Looking for alternatives
We wanted to leave the classic paved Salta and Jujuy loop behind and show the smaller villages tucked deeper into the mountains. The route was built around constant transitions. From larger towns to smaller ones. From dry, empty mountains to green, wet yungas.
Three trips, seasons ruled out
The north receives you with rare warmth, but in rainy season it is better not to try it. Between 2021 and 2022 we went three times, and one of those trips, in February, taught the lesson: summer months are out because rain, swollen rivers, and landslides tear up the roads. We tried to link Iruya with Nazareno without asking the locals. Mistake. A storm had destroyed the route. It stayed pending for another season, with better weather. That section stayed out too.
Final version: a ride that tests
The easy version would have avoided the secondary dirt, sand, and gravel roads. But leaving comfort behind gives the return a different taste. We rest for a couple of days, and then we already want to ride again. Abra del Acay is demanding and changes fast. We rode it north to south and the other way around. The best version enters from the south: more progressive, more earned. The highest point on all of Ruta 40 had to be part of this trip.
The route in numbers
3 scouting trips
2 variants tested
2 test runs
3 adjustments
3 circuits ruled out
Sections ruled out
Iruya
We decided to leave Iruya out of the route not because of difficulty, but because it required a full day dedicated only to that destination. We prioritized the passage through the Yungas and the sharp transition between jungle, mountain, and altitude.
Nazareno
Frequent landslides around Abra de la Cruz and nearby sections can close the road without warning. Sudden river rises, especially after rain at altitude, can make the crossing impossible even for light motorcycles.
