Puna Desert a wild road trip

[MilHojas]

https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/fine-wines-folklore-and-superb-scenery-make-argentinas-puna-desert-a-wild-road-trip-scotland-on-sunday-travel-4417227

a tour of the Puna, a high-altitude plateau in the Catamarca Province, characterised by never-ending salt flats, garishly-hued lagoons and ever-shifting sands. Drifting into the more famous Atacama Desert in neighbouring Chile, it shares similar – and arguably even more dramatic – scenery.

 

[carride]

Wayback machine Archived https://web.archive.org/web/2023112...d-road-trip-scotland-on-sunday-travel-4417227

 

[Reply Guy]

Seems like Catamarca is worth checking out. Has anyone ever been there?

 

[ArgentinaVet]

I did a 4x4 off road trip to La Rioja and Catamarca in late April 2022.

Drove from CABA and spent a night in Cordoba on the way to break up the drive; about 14 total hours of driving to Villa Union, La Rioja, which is the town to base yourself for 4x4 expeditions to Corona Del Inca. Corona Del Inca is the highest volcanic lake in the world at over 18,000 feet above sea level and you drive up to the lip of it. A local guide is mandatory as several visitors have died attempting the expedition unguided; the guide sits in your truck and brings and oxygen tank.
The second 4x4 expedition in the area I did is the famous Mina Mejicana located in the Chilecito/ Famantina area of La Rioja. The cable car that goes up to over 15,000 feet above sea level is an incredible marvel of early 20th century engineering and the gold mines were some of the most productive in the world in their day. A guide is also mandatory here.
The third 4x4 expedition I did was in Catamarca along the famous "ruta de los 6 miles" to the Balcon de Piscis. The town to base yourself in is Fiambala. Unfortunately I did not get to complete the expedition as I encountered a crashed motorcycle rider who was without food, water, or warm clothing at over 14k feet of elevation and his motorcycle broke in the crash. So I helped lift his motorcycle into the back of my truck, strapped it down, and hauled him over 3 hours back to Fiambala, cutting my day short.
In the northern part of Catamarca there are a few other famous 4x4 expedition spots that I will go experience when I get a chance.

The hotel/tourist infrastructure is not high end in either province but there is plenty of lodging available and enough Argentine restaurants to eat well enough. The road infrastructure is fine and there are YPFs all over the place that have cell phone service/ wifi. I did the trip in my late model Ford Ranger 4x4; totally stock except for more aggressive all terrain tires. A legit 4x4 vehicle with low range and a locking rear differential are mandatory for these expeditions.

 

[Ries]

We were in catamarca for a week in early november. Its amazing. We just drove around in a normal rental car, on quite good 2 lane roads, and you can still see and do plenty without going all out expedition mode. The highest we went was a measly 3300 meters, in a valley between 6000 meter peaks. Saw Vucunya, guanico, and tons of rocks, peaks, ridges and valleys in every color.