Travelling the challenging Ruta A-23
Chile, south-america
114 km
5,242 m
extreme
Year-round
Get ready for the ride of your life on Ruta A-23 in the remote northern reaches of Chile! This isn't your average Sunday drive. Picture 114km (70 miles) of unpaved adventure that will take you over 6 hours to conquer. While technically a 2wd road (weather permitting!), you'll be navigating everything from smooth surfaces to teeth-rattling washboards.
Starting near Putre at a lofty 3,500 meters, the climb is brutal. Expect your lungs to burn in the thin air as you hug the Tapaca Volcano, eventually reaching a staggering 5,242 meters above sea level. Snowfall can shut things down in a heartbeat, and heavy mist can make things seriously sketchy.
The gravel and sand can turn treacherous and muddy after rain, so keep an eye on the forecast. Speaking of isolation, expect to see more vicuñas and alpacas than people after you leave Putre. The road ends in Visviri, near the Bolivian border.
Be warned: this route earns its reputation for danger! Unpredictable snowstorms, avalanches, and landslides can strike without warning. Patches of ice are common, so only tackle this adventure in good weather. But if you're up for a challenge, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking!
Where is it?
Travelling the challenging Ruta A-23 is located in Chile (south-america). Coordinates: -36.0828, -72.1790
Road Details
- Country
- Chile
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 114 km
- Max Elevation
- 5,242 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- -36.0828, -72.1790
Related Roads in south-america
extremeTarija-Villamontes Road
🇧🇴 Bolivia
Okay, buckle up, adventure-seekers, because the Tarija-Villamontes road in southeastern Bolivia is a wild ride you won't soon forget! This stretch of Ruta Nacional 11 connects Tarija and Villamontes, and let's just say it's got a reputation for being a bit of a beast. Clocking in at 224 km, this mountain route is the main artery for southern Bolivia, funneling traffic from Paraguay and the Argentine Chaco. Expect a fair amount of company, especially big rigs – this is a working road. You'll find yourself kicking up dust, bouncing over bumps, and dodging stones as you navigate tight bends with serious drop-offs. Built way back in 1929, the road winds through an area famous for its oil, and it's mostly hard-packed gravel, but with a layer of loose sand on top. Be warned, it gets pretty narrow in sections, and safety barriers are often nonexistent. Sadly, this road has seen its share of accidents. Be prepared for fog, rain, and even snow in winter. Navigating these steep mountain passes requires serious focus!
extremeA mining road to Cerro del Carmen in the Andes
🇦🇷 Argentina
Alright, adventure junkies, listen up! Cerro del Carmen is calling your name! This beast of a peak sits way up high at a whopping 5,145 meters (that's 16,879 feet!), straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. We're talking seriously high altitude, folks, making it one of the highest roads you can find in either country. You'll find this stunner nestled in the heart of the Andes, marking the line between Chile's Coquimbo region and Argentina's San Juan province. The road? Oh, it's an experience, alright. Think rugged, unpaved terrain – this is a mining road, after all. Get ready for a wild ride packed with narrow stretches, seriously steep climbs, and more hairpin turns than you can count. Word to the wise: because of the extreme altitude, you can only tackle this road during the summer months (December to April). Snow shuts it down the rest of the year. And even then, be prepared for some serious wind and bone-chilling temperatures. But trust me, the views are absolutely worth braving the elements!
hardDriving the stunning Camino Minero Veladero
🇦🇷 Argentina
Craving an epic adventure in Argentina? Look no further than Camino Minero Veladero, a mind-blowing route through the San Juan Province Andes! Starting near Rodeo, this unpaved, but well-maintained road winds 181 km (112 miles) to the Veladero gold and silver mine, practically on the Chilean border. Hold on tight for 624 turns and some seriously steep sections – we're talking up to 13% gradients! This road isn't for the faint of heart, with elevations soaring to a staggering 4,878 m (16,003ft) above sea level at Portezuelo de Conconta. Keep in mind that Mother Nature can be a bit wild here. Daytime temps can plummet to -20°C, and winter nights can reach a bone-chilling -50°C. Add winds up to 120 km/h, and you've got a true test of endurance! Best to tackle this one during daylight hours, as night driving is definitely not recommended. Plus, it's usually closed to private vehicles in the winter. The scenery? Absolutely breathtaking!
extremeCordón de Inacaliri: Driving the 5,395m mining track on the Chile-Bolivia border
🇨🇱 Chile
Buckle up for Cordón de Inacaliri, a mind-blowing volcano straddling the Chile-Bolivia border! We're talking serious altitude here – topping out at a dizzying 5,395m (17,700ft)! This isn't your average Sunday drive. Originally hacked out for mining, it slices through one of Earth's harshest landscapes. You'll be flirting with both the Bolivian province of Nor Lípez and Chile's Antofagasta Region. The adventure kicks off near Inacaliri, but forget precise GPS – the relentless Andean winds and ever-shifting scree mean the path is constantly morphing. This is raw, untamed territory where the road can get seriously "tippy" and bumpy, demanding a driver laser-focused on navigating every obstacle. Forget smooth asphalt, this is a gnarly mix of gravel and unforgiving rock. Built for tough mining equipment, not comfort, the surface is in constant flux, thanks to relentless erosion. A 4x4 isn't just recommended, it's your lifeline. This climb demands nerves of steel, as the track clings to the volcano's slopes with zero guardrails. Always scout ahead – at this altitude, one wrong move – getting high-centered or losing traction on a tricky patch – can have major consequences. The real kicker? The crippling lack of oxygen. At the summit, you're breathing roughly 40% less than at sea level, testing both your body and your engine's combustion. Altitude sickness hits most people hard above 2,500m, but up here at 5,395m, the risk of severe *soroche* (altitude sickness) is extreme. Even simple movements become a slog, and your heart rate will skyrocket. People with respiratory or heart issues and babies should absolutely skip this one. Driving demands razor-sharp focus, even when your brain feels like it's wading through molasses. And a word on the weather: winter isn't messing around in the Central Andes. Your window of opportunity is slim – maybe mid-summer, if you're lucky. Even then, expect rapid shifts in weather, with snow possible at any time. High winds are a constant companion, and winter temperatures can plunge way below -20°C. Ice and snow can suddenly turn the rocky surface into a treacherous skating rink. Pack extra fuel, oxygen, and all the cold-weather survival gear you can fit. Trust me, you'll need it.