Why this ride
A remote mixed-surface corridor with strong terrain and adventure-riding value. It links naturally to Abra del Acay and Qhapaq Nan vicinity.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Abra del Acay Ruta 40
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 101 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 2 h 26
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Editorial context
Coordinates are curated start-via-end route seeds. They are not a surveyed centreline or navigation geometry. Run road snapping, topology checks, access checks and a live-status review before publication.
Access context
Do not auto-publish. Snap to a routable road network, verify current closures, legal motorcycle access, surface, permits, border controls and local safety information.
Seasonal context
Apr-Nov
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Cachi
Cachí sits at around 2,300 metres in the Calchaquí valleys of Salta province, and everything about it seems to have been made quiet by altitude and dryness. White adobe houses line narrow streets, the plaza is shaded by trees, and the church has a roof and doors made from the wood of the cardón, a tall columnar cactus that grows on the slopes around. The backdrop is the Nevado de Cachi, a snow-capped peak in the range that stands above 6,000 metres.
Read the complete Cachi write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cachi sits at 0 km, early in the day. Next is Abra del Acay.
2. Abra del Acay
Abra del Acay is the highest point on Argentina's Ruta 40, at 4,895 metres, and one of the highest road crossings in the Americas. The pass lies in the province of Salta, on the road between San Antonio de los Cobres on the puna to the north and the village of Payogasta and the Calchaquí valley to the south. The rock around it is bare and fractured, the sky is a darker blue than you are used to, and on the horizon stands the snowy mass of Nevado del Acay, over five and a half thousand metres.
Read the complete Abra del Acay write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Abra del Acay comes up 101 km in.