The CH21 road, in the region of Antofagasta, links the cities of Calama and Ollagüe, in the border between Chile and Bolivia. Once in Bolivia, the road is called Ruta BO-5. The village of Ollague is situated in an altitude of 3660 m (12 000 ft), between the active volcano Ollague (5865 m / 19250 ft) and the highest peak in this region, Aucanquilcha (6176 m / 20262 ft). And Calama is a city in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, one of the driest cities in the world with average annual precipitation of just 5 mm (0.20 in), and situated at an elevation of 2,260 m (7,400 ft).
Only the section between Calama and San Francisco de Chiu Chiu in the CH21 road is asphalted. The rest of the route is gravel and dirt, with many stones and sand in some parts.
This wide road, with a lenght of 215 km, suffers the weather changes of the region, with severe winters (its situaded over 3.000m above the sea level), and crosses 3 salt flats: Salar de Ollagüe, Salar de Carcote and Salar de Ascofan.
Nowadays, according to several informations, the whole road is being asphalted.
Comments
The Bolivian side of this road, running all the way up to Uyuni is even more remote and for a time you're just following the railway line.
There are no fuel stations between Calama and Uyuni, a distance of about 430km.
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