
An old mining road to Tuzgle Volcano in the Andes
Argentina, south-america
10 km
5,224 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventure-seekers, listen up! Deep in the Argentinian Andes, in the province of Jujuy, lies Volcán Tuzgle, a dormant volcano hiding a seriously epic road. We're talking about a climb to 5,244m (that's 17,139ft!) on what used to be a mining road – making it one of the highest drives in the country.
This old unpaved mining route winds its way up to the abandoned Mina la Betty, and trust me, it’s seen better days. While you probably don't need a full-on 4x4, you'll want a vehicle with decent clearance to handle the rough terrain. Be warned: there are definitely sections where your ride will be tilting at some pretty wild angles. It's probably best to avoid this trek at night, or super early morning when ice could be a factor.
Starting from Ruta Provincial 40 (RP-40), you’ve got a 10km climb ahead of you, gaining almost 800m in elevation. That's an average gradient of nearly 8%! But hey, the views of the Central Andes are totally worth it. Get ready for an unforgettable off-the-beaten-path adventure!
Where is it?
An old mining road to Tuzgle Volcano in the Andes is located in Argentina (south-america). Coordinates: -42.3388, -64.2085
Road Details
- Country
- Argentina
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 10 km
- Max Elevation
- 5,224 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- -42.3388, -64.2085
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