Where is Salar de Maricunga?
Chile, south-america
280 km
3,700 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising through the Atacama Region of Chile, heading towards this unreal, dazzling white salt flat called Salar de Maricunga. This place is seriously high up, like 3,700m (12,139ft) high! It's in the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park, way out east. The air is super dry, and the temperature swings are wild – scorching hot in the daytime sun, then freezing cold at night.
Why should you go? Well, besides the fact that it’s absolutely stunning, this salt flat is loaded with lithium. It's the southernmost of Chile's huge salt flats.
The road there? It's Ruta 31-CH, about 280 km (173 miles) of mixed adventure. You'll find some smooth paved sections on either end, but the middle is all gravel, so keep your eyes open. It runs all the way from Copiapó to the Argentinian border. Most of the time, a 2WD car can handle it. Get ready for some seriously epic scenery.
Road Details
- Country
- Chile
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 280 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,700 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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