Is Abra Blanca paved?

Okay, buckle up for Abra Blanca, a high-altitude mountain pass soaring over

above sea level, right in the heart of

Yep, it's paved! The road to the summit is smooth sailing

, thanks to some work done back in the

, which replaced a former gravel road called

That original gravel route? Supposedly a beast, tackling a

with a seriously intense switchback of

You'll find Abra Blanca as part of

called

Ruta Nacional 51 (RN51)

taking you from

San Antonio de los Cobres

When you hit the summit, keep an eye out for a

, and maybe even a few

! The views are unreal, especially the San Antonio de Los Cobres plateau way down below. You're only about 13 kilometers from the town of San Antonio de Los Cobres, a cool spot to explore.

This isn't just any road trip, though. Back in the day, Abra Blanca used to be a record holder. When this part of the country was still under the

Government of the Andes

, Abra Blanca became the

highest drivable road

, thanks to a daring drive by

Governor Mayor Brígido Zavaleta

But times have changed and it became the

world’s highest drivable road

It may not be a record-breaker anymore, but there’s a

and – usually – a bunch of

left by fellow adventurers to mark the spot. Trust me, Abra Blanca is still worth a detour