Paso de Agua Negra — San Juan to La Serena via the HighAndes.
Distance
440 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
4,200 m
Paso de Agua Negra — San Juan to La Serena via the High Andes.
The highest international Andean crossing open to vehicles — Paso de Agua Negra tops out at 4,765m on the border between Argentina's San Juan Province and Chile's Coquimbo Region. The Argentine side is rough gravel through copper-red canyons and altiplano lagunas; the Chilean side drops 3,500m on brand-new asphalt into the pisco vineyards of the Elqui Valley. Open only December–April. No fuel, no settlements, no rescue between Las Flores and Vicuña — a 250km gap of pure cordillera.
Quick facts
SurfaceMixed
Distance440 km
Days1
Total climb4,200 m
Fuel stops1 along route
DifficultyExpert
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The route.
San JuanStart · Start in San Juan. Fuel up — no reliable fuel until Vicuña, Chile, 400km later. Cold morning departure recommended; the pass closes if afternoon storms roll in.
RodeoFuel Stop · Last guaranteed fuel on the Argentine side. Famous for windsurfing on the Cuesta del Viento reservoir. Gas station closes at sunset.
Las Flores — Argentine Border PostScenic Point · Tiny crossroads village; Argentine border post is here. Stamp out of Argentina before climbing. Open 08:00–17:00. Above this point there is no help.
Quebrada de Agua NegraScenic Point · The road becomes serpentine gravel here, climbing through copper-red canyons. Watch for vicuñas and condors. Drop into low gear — switchbacks are loose.
Paso de Agua Negra Summit (4,765m)Mountain Pass · The highest international border crossing in the Andes. Glacial lagunas and the penitentes ice formations line the road. Sub-zero even in summer. Don't linger — altitude sickness hits hard.
Río Turbio DescentScenic Point · The Chilean side: brand-new asphalt corkscrewing 3,500m down to the Elqui Valley. Watch for ice in shaded curves through the morning.
VicuñaRestaurant · Birthplace of Nobel poet Gabriela Mistral. Pisco distilleries and the Mamalluca Observatory. Hearty Chilean cazuela at the central market.
Elqui Valley VineyardsScenic Point · The valley narrows through pisco vineyards and astronomical observatories. Some of the cleanest night skies in the southern hemisphere.
La SerenaEnd · End at La Serena on the Pacific. Colonial church towers, beaches, and the freshest seafood empanadas after the cordillera.
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