Abra Quenco – 5,020m

Departamento de Arequipa, Peru

Travelling north to south, this is the final 5,000m pass on the road from Antabamba to Cotahuasi. After descending to 4,700m from Abra Loncopata the road climbs steeply back up to 4,990m. Then comes another descent to 4,830m before climbing up to this pass. As with many of the climbs on this route although the surface is ok there are steep sections which required pushing.

Views aren’t as good as on the earlier high passes on the Abancay-Cotahuasi route so this isn’t one of our favourites, though we were cheered near the top by seeing our first condors in months. The descent is initially quite gentle, but from about 4,500m to Quenco (which we think is the name of the tiny settlement in the valley you descend to) at 4,200m the switchback road is in bad condition and it’s tricky to ride some sections.

Peru Pass List
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