TOP RIDES: Salta, Argentina to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
South America has no shortage of epic landscape, but the high desert of the Atacama has to be… and pardon the pun, up there with the very best.
This easy, but dramatic, ride takes you from the edge of the Argentinian Pampas literally over the top of the Andes to the desert oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. Leaving Salta, the Andean foothills soon give way to the real deal as the route snakes it’s way up to nearly 3,900 meters at the town of Susques, before crossing the border at Paso Jama and topping out at over 4,800 meters before the descent into San Pedro. The nature of the terrain means you’ll need 2-3 days for this ride.
Route Details
Distance: 560km
Surface: Paved (good quality)
Fuel: Salta, San Salvador du Jujuy, Susques, Paso Jama, San Pedro de Atacama
Ridden: October 2023
1. Salta to San Salvador de Jujuy (Ruta 9) – 87km
The ride starts in the charming city of Salta. This former Spanish colonial outpost is now the largest city in the region, offering an array of hotels and services that make it an excellent jumping off point. Being a major metropolis, there are numerous petrol stations, so filling up isn’t a problem, even with Argentina’s sometimes variable fuel logistics.
Heading north, Ruta 9 is a semi-back road offering a more direct, but not necessarily quickest route to San Salvador de Jujuy. The road itself twists through some lovely lowland forest and even manages a small mountain pass at a mere 1,500 meters before dropping back down to Jujuy. It’s paved all the way with very little other traffic. Make sure your GPS device doesn’t try to take you to Jujuy via the 9-34-66 route instead. This is quicker, but mostly freeway, so far less interesting.
2. San Salvador de Jujuy to Susques (Ruta 9 / Ruta 52) – 197km
Juyjuy itself isn’t a small town either. Approaching the city, Ruta 9 will join with the main dual-carriageway which forms a kind of ring road. But before long, this gives way to a more typical highway and a ride along the vast Rio Grande valley. The turnoff for Purmamarca signals the start of the ascent. From here the climb begins, with numerous miradors (viewpoints) along the way, there’s plenty of opportunities to stop and admire the scenery.
The first major crest comes at the Cuesta de Lipan marker which includes a milestone marking the altitude at 4,170 meters. From here, the road dips back down to around 3,200 meters, dropping you out on the vast Salinas Grandes (Grand Salt Flats) where more photo opportunities abound. Although not as big as their Uyuni cousin in Bolivia, the Salinas Grandes are still impressive. From here, the route rises once again through an increasingly dry landscape as the full Atacama starts to take hold. The views are spectacular, but there isn’t much else up here until you reach Susques, a small dusty town clinging on at nearly 3,900 meters and a good place to stop for the night.
Despite its size, Susques is accustomed to being a waypoint on the road to Chile, so there are a number of hostals to choose from. Quality does vary, but Hotel El Kactus is excellent value for money, with modern rooms, en suite bathrooms, and an onsite restaurant. There is a small petrol station on the edge of town, and another about 3km further down the road, but unless you’re desperate, it’s better to fill up at Paso Jama, where there's a large YPF station.
3. Susques to Paso Jama (Ruta 52) – 115km
Leaving Susques behind and you’ll find yourself instantly dropped into the Atacama proper. The vast plateau of the Salar de Olaroz stretches out for a 115km ride across the high desert to the border station at Paso Jama. Here, the road is flat, the views panoramic, and the landscape truly empty. Paso Jama itself is a dusty outpost which mainly exists to support the border formalities. There are a few basic hostals and the YPF petrol station. It’s definitely worth filling up here, as petrol is quite a bit more expensive in Chile.
As far as formalities go, the border at Paso Jama is a breeze. A single building houses official functions for both Argentina and Chile. A simple numbered window system guides you through a basic five-step process: exiting Argentina for immigration purposes, cancelling the Argentinian temporary import permit (TIP) for your vehicle, entering Chile for immigration purposes, obtaining a Chilean TIP, and completing Chile’s customs formalities. The process will take about 45 minutes, although can be longer if the border happens to be particularly busy when you arrive.
4. Paso Jama to San Pedro de Atacama (Ruta 27) – 161km
Exiting the border compound, it’s a short ride up the hill to the border itself, demarked by a large sign, a sticker-infested attitude marker showing 4,320m, and a clear improvement in the quality of the paving.
From here, the road carves its way through the stark red and brown beauty of the Atacama Desert. More vast salt lakes, such as the stunning Salar de Loyoques and Laguna de Tara, will attempt to wrestle your concentration from the road, as will the volcanoes looming on the horizon almost all around you. A final climb will have you topping out at 4,800 meters before begging the long, 2000-meter descent into San Petro de Atacama, all in the shadow of the immense Volcan Licancabur.
San Pedro itself is an oasis town that lives and breathes Atacama tourism. It’s pleasant enough, if not a bit of a price shock compared to Argentina. It’s rammed with hotels and restaurants, but isn’t a bad place to hang for a few days. A COPEC petrol station can be found on the corner of Ruta 27 and Ruta 23, as you enter town.
Route Map
Waypoints: Download GPX