation

2,635 m

Difficulty

moderate

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, picture this: you're in Chile's Atacama Desert, about to climb Cerro Paranal, reaching a staggering 2,635 meters (8,645 feet) high! The road, Ruta Observatorio Paranal, is completely paved, but don't let that fool you – it's a seriously steep climb, with gradients hitting 12% in spots! From the B-710 road, you'll ascend for about 8.6 kilometers (5.34 miles), gaining 566 meters in elevation. That's an average gradient of around 6.58%. The views? Absolutely unreal. Keep an eye out for the Cerro Paranal Observatory at the summit, home to some seriously impressive telescopes (Very Large Telescope & VLT Survey Telescope). Fun fact: part of the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, was filmed here! There's even a hotel, La Residencia, for staff, but sadly, no overnight stays for tourists. Just remember the last stretch is often gated. Get ready for an out-of-this-world driving experience!

Where is it?

The 007 Road Trip: Driving to James Bond's Futuristic Hideout at Cerro Paranal is located in Chile (south-america). Coordinates: -35.5796, -72.8927

Share this road

Road Details

Country
Chile
Continent
south-america
Length
8.6 km
Max Elevation
2,635 m
Difficulty
moderate
Coordinates
-35.5796, -72.8927

Related Roads in south-america

Is the road to Punta Callan in the Ancash Region paved?moderate

Is the road to Punta Callan in the Ancash Region paved?

🇵🇪 Peru

Okay, adventure junkies, listen up! Wanna tackle a seriously epic paved road in Peru? Head to the Ancash Region and find Carretera 14A, because you're about to climb to Punta Callán, a mountain pass sitting pretty at a whopping 4,228 meters (13,871 feet)! This isn't just any drive – we're talking 83.1 kilometers (51.63 miles) of pure, winding bliss (or carsickness, if you're unlucky!). Seriously, the road zigzags like crazy with more turns than you can count, as you climb from Huaraz to Pariacoto. But trust me, the views are SO worth it! You'll be gazing at the stunning, snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca the whole time. And get this, after cresting the pass, you can cruise all the way down to sea level near Casma on the Pacific coast. Talk about a road trip!

Where is La Virgen Pass?moderate

Where is La Virgen Pass?

🇪🇨 Ecuador

at an elevation of 4,071 m (13,356 ft) above sea level, located in Ecuador. Where is La Virgen Pass? The pass, also known as Pichincha and Napo Provinces , in the north-central part of the country, within the Parque Nacional Cayambe Coca Is the road through La Virgen Pass paved? The road through the pass is Andes just off the Eastern Cordilleras How long is La Virgen Pass? The road through the pass is 85.3 km (53 miles) long west-east from Pifo to San Francisco de Borja Is La Virgen Pass worth it? Located on the road from Quito which leads into the , at the summit you can experience the stunning views of mountains and glaciers . The pass is home to a small chapel, known as Virgen del Paramo Papallacta . North of the pass, a defiant unpaved road climbs up to  at an elevation of 4,350 m (14,271 ft) above sea level. How to get by car to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo? The Wild Road to Edward Whymper Refuge 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.

An Andean border road to Futaleufú Passmoderate

An Andean border road to Futaleufú Pass

🇦🇷 Argentina

Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! Let's talk about Paso Futaleufú, a seriously cool international mountain pass straddling the border between Chile and Argentina. We're talking about a relatively low-lying pass, only 335m (1,099ft) high, nestled in the stunning Futaleufu National Reserve and named after the wild Futaleufú River. This beauty connects Argentina's Chubut Province with Chile's Los Lagos Region, and it's THE go-to route if you're heading from Argentina to the northern stretches of Chile's legendary Carretera Austral. Border crossings are open during daylight hours, with slightly adjusted times in summer and winter. Get ready for a 118 km (73.32 miles) journey that kicks off on Ruta 235 in Chile and winds its way to Esquel in Argentina. The road itself? Think a mix of gravel and paved sections along Ruta Nacional 259 (Argentina) and Ruta Internacional CH-231 (Chile). Prepare for epic scenery!

Andahuaylas Airportmoderate

Andahuaylas Airport

🇵🇪 Peru

Okay, picture this: You're in the Apurímac Region of Peru, heading to Andahuaylas Airport. Buckle up, because you're in for a ride! We're talking about a high-altitude landing strip sitting pretty at 11,300 feet. The road you'll be on? It's known as 30B, and it’s mostly gravel. Think of it as a wide, steep mountain track that definitely keeps you on your toes. Local buses brave this route daily to and from Ayacucho, but be warned – it's a solid 10-hour trek on a dusty road. But hey, don’t let that scare you! The views are absolutely worth it. The bus crawls along, giving you heaps of time to soak in the incredible mountain scenery. This place is seriously stunning, plus you can brag you’ve been to one of the highest airports on the planet! Besides the usual flights, you'll probably see some chartered planes coming and going too.