From El Eje and the legendary Ruta 40 you climb on a narrow tar road up to 3400m to the small town of Antofagasta de la Sierra. It is the only settlement on the whole route, which has some kind of touristic infrastructure. Therefore, it serves as a supply and acclimatization base.

Then you leave the asphalt behind and dive into the no-man's land of the Puna. On sandy dirtroads, narrow trails and barely visible 4x4 tracks you climb nameless passes up to 4700 meters, cross the Salar de Antofalla and the Salar de Arizora and ride through the gigantic caldera of the volcano Galan. There you camp on the shores of the turquoise Laguna Grande, one of the largest breeding grounds for Andean flamingos.

The small hamlet of El Penon lies at the intersection of the Puna loop. From here, you pass the Campo de Piedra Pomez, a tufa field shaped by the wind, before the trail descends over the sandy Paso de Buenaventura on an improved mule path to the flatlands. The Puna Loop ends in the small town of Fiambala.

You can reach the starting and ending point of the loop either via the Ruta 40 or the high Andean passes of Pircas Negras or Paso de San Francisco. If you want to ride only one part of the loop coming from the north you can reach it over the Paso Socompa or Paso Sico from Chile (check out www.andesbybike.com).

For reasons of acclimatization and the last, extremely steep section of the Paso de Buenaventura down into the lowlands, we strongly recommend to ride the route in the given direction.

Infrastructure / Logistics

We needed 17 riding days for the whole route. Apart from the end point of the loop, as well as in Antofagasta de La Sierra, Tolar Grande and El Penon, there are no accommodation or supply possibilities along the route. Therefore you need to carry food for 6-7 days. Water sources are never more than 24 hours away (see waypoints), but require a form of water treatment (filter) and careful planning. We recommend solo bikepackers to carry a satellite commuication device for emergencies.

Difficulty

The Puna is known for the strong, constant wind from the northwest, which can reach storm speeds. The Puna Loop is situated in an area with a micro-flow, of which the boundary is at the Paso de Buenaventura. South of it and to the west end of the valley of Fiambala the wind usually blows from south. In combination with altitude and remoteness, the Puna Loop requires, first and foremost, not riding skills, but a good physical condition and the mental strength to cope with the daily wind, the high passes and the absolute solitude. The Puna Loop is only suitable for bikepackers who are experienced in tour planning and in riding under extreme conditions.