Canon del Pato: Is This Really Peru’s Most Dangerous Road?

Adventure Riding in South America Episode 13

Cañón del Pato — or Duck Canyon — sits in northern Peru between the Cordillera Negra and the Cordillera Blanca, carved over millennia by the Santa River into a spectacular 40km gorge. It is known as one of the most dangerous roads in South America, and with 35 hand-cut tunnels barely wide enough for a single vehicle, no barriers between you and the canyon floor, and heavy vehicles plying the route, it’s not hard to see why. In this episode of Adventure Riding in South America, I ride my Yamaha Ténéré 700 from Trujillo to Caraz — fallen bridges, switchbacks, tunnel roulette, and all — to find out whether Cañón del Pato deserves its reputation as Peru’s most dangerous road.

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