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.

Reaching a staggering elevation of 5,395m (17,700ft) above sea level, Cordón de Inacaliri is a massive volcano situated on the international border between Chile and Bolivia. Located in the heart of the Central Andes, the track to its summit is one of the highest roads in the country, originally carved as a mining access route through one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth.

Curiquinca is a stratovolcano at an elevation of 5.625m (18,454ft) above the sea level, located on the border between Bolivia and Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Abra Picavilque is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.085m (16,683ft) above the sea level, located near the Bolivian border, in Chile’s Region I (Tarapacá). It’s one of the highest mountain roads of the country.

Laguna Santa Rosa is a high mountain salt lake at an elevation of 3.810m (12,500ft) above the sea level, located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. Daytime temperatures will reach up to 30 °C, while at night temperatures will tend to drop very low, even below freezing point in winter. There are often also b winds in the area.

Located within the Andes Mountains of northern Chile, El Tatio is the highest geyser field of the world, at an elevation of 4.320m (14,173ft) above the sea level.

Laguna Salar de Pajonales is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.541m (11,617ft) above the sea level, located in the Región de Antofagasta, in Chile.

Cerro Blanco is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5.161m (16,932ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes, in the Tarapacá Region of Chile. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of the country.

Located in the Andes Mountains of Chile, Laguna Verde is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 4.328m (14,200ft).

Embalse la Laguna is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 3.180m (10,433ft) above the sea level located in the Coquimbo Region of Chile.

Quebrada de Camarones is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.391m (4,563ft) above the sea level located in the Arica y Parinacota Region in Chile.

Pascua Lama is an international high mountain peak at an elevation of 5,256m (17,244ft) above sea level, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. It's one of the highest roads in the country.

Chile Route 23 (Ruta 23 CH) is a very scenic road located on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains in the northern portion of Chile.

Cerro Tololo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.207m (7,241ft) above the sea level, located in the foothills of the Andes, in the Coquimbo Region of northern Chile.

C-173 is a high mountain track located in the Atacama region of Chile, running entirely over the 3.000m above the sea level.

Located in the heart of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Cerro Las Campanas is a high mountain peak reaching an elevation of 2,380m (7,810ft) above sea level. This summit is world-renowned for hosting the Las Campanas Observatory, a premier astronomical site where the combination of extreme aridity and high altitude provides some of the clearest skies on Earth for deep-space observation.

Cerro Llullaillaco is a dormant volcano located on the border of Argentina (Salta Province) and Chile (Antofagasta Region). A gravel rough 4x4 road southwest of the volcano climbs up to 5.049m (16,564ft) above the sea level.

Cuesta Chita is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.512m (14,803ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country, running entirely over 3.000m above the sea level.

A-235 is a very exciting journey in the heart of the Las Vicuñas National Reserve, in the Arica and Parinacota Region of Chile.  It runs entirely over 4.100m above the sea level.

Paso Barros Arana is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.431m (11,256ft) above the sea level, located on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile.

Chollay-Punta Colorada road is one of the most scenic drives in Chile. The road climbs several mountain passes through more than 30 hairpin turns.

R-925-S is a very scenic drive located at the foot of the Andes, in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region, in Chile.

Paso de San Juan is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.607m (11,833ft) above sea level, located in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, in Chile.

Portezuelo Maricunga is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,133m (13,559ft) above sea level, located in the heart of northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. Situated within the pristine Nevado Tres Cruces National Park, this pass is a gateway to some of the most dramatic and isolated landscapes in the High Andes.

Portezuelo Paranal is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.832m (15,853ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Cerro Canasa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of  4.304m (14,119ft) above the sea level, located in the Chilean Tarapacá Region, near the Bolivian border.

Valle Nevado chairlift lies in the Andes Mountains of Chile, at an elevation of 3.306m (10,846ft) above the sea level.

Quebrada Blanca is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.389m (14,399ft) above the sea level, located in the Tarapacá Region of Chile.

La Silla is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.400m (7,900ft) above the sea level, located in the southern part of the Atacama desert of northern Chile, the driest and remotest desert on Earth.

Nevados de Vilcún is a ski resort at an elevation of 1.508m (4,947ft) above the sea level, located within the Conguillío National Park, in the Araucania region of Chile.

Refugio Claudio Lucero is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 4.527m (14,852ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.

Mirador de Toconce is a high mountain observation deck at an elevation of 3.339m (19,954ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta region of Chile.

Paso Apacheta de Irpa o Cancosa is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.010m (13,156ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Chile and Bolivia.

Refugio Atacama is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 5.256m (17,244ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.

Cerro Capi is a mountain at an elevation of 965m above the sea level located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. The road is extremely steep, with sections up to 15%.

Paso Visviri is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.095m (13,435ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Chile and Bolivia.

Cuesta de Llanta is one of the most demanding roads in Chile. Located in Chañaral Province, Atacama Region, the climb is simply terrible. It’s heavily trafficked by trucks.

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