Paso de San Francisco

Paso de San Francisco is Argentina’s highest international border crossing, topping out at 4,748 meters where your engine gasps for air and most overlanders feel the altitude bite hard. The route from Fiambalá climbs through the Puna de Atacama, passing the massive cone of Volcán Ojos del Salado (6,893m) and crossing endless salt flats that’ll cook your eyeballs without sunglasses. The final push to the Chilean border is across loose volcanic scree that’ll test your vehicle’s cooling system and your nerve.

This is expert-level overlanding—altitude sickness, zero cell service, and weather that can turn deadly without warning. You need a reliable 4WD with extra cooling, spare parts, and at least a week’s worth of water and food. Only attempt this May through September when winter storms won’t trap you at altitude. What you earn is bragging rights for one of South America’s most punishing crossings and landscapes that look more like Mars than Earth.