Ruta Provincial 150 – Jujuy Salt Flats Circuit

Ruta Provincial 150 loops through some of Argentina’s most remote altiplano, connecting the Salinas Grandes salt flats with the rainbow-striped Cerro de los Siete Colores. The route climbs relentlessly from Purmamarca to over 13,000 feet, where thin air makes your engine wheeze and the landscape turns Martian. You’ll cross bone-dry salt flats that stretch to Bolivia, navigate washouts in the Quebrada de Tumbaya, and thread narrow passes where one mistake means a long drop.

This is extreme-altitude overlanding—bring coca leaves for the altitude, extra coolant for your engine, and enough fuel for 400+ miles with no services. The road surface varies from decent gravel to brutal corrugations that’ll shake your fillings loose. Best tackled April-October when weather’s stable, though even then expect sudden storms above treeline. Stock 4x4s can make it with careful driving, but recovery gear is non-negotiable. You’re crossing one of South America’s most desolate and beautiful landscapes.