Puna de Catamarca — Belén to Antofagasta de laSierra.
Distance
222 km
Duration
2 days
Climb
4,200 m
Puna de Catamarca — Belén to Antofagasta de la Sierra.
A two-day adventure ride onto the Puna catamarqueña, one of the highest and emptiest corners of the Andes. From the poncho town of Belén the road climbs past adobe villages onto a 3,000–4,000m altiplano of salt flats, flamingo lagoons and more than 200 volcanoes, reaching the surreal white pumice field of Campo de Piedra Pómez before the oasis of Antofagasta de la Sierra. Remote, high and cold — carry fuel, water and warm gear.
Quick facts
SurfaceMixed
Distance222 km
Days2
Total climb4,200 m
DifficultyChallenging
Loading map...
2 days, 2 moods.
A suggested split across 2 days with 5 waypoints to discover along the way.
BelénStart · Start in Belén, the poncho-weaving town of western Catamarca at 1,240m. Last full services — fill up and carry water and fuel for the Puna.
HualfínScenic Point · Adobe village in the Hualfín valley with thermal baths nearby. The road leaves the green valleys here and begins the long climb onto the altiplano via a gravel stretch.
El PeñónOvernight · Overnight in El Peñón (3,400m), a green oasis of poplars on RP43 ringed by 6,000m volcanoes. Basic lodgings and hospitable hosts — acclimatise here before going higher.
Campo de Piedra PómezPhoto Spot · A vast white sea of wind-sculpted pumice rock at 3,000m, born from the Cerro Blanco caldera. One of the most surreal landscapes in the Andes — reached by a gravel access track.
Antofagasta de la SierraEnd · End at Antofagasta de la Sierra (3,323m), principal oasis of the Puna catamarqueña beside black lava fields and flamingo lagoons — the antechamber of heaven.
More routes in AR K
Save this ride. Open the app.
Clone it to your planner, customize dates and stops, then ride. All free.
Open in MotoVault
Navigate this route with GPS