Laguna Verde (Puna de Atacama) — Paso San Francisco Corridor Dispersed Camp

Laguna Verde sits hard against the Chilean border near Paso San Francisco, at the base of the world’s highest active volcano, Ojos del Salado. The lake glows green from mineral content against a backdrop of snowcapped seismiles — an almost hallucinatory setting. Overlanders running the Paso San Francisco to Ojos del Salado corridor pull off on the broad volcanic flats near the lake’s eastern shore, on Argentine territory just inside the border zone. No facilities, no signage, no crowds. Wind hammers this place relentlessly — weight your tent or you’ll be chasing it across the salt flat. Elevation will humble the unprepared.

Access is via RN 60 through Fiambalá and then the unpaved high-puna track toward the paso — plan on rocky, corrugated, and sandy surfaces above 4,000 m. Fuel in Fiambalá before you go; there is nothing out here. Best season is November through March; the road to the pass can be snowbound outside those months. A border crossing permit may be needed if you approach from the Chilean side. Carry all water — the lake is not potable.

Volcano base camp on the roof of Argentina.