
Chollay-Punta Colorada Road
Chile, south-america
209 km
3,573 m
hard
Year-round
Get ready for a breathtaking Chilean adventure on the Chollay-Punta Colorada road! Seriously, this drive is gorgeous. Think stunning mountain vistas and hairpin turns galore – we're talking over 30 of them winding through the Andes.
Clocking in at 209km, this route links Chollay in the Atacama Region to Punta Colorada in the Coquimbo Region, hugging the Argentinian border. The good news is the road was recently asphalted, so the surface is smooth. The challenge? You're climbing high, really high.
The highest point hits 3,573m (11,722ft), so be prepared for thin air. Altitude sickness is a real possibility, so take it easy! Extreme weather can also play a role, so keep an eye on the forecast. But trust me, the scenery is worth it!
Where is it?
Chollay-Punta Colorada Road is located in Chile (south-america). Coordinates: -35.8819, -72.9015
Road Details
- Country
- Chile
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 209 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,573 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -35.8819, -72.9015
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