Zapaleri, Historic site at the tripoint of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile

Cerro Zapaleri is a volcanic mountain at the border where Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile meet, featuring two summits of equal height with a small lake nestled in one crater. The structure shows layers of volcanic material built up over time through repeated eruptions.

Zapaleri is an extinct volcano that formed on top of the 2.89-million-year-old Tara Ignimbrite, erupted from the Guacha caldera. Its basement consists of Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks deformed by tectonic movements. The lavas are andesite, basalt, dacite and rhyolite, with Pleistocene shoshonite rocks also present in the area.

The mountain served as an obsidian source for ancient peoples, with the stone traded and used far beyond the immediate area. This shows how connected communities were across the high plateau.

The mountain can be reached through protected nature reserves from different countries depending on your route. Preparation and proper gear are essential given the extreme altitude and remote location.

The obsidian from Zapaleri travelled far: archaeological sites across a zone over 350 kilometres wide contain stone from this source, found on the Bolivian side next to Laguna Blanca. Inca and earlier remains are linked to these quarries, and another source lies on Solterio Mountain.