Kahuish Tunnel is one of the world's highest tunnels
Tunel de Kahuish is a high mountain tunnel at an elevation of 4.516m (14,816ft) above the sea level, located in Ancash, a region of Peru. It’s one of the world's highest tunnels.
Where is Kahuish Tunnel?
The tunnel is located on the northern part of the country, within the Huascarán National Park, a national park in the Cordillera Blanca, a range of the Andes, in Ancash, and is traversed by the AN-110 road, between Huaraz and Chavin. The tunnel leads through the valley of river Santa over the ridge of Cordillera Blanca to the valley of Marañon. The road is paved on the west side and mostly unpaved on the east side.
How long is Kahuish Tunnel?
The unlit tunnel is situated at the highest point of the main road and it’s one of the longest tunnels of the country. The tunnel is 483.67m (1,586.84ft) long. There’s no old road over the top of the ridge, so bicyclists must pass through it. Right behind the tunnel is a pretty impressive statue of Christ (Cristo Blanco) looking into the valley.
When was the Kahuish Tunnel built?
The construction of the tunnel was carried out in response to the Road Plan initiated in 1927 by the then President of the Republic of Peru, Augusto Bernardino Leguía y Salcedo. During the drilling, accidents were frequent as a lot of dynamite was used to bore and blast the rock. Despite all the obstacles, the tunnel became a reality by the end of 1941. It was improved in 2007.