4x4 Crossing to the Extreme Andes | Salta Mountain Range, Catamarca and La Rioja | 9 days |

The Argentine Northwest offers us an unimaginable variety of landscapes and experiences, but the most interesting are those that few people know, because conventional tourism does not reach there, we will take you there.

A magical journey, in long journeys along gravel roads, paths and footprints that have already been erased.... you will go back millions of years to see the most incredible landscapes similar to the beginning of life on the planet!_cc781905-5cde -3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_

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According to recent scientific research, it is the most extreme environment known to date and the one that would best recreate the inhospitable characteristics of our planet more than 3.5 billion years ago.

Where the journey is more important than the destination 

Suitable for all types of 4x4 trucks with gearbox

You can participate as our Passenger or driving your van or rental.

Our 4x4 journeys do not have a minimum number of participants to carry out, they will never be canceled for this reason.

SCHEDULE :

RECEPTION | jump

Salta is naturally the "gateway" to the NOA, due to its beauty that invites us to explore it and its air connections with the world make it the beginning of this adventure.

From 10 am you can enter the Apart Touruca de Salta just 4 blocks from the cathedral and central square. Free day to explore it.

9:00 p.m. We meet you at "Restaurante Doña Salta" to get to know each other, organize ourselves for the departure the next day and share a delicious dinner.

DAY 1 | Salta - Abra del Acay - San Antonio de los Cobres  

  We start our adventure from Salta, "La Linda", a few kilometers from the impressive Cuesta del Obispo, we visit Los Cardones National Park and make a stop in Cachi, a magical pre-puna town to Lunch.We continue along the mythical Route 40 to pass through the Abra del Acay at 4,895 meters above sea level.A magnetic and reddish section in the Valley of Dreams and a wide and earthy plateau culminate in San Antonio de los Cobres, at 3,775 meters above sea level.  

We will visit: Cuesta del Obispo / Los Cardones National Park / Tin-Tin Straight / Payogasta / Cachi / Route 40 – Abra del Acay / Devil's Bridge

Accommodation in: San Antonio de los Cobres

DAY 2 | San Antonio de los Cobres - Tolar Grande  

On the second day of the expedition we began to enter the deep Puna, reaching Tolar Grande, known as "The door to the Puna". A dazzling and demanding expedition, where the landscapes will make us think of another planet, or perhaps the same earth from millions of years ago. In the heights, I pass through the Salar Pocitos, the desert of the devil, the Valley of Mars. Before arriving at our destination for the day we will visit the Ojos de Mar,  stromatolites are the oldest traces of life on the planet and at least 3,400 million years ago they helped generate oxygen in the atmosphere.  

We will visit: La Polvorilla Viaduct - Train to the Clouds / Pocitos Salt Flat / Devil's Desert / The Seven Curves / Sea Eyes

Accommodation in: Tolar Grande

DAY 3 | La Casualidad Mine - Rio Grande Salt Flat - Antofalla - Antofagasta de las Sierras  

We start from the beautiful town of Tolar Grande (3,400 m), after another panoramic elevated stretch, we cross the enormous Salar de Arizaro, to surprise us with the Cono de Arita, a perfect natural pyramid. We continue on our way to the La Casualidad mining camp, at 4,000 meters above sea level, and to the La Julia mine, almost on the border with Chile. Today silent witnesses of what used to be a complex of great magnitude, in La Casualidad the sulfur that was extracted from the Julia Mine, at 5,200 m high, was processed, both connected by a 15 km long cableway. Accompanied by the silhouette of the colossal Llullaillaco volcano on our way, Salar Río Grande and its magnificent landscapes lead us to Antofalla,

We will visit: Arizaro Salt Flat / Arita Cone / La Casualidad Mine / Río Grande Salt Flat / Antofalla

Accommodation in: Antofagasta de la Sierra, "the house of the sun", at 3,440 m.

DAY 4 | Salar de Antofalla - Ojos de Campo - Geiser  Botijuela  

  A route with a great variety of views and contrasts. After crossing a mountain pass at 4,200 meters above sea level and crossing the Salar de Antofalla, the longest in the world, the shores of the salt flat reveal its hidden jewels: the Botijuela plain, where the bizarre cone of an extinct geyser emerges between thermal springs, the surprising circular lagoons known as "Ojos de Campo", and the small oasis of Antofalla (3,500 m),  

We will visit: Salar de Antofalla / Vega and extinct Botijuela Geyser / Ojos de Campo / Vega Las Quinuas / Vega Oro Huasi / Antofalla Oasis

Accommodation in: Antofagasta de la Sierra, "the house of the sun", at 3,440 m.

DAY 5 | Antofagasta de la Sierra - Real Grande - Galán Volcano Caldera - Diamante Lagoon

Exploring day of the hidden wonders of the Puna. Surrounded by strange rock formations and hills of various shades. From the formation of Real Grande we continue the climb to the edge of the caldera of the Galán Volcano, the widest crater in the world (46 km), and an abrupt descent into its interior to enjoy the Laguna Diamante, resplendent in turquoise and white, and the warm fumaroles of hot springs. We continue our way to go through the Laguna Grande that  cobija thousands of pink flamingos.

We will visit: Petroglyphs / Real Grande / Galán Volcano / Diamante Lagoon / Grande Lagoon / El Peñon

Accommodation in: Antofagasta de la Sierra, "the house of the sun", at 3,440 m.

DAY 6 | Pumice Stone Field - Las Papas - Fiambalá  

In a new day of extreme nature, immersed in this surreal atmosphere, the eroded figures of the labyrinthine Campo de Piedra Pómez appear on the horizon, they are an experience on another planet. The trail continues on cornices between steep hills, and is guessed over an ocean of dunes and fantastic volcanic elevations to reach the town of Las Papas, inhabited by descendants of Diaguitas (original people). We continue along a river boxed in between ravines, which we will have to cross countless times to reach Fiambalá, our final destination for this day.

We will visit: Campo de Piedra Pómez / Sea of sand / Las Papas / Fiambalá

Accommodation at: Fiambalá municipal hotel.

DAY 7 | Mount Pissis Viewpoint / Laguna Verde - Cortaderas  

Challenging journey deep into a hidden paradise in the Andes. The trail climbs, opening impressive panoramas and towards high-altitude lagoons that, due to their intense color, bear names such as Blue, Black and Green, their shores impregnated with salt white. At 4,500 meters above sea level, a natural balcony almost flies over this landscape, which is dominated by the titanic Pissis, the highest volcano in the world (6,882 m - IGN). Approach to Laguna Verde, sparkling like a blue-rimmed gem. Return and last stretch along the undulating and colorful route to Cortaderas.  

We will visit: Balcony of Mount Pissis / Lagna Verde, Negra, Azul and Aparejos

Accommodation at:  Hosteria de Coratderas, at 3,400 meters above sea level.

DAY 8 | Cortaderas - Andean Path to cross to La Rioja - Barrancas Blancas Mountain Refuge  

This is going to be a day of extreme adventure, through the heart of the Andes mountain range we will find the paths to go through the west of Catamarca to La Rioja along paths parallel to 12 between 8 and 12 km with the limit to Chile._cc781905-5cde -3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_

We will visit: Andean Path to cross from Catamarca to La Rioja.

Accommodation at:   Barrancas Blancas Mountain Refuge, at 4,200 meters above sea level.

DAY 9 | Crown of the Inca - Laguna Brava - Villa Union

  A superb space of nature unfolds in the immensity of the Rioja mountain range, at more than 4,000 m high. Within an extremely arid mountainous environment, but with infinite shades and colors, Laguna Brava emits its sparkles framed by Andean giants, such as the Veladero and Bonete volcanoes. Created to protect its fauna from vicuñas and flamingos, the Reserve  also houses guanacos, foxes, eagles and hawks. In one of the most extreme destinations of this trip, we will ascend to 5400 meters of height to reach the crater of the Corona del Inca Volcano.  

We will visit: Laguna Brava / Shelters of the muleteers (Refugio el Peñon) / El Destapadito / Corona del Inca Crater

Hosting at:  Vinchina

End of Services | Chilecito  

After breakfast we say goodbye and each one goes to their locality.

Vehicles and Terrain:

Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Type of terrain: gravel and consolidated land, river crossings, stretches over the course of the river.

Suitable for all types of 4x4, preferably without running boards

No prior experience required

Ideal to enjoy with family and friends

Required accessories:

Draft hooks (front and rear).

A relief cover.

Fuel Can.

In the case of having any of these elements, bring them:

Lanyard, air compressor, deflator, recovery plates

Bio-Security Measures:

This type of proposed activity is ideal to prevent the spread of Covid-19, since at all times the

Social Distance:

Accommodation: Each room will be previously disinfected and with ventilation days.

Social bubble: All the activities will be carried out keeping the nucleus of family or friends in each truck, maintaining communication through the provided handys. Every time we arrive at a point of interest we will do so with masks on, maintaining the social distance of 2 meters and of course being outdoors minimizes the possibility of contagion.

Breakfast and Dinner: It will be done in the room or in the dining room with sanitary measures, depending on the case

Lunch: We will do the same at one of the stops of the 4x4 crossing, we can do it on top of the truck or going down and maintaining social distance, we recommend bringing a chair and maybe a small table to be more comfortable,

Menu: Both lunch and dinner will be provided, this will be a freeze-dried food menu (it is a type of food used by mountaineers, with an exquisite flavor, with a low-pressure dehydration process, which maintains all its flavors and appearance. A thermos with hot water will be provided to hydrate it. Here you can see the different menus. In the event that sanitary measures allow it, there may be a more regional menu and the place of dinner may be the room or the dining room if you comply with these measures.

Satellite Security:

In addition to redundant Satellite Navigators, we have a Satellite Telephone for any emergency or communication between participants and relatives. With the pampering you can make or receive phone calls as SMS. On the other hand, it sends a location signal with a certain frequency to mark our route to our team in the city.

Rescue and light mechanics:

On the type of roads we travel, it is common for someone to get stuck in a sandbank, an ascent or any other terrain difficulty, which is why the guide vehicle has all the elements to get out of any situation, such as a front and rear winch, several slings, recovery plates, anchor, Hi-Lift Jack, pulley, complete set of tools, among others

Recommendations:

It is very important that you bring sunscreen, a hat, a lounge chair for lunch, and enough shelter. Chinstrap

Reports and Registration:

Ramiro Rios - Marketing

Cell/whatsapp: +54 9 351 2671133

Email: info@4x4overlandexperience.com