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Route 40 crosses green and desert areas, plateaus and steep mountains, hamlets and big cities, fossil remains and exuberant flora and fauna
From Cape of Virgins lighthouse (at the southernmost end of Santa Cruz province) to La Quiaca (on the high Andean plateau located in the province of Jujuy), along 5,244 kilometres, at times close to the Andes, stretching from extremely cold to burning hot temperatures, route 40 links three geographical regions: the Northern region (including the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca), Cuyo (La Rioja, San Juan and Mendoza) and Patagonia (Neuquén, Rio Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz).
Along its route, this road crosses green and desert areas, plateaus and steep mountains, hamlets and big cities, fossil remains and exuberant flora and fauna. The road laid by Vialidad Nacional in 1935, crosses 18 large rivers, 236 bridges, 60 towns and 13 great lakes; it climbs from sea level to near 5,000 metres over it.
It links up to 27 Andean passes, the most important ski resorts, large palenteological sites, 20 Natural Reserve Parks and Natural Parks, and five (out of nine) sites that have been declared World Heritage.
In spite of these impressive details and numbers, no description of Route 40 would be complete without mentioning that it has come to acquire a mythical nature in the eyes of adventure and travel lovers. Fascination with Route 40 continues to grow, and there are even travellers who have covered it on horse, bicycle or hitchhiking.
