Camino a Laguna Brava – San Juan High Andes

The Camino a Laguna Brava pushes into the most remote corner of San Juan Province, where the road degrades to wheel tracks threading between 20,000-foot volcanic peaks toward the Chilean border. Starting from the mining town of Iglesia, the route climbs relentlessly through the Cordillera de Ansilta before dropping into the Laguna Brava basin at 14,100 feet—one of Argentina’s highest accessible bodies of water. Vicuñas and flamingos inhabit this harsh landscape where oxygen sits at 60% of sea level.

This extreme route demands a well-prepared expedition vehicle with auxiliary fuel tanks, as the nearest gas is 200+ miles away. High-clearance 4WD with good tires handles the rocky terrain, but altitude sickness is the real enemy here. March through May offers the most stable weather. Laguna Brava Natural Reserve requires advance permission from San Juan’s environmental ministry. The reward is accessing one of South America’s most pristine high-altitude ecosystems, where condors soar at eye level and the silence is absolute.