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.
Portezuelo El Gaucho
Portezuelo El Gaucho is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.177m (13,704ft) above the sea level, located in Huasco Province, in Atacama Region of Chile.
Is the road to Cerro Azufrera de los Cuyanos the ultimate high-altitude test in Chile?
Cerro Azufrera de los Cuyanos is a massive volcano located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the border with Argentina. The track leading to its slopes is one of the highest roads in the country, reaching a staggering elevation of 5,553m (18,218ft) above sea level. This extreme mine road is reserved only for the most experienced off-roaders and specialized vehicles.
Road B-898
Carretera B-898 is a very scenic drive located in Antofagasta Province, in northern Chile. The road, also known as Ruta Patrimonial de Taltal, is 30.0 km long.
Driving to Casiri Hembra and Macho: High-altitude lagoons in the Chilean Andes
Laguna Casiri Hembra and Laguna Casiri Macho are a pair of stunning high-altitude mountain lagoons located in the Arica and Parinacota Region of Chile. Situated near the Bolivian border, the road to these lakes is one of the highest driving routes in the country, surrounded by a dramatic landscape of volcanoes.
Scaling the Skies: The Journey Up Putana Volcano- Among Earth's Highest Roads on Earth
Volcán Putana is a stratovolcano located in the Antofagasta region of Chile. A former mine access road climbs up to 5.779m (18,959ft) above the sea level. It’s one of the highest roads on Earth.
Portezuelo Caballo Muerto
Portezuelo Caballo Muerto is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.410m (14,468ft) above the sea level, located in the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park in the Atacama Region of Chile.
Driving the paved A-23 road to Abra Chapoco in northern Chile
Abra Chapoco is a high-altitude mountain pass reaching 4,400 meters in the Parinacota Province, at the northernmost tip of Chile. Sitting just a stone's throw from the Peruvian border, the road through the pass—the A-23—is a remarkable piece of infrastructure that was fully paved during the 2010s. This is a journey through the silent Altiplano, a route where the asphalt cuts a straight line through a barren, mineral landscape, dominated by the silhouette of the Volcán Tacora and the thin, biting air of the high Andes.
A gravel road to the Damas Pass border in the Andes
Paso de las Damas is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.081m (10,108ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Chile and Argentina, in the Andes mountains.
Portezuelo de Chulluncallani
Portezuelo de Chulluncallani is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.492m (14,737ft) above the sea level, located in the Arica y Parinacota Region, in Chile, near the Bolivian border.
Portezuelo El Choclo
Portezuelo El Choclo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.375m (11,072ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama region of Chile.
Road trip guide: Conquering Mina Centinela
Mina Centinela is a high mountain copper mine located in the Atacama Region of Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
The Ultimate Guide to Conquering Cerro Tecar
Cerro Tecar is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5.088m (16,692ft) above the sea level, located in the Antofagasta region, in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Driving the high altitude mining road to Cerro Carasilla
Cerro Carasilla, also known as Cerro Carecilla, is a massive peak that breaks the 5,000-meter barrier in the Antofagasta Region of Chile, right on the edge of the Bolivian border. The track that grinds its way to the summit was built for mining operations and is a brutal mix of jagged rocks and loose ripio. Driving here means taking your vehicle to one of the highest points on the planet where a road still exists—a mineral and desolate world where altitude sickness doesn't just hit the driver, but leaves engines gasping for any bit of oxygen they can find.
A wild mining road to Vicuña volcano in the Andes
Vicuña is a volcano at an elevation of 5.495m (18,028ft) above sea level, straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
Cerros de Anocarire
Cerros de Anocarire is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4.845m (15,895ft) above the sea level, located in the Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile.
An epic road to Abra Mina Maricunga in the Andes
Abra Mina Maricunga is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.567m (14,983ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile.
A truck powered by solar energy sets altitude record: it has climbed a volcano in Chile
The transportation of goods by road still lacks heavy electric vehicles that meet certain operational needs. As a result, companies in the sector and drivers continue to await the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology and electric battery systems as solutions to the specific requirements of professional transportation. However, the industry is also considering other options, as demonstrated by the Swiss solar truck that has achieved an impressive feat by conquering the highest active volcano on Earth, located in Chile.
A 4x4 mine road to Cerro El Potro in the Andes
Cerro El Potro is a mountain peak at an elevation of 5.472m (17,952ft) above sea level, straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
A mining road to Cerro del Carmen in the Andes
Cerro del Carmen is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5,145m (16,879ft) above sea level, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. It's one of the highest roads in the country.
The breathtaking road to Cerro La Gitana in the Andes
Cerro La Gitana is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4,696m (15,406ft) above sea level, located in the Coquimbo Region of Peru. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
Driving the forbidden border road to Portezuelo de Chaxas in the Andes
Portezuelo de Chaxas is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,494m (14,744ft) above sea level, located on the border of Chile and Bolivia.
A wild mining road to Abra de La Deidad in the Andes
Abra de La Deidad is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.907m (16,099ft) above sea level, located in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
A wild 4x4 road to Coipitas Pass in the Andes
Paso Coipitas is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.221m (13,848ft) above sea level, located on the border of Argentina and Chile.
A 4x4 mine road to Marancales Sur in the Andes
Marancales Sur is a volcano at an elevation of 5.421m (17,785ft) above sea level, straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
A 4x4 mine road to Cerro Vidal Gormaz in the Andes
Located in the heart of the Atacama Region in Chile, Cerro Vidal Gormaz is a high mountain peak reaching an elevation of 4,988m (16,364ft) above sea level. This mining track is one of the highest roads in the country, offering an extreme off-road experience through the desolate and thin air of the Andes mountain range.
Los Caracoles Drive Guide From Santiago to Mendoza Through High Andes
Driving across a continent is one thing, but driving over one of the world's biggest mountain ranges is another. The Andes form a tall spine between Chile and Argentina. They are rock, ice, and thin air. For road-trippers and truckers, the route between Santiago and Mendoza is an epic task. Its most famous stretch is called Los Caracoles — the Snails. This road is tight and steep. It tests both people and machines.
Driving the extreme 4x4 mining road to Lastarria Volcano in the Andes
Volcán Lastarria, also known as Azufre, is a massive stratovolcano standing on the border between the Antofagasta region in Chile and the Catamarca Province in Argentina. A precarious mining road south of the summit reaches a staggering elevation of 5,324m (17,467ft) above sea level, ranking it among the highest roads in the country.
A Wild Mining Road to Tatio Volcano in the Atacama Desert
Volcán Tatio is a dormant stratovolcano located in the Atacama Desert of Chile. North of the summit, a mining road climbs up to 5,184m (17,007ft) above sea level. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
Exploring the Remote and Rugged Abra de La Honda o del Portillo: A High Andean International Pass
Abra de La Honda o del Portillo is an international high mountain pass, at an elevation of 4,156m (13,635ft) above sea level, located on the border of Argentina and Chile.
How to Get by Car to Taapaca Volcano on the Chilean Highlands?
Volcán Taapacá is a stratovolcano located in the Parinacota Province of Chile. North of the summit, a mining road climbs up to 5,450m (17,880ft) above sea level. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
How to drive the 49 km unpaved track of Paso Iruputuncu?
Paso Iruputuncu is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,070m (13,353ft) above sea level, located on the border between Bolivia and Chile. Situated just south of the active Irruputuncu volcano, the pass serves as a remote logistical link between the Tarapacá Region in Chile and the Daniel Campos Province in Bolivia. The 49.3 km route is entirely unpaved, narrow, and requires high-clearance 4x4 vehicles to manage the technical terrain and extreme altitude shifts of the Altiplano.