What are the most spectacular roads in Chile?

From the dunes of the Atacama to the ice of Patagonian glaciers, Chile is a dream for road trip enthusiasts. Located in South America, the narrow and long country hosts a never-ending list of mountain passes acting as a border with other countries. It’s worth remembering the country shares borders with Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. So, prepare to conquer Agua Negra Pass, the highest road between Argentina and Chile. At an elevation of 4.774m (15,662ft) above sea level and located on the border of Argentina and Chile, it's one of the highest roads in Chile. And, don’t miss Planchon Pass in the Andes, at 2.515m (8,251ft) above sea level, on the border with Argentina.

When you travel to Chile, there are hundreds of roads that must be in your list as it hosts more than 150 roads listed on the most spectacular drives in the world. Starting on Ruta 5, part of the Panamerican Highway, that offers a glimpse of Chile's dramatic geography; Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, a series of hairpin turns on the border with Argentina, and ending at Ojos del Salado stratovolcano, the world’s highest active volcano. At 6,891m (22,608ft) above sea level, this mountain has been the scene of several records for attaining the highest altitude aboard a land vehicle. It’s one of the highest accessible points by car on Earth.

Laguna Santa Rosa is a high mountain salt lake at an elevation of 3.810m (12,500ft) above the sea level, located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. Daytime temperatures will reach up to 30 °C, while at night temperatures will tend to drop very low, even below freezing point in winter. There are often also b winds in the area.

Located within the Andes Mountains of northern Chile, El Tatio is the highest geyser field of the world, at an elevation of 4.320m (14,173ft) above the sea level.

Laguna Salar de Pajonales is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.541m (11,617ft) above the sea level, located in the Región de Antofagasta, in Chile.

Cerro Blanco is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5.161m (16,932ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes, in the Tarapacá Region of Chile. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of the country.

Located in the Andes Mountains of Chile, Laguna Verde is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.328m (14,200ft).

Embalse la Laguna is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 3.180m (10,433ft) above the sea level located in the Coquimbo Region of Chile.

Quebrada de Camarones is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.391m (4,563ft) above the sea level located in the Arica y Parinacota Region in Chile.

Chile Route 23 (Ruta 23 CH) is a very scenic road located on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains in the northern portion of Chile.

Cerro Tololo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.207m (7,241ft) above the sea level, located in the foothills of the Andes, in the Coquimbo Region of northern Chile.

Cerro Llullaillaco is a dormant volcano situated on the international border between Argentina (Salta Province) and Chile (Antofagasta Region). A technical unpaved road on the southwest flank of the volcano reaches an elevation of 5,049m (16,564ft). This is a former mining track located in the heart of the Andes, characterized by extreme isolation and a surface composed of volcanic ash and sharp basalt rocks that test the limits of any off-road vehicle.

C-173 is a high mountain track located in the Atacama region of Chile, running entirely over the 3.000m above the sea level.

Located in the heart of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Cerro Las Campanas is a high mountain peak reaching an elevation of 2,380m (7,810ft) above sea level. This summit is world-renowned for hosting the Las Campanas Observatory, a premier astronomical site where the combination of extreme aridity and high altitude provides some of the clearest skies on Earth for deep-space observation.

Cuesta Chita is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.512m (14,803ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country, running entirely over 3.000m above the sea level.

A-235 is a very exciting journey in the heart of the Las Vicuñas National Reserve, in the Arica and Parinacota Region of Chile.  It runs entirely over 4.100m above the sea level.

Paso Barros Arana is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.431m (11,256ft) above the sea level, located on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile.

Chollay-Punta Colorada road is one of the most scenic drives in Chile. The road climbs several mountain passes through more than 30 hairpin turns.

R-925-S is a very scenic drive located at the foot of the Andes, in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region, in Chile.

Paso de San Juan is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.607m (11,833ft) above sea level, located in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, in Chile.

Portezuelo Maricunga is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,133m (13,559ft) above sea level, located in the heart of northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. Situated within the pristine Nevado Tres Cruces National Park, this pass is a gateway to some of the most dramatic and isolated landscapes in the High Andes.

Portezuelo Paranal is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.832m (15,853ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Cerro Canasa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of  4.304m (14,119ft) above the sea level, located in the Chilean Tarapacá Region, near the Bolivian border.

Valle Nevado chairlift lies in the Andes Mountains of Chile, at an elevation of 3.306m (10,846ft) above the sea level.

Quebrada Blanca is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.389m (14,399ft) above the sea level, located in the Tarapacá Region of Chile.

La Silla is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.400m (7,900ft) above the sea level, located in the southern part of the Atacama desert of northern Chile, the driest and remotest desert on Earth.

Refugio Claudio Lucero is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 4.527m (14,852ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.

Nevados de Vilcún is a ski resort at an elevation of 1.508m (4,947ft) above the sea level, located within the Conguillío National Park, in the Araucania region of Chile.

Mirador de Toconce is a high mountain observation deck at an elevation of 3.339m (19,954ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta region of Chile.

Refugio Atacama is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 5.256m (17,244ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.

Cerro Capi is a mountain at an elevation of 965m above the sea level located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. The road is extremely steep, with sections up to 15%.

Volcán Apagado is a high-altitude volcanic peak reaching an elevation of 5,343m (17,529ft) above sea level, situated on the international border between Chile (Antofagasta Region) and Bolivia (Potosí Department). The access is a 14.6 km unpaved mine road that starts from the B-145 road near Ayaviri. Logistically, this is an extreme off-road sector characterized by deep volcanic sand, loose scree, and a complex network of poorly defined tracks that make navigation technically difficult even with GPS support.

Cuesta de Llanta is one of the most demanding roads in Chile. Located in Chañaral Province, Atacama Region, the climb is simply terrible. It’s heavily trafficked by trucks.

Carretera D-447 is a very scenic drive located in the Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region, in Chile. This is a maintained road where a high clearance 2WD vehicle is able to travel safely at low speeds on long dry straight-of-ways, without losing control due to wash boarding, ruts, or dips.

Cerro Camellos is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4.431m (14,537ft) above the sea level, located in the Tarapacá Region of Chile.

Paso la Chapetona is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.654m (11,988ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. The road is less used due its difficulty.

Azufrera Tacora is an abandoned sulphur mine at an elevation of 4.518m (14,822ft) above sea level, located on the border of Chile and Peru.

Paso Guaitiquina is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.451m (14,603ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. The climb is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Near the pass, oxygen is in short supply.

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