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Portezuelo del Cajón is a high mountain pass on the border between Chile and Bolivia, at an elevation of 4,480 m (14,698 ft) above the sea level.
Portezuelo del Cajón (or Hito Cajón) is located on the lower southeast flank of Juriques volcano, close to the Licancabur volcano. While Bolivian customs are completed at the top of the pass, Chilean customs are completed in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, 45 kilometres (28 mi) away.The road over the pass begins at the junction with Chile Route 27, close to Cerro Toco.
The Bolivian side of the border is in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, close to the Laguna Verde and to the Laguna Blanca. The crossing is frequently used by tourists travelling between Uyuni and San Pedro de Atacama.
The climb begins gently from San Pedro, staying at 1% for 14kms, then becomes steep, climbing over 2,000m in the next 30km. It’s all on tarmac and there are plenty of Paraguayan truckers. Portezuelo del Cajón is the highest point on the road from San Pedro de Atacama (45kms) to Laguna Blanca (13kms).
The Bolivian Aduana is around 80km from the actual border right in the middle of the nowhere. Its actually sited at over 5000m so will be many peoples highest driven point in their South American travels. Its also hidden away behind a guarded barrier in a processing plant. The Chile border post is actually another 40km down the road at one end of San Pedro de Atacama.
This road is usually open all year, but during winter months, it can be closed when the access is not cleared of snow. In winter, avalanches and heavy snowfalls can sometimes block some sections of the road and can be extremely dangerous in winter due to frequent patches of ice.
This infamous road is tightly hairpinned and bumped, an exquisite winding mountain drive with sharp and blind curves and hairpin switchbacks leading the traveler over the mountains. The road includes some steep sections, without market central lines, is very narrow, barely wide enough for 2 cars at the same time and it has not protections or guardrails. The surface of the road is tarmac, and chains or snow tyres can be required anytime.
Due its climb in elevation over thousands of feet, and pass through remote areas, it is important when driving in these conditions to be prepared. Check weather forecasts before leaving home, and remember that it becomes cooler and often more prone to storms at higher elevations. Be prepared with jackets, water, and emergency kit in your car.
These are maintained roads 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. All primitve dirt roads may be rocky with areas or soft gravel or sand that makes travel unsafe for sedans or RVs. Some road sections may require a high clearance 4WD vehicle, in four-wheel-drive, driven by a driver experienced in 4WD drive techniques to drive the road without getting stuck.
If you dare take the risk and travel along this route, then make sure to be driven by someone who has experience of the road. Staying on track here takes oodles of concentration. There's sheer drops virtually along the entire route and enough hairpins to make a whirling dervish dizzy.
The road bad conditions, with extremely large pot holes could potentially pop a tire, crack a rim, or screw up your cars allignment.
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