Curvas de Huanchaca: 24 Switchbacks on a Narrow and Steep Road
Peru, south-america
40 km
2,142 m
hard
Year-round
Get ready for the Curvas de Huanchaca, a wild ride through the Peruvian Andes! This road, snaking along the border of Cusco and Apurimac, is famous for its mind-boggling series of 24 hairpin turns. Seriously, it's one of the most intensely switchbacked roads on the planet, promising a drive that's both spectacular and maybe a little dizzying.
You'll find this beauty in the southern highlands of Peru, nestled in the Urubamba Valley, about 40km west of Cusco. It's known locally as Curvas de Huallpachaca too.
Route 3SF has been recently paved and even though it's barely wide enough for one car in places, most vehicles can handle it. But don't let the fresh pavement fool you – this road is a challenge! Those 24 switchbacks are carved right into the rock, and there are no guardrails to keep you from the sheer drop-offs. If you're not a fan of heights, maybe focus on the road ahead!
This incredible feat of engineering climbs steeply through the mountains, maxing out at a 17% gradient in some sections. The intense part is 12.5km (7.76 miles) long, starting at the Puente Huallpachaca over the Apurimac river at 2,142m (7,027ft) above sea level and topping out at 2,901m (9,517ft) asl. That's a whopping 759 meters of elevation gain, averaging out to a 6.07% gradient. Trust me, you'll feel it!
Where is it?
Curvas de Huanchaca: 24 Switchbacks on a Narrow and Steep Road is located in Peru (south-america). Coordinates: -9.2560, -75.1811
Road Details
- Country
- Peru
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 40 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,142 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -9.2560, -75.1811
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