Best Road Trips in Argentina and Chile: 10 Drives

The best road trips in Argentina and Chile run the length of the Andes, from the wild, unpaved Carretera Austral in Chilean Patagonia to Argentina's 5,000 km Ruta 40. Between those two legends sit lake districts, wine valleys, penguin coasts, and the road to the end of the world at Ushuaia. This ranked guide covers 10 drives across both countries, with real distances, seasons, and the trade-offs that decide which one is right for your trip.

Argentina and Chile share the longest mountain border on Earth, so almost every great drive here is really an Andes drive: switchback passes on one side, glacial lakes and steppe on the other. Most southern routes peak in the Patagonian summer from November to March, while the desert north of Argentina drives best in spring and autumn. For more on the high passes that link the two countries, see our Mountain Passes hub.

The 10 best road trips in Argentina and Chile at a glance

If you only do one

Drive the Carretera Austral. No other route in either country packs so much raw Patagonia into one road: fjords, hanging glaciers, ancient rainforest, and the turquoise Marble Caves, with almost no traffic ahead of you. It asks more of you than the rest, 1,240 km of mostly gravel over 12 to 14 days in a capable vehicle, but it rewards that effort like nowhere else on the continent.

1. Carretera Austral, Chile

Chile's Ruta 7, the Carretera Austral, is one of the world's great adventure roads. It runs 1,240 km through Patagonian fjords and temperate rainforest from Puerto Montt to the frontier hamlet of Villa O'Higgins, past Parque Pumalín, the hanging glacier of Queulat, and the Marble Caves at General Carrera lake. Plan 12 to 14 days between November and March, and bring an SUV: much of the road is unpaved and remote, so this is a hard drive rather than a casual one. It is the clearest reason to fly all the way south.

2. Ruta 40, Argentina

If the Carretera Austral is the wildest drive, Ruta 40 is the most epic. Argentina's longest highway traces roughly 5,200 km of the Andes from Cabo Vírgenes on the South Atlantic to La Quiaca on the Bolivian border, threading 20 national parks, 18 major rivers, and more than 27 mountain passes. The full seasonal expedition takes around 30 days in a 4WD, best driven south in the Patagonian summer and north in the milder shoulder months. Few people drive all of it, but even a Patagonian segment through El Calafate and El Chaltén is unforgettable.

3. Route of the Seven Lakes, Argentina

The Route of the Seven Lakes is the most beautiful short drive in South America. In about 193 km including the Bariloche approach, RN40 and RP234 thread past seven glacier-fed lakes of extraordinary blue-green clarity, from Nahuel Huapi and Correntoso to Falkner and Villarino, between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes. Two easy days in any car, best from November to April, make it the perfect introduction to Patagonia's northern lakes.

4. Chilean Lake District, Chile

Just across the mountains, the Chilean Lake District trades gravel for smooth pavement and delivers a chain of blue lakes under snowcapped volcanoes. Over about 590 km from Pucón to Puerto Varas, you circle the Villarrica volcano, follow the shore of Lago Llanquihue through Frutillar and Ensenada, and soak in hot springs along the way. It is one of the easiest scenic drives in the region, ideal for three relaxed days between December and March.

5. Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

To reach the end of the world, drive Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. This roughly 550 km itinerary combines the drivable roads of Tierra del Fuego National Park with an RN3 out-and-back through Paso Garibaldi, Tolhuin, and Río Grande. Expect alpine bays, peat bogs, lenga forests, and open steppe over four days, best from December to March. It is the southernmost drive on this list and the natural finale to a Patagonian trip.

6. Península Valdés and Atlantic Patagonia, Argentina

For wildlife, nothing here beats Península Valdés. This 850 km Atlantic Patagonia drive links Puerto Madryn with the whale cliffs of Península Valdés, the vast penguin rookery at Punta Tombo, and the sea lion colonies along the coast toward Rawson. Roads are paved with long, rewarding detours, so plan six days between October and April. Time it right and you can watch southern right whales from shore.

7. Trans-Andean Highway, Chile

The Trans-Andean Highway is the classic crossing that links the two countries in a single dramatic corridor. In about 365 km from Santiago to Mendoza, you climb sweeping switchbacks past the Portillo ski area, the Cristo Redentor pass, Puente del Inca, and views of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas, before dropping into Argentina's wine country. Four days let you savour both sides, and the high road is at its best from December to March.

8. Chiloé Island Loop, Chile

For something slower and stranger, the Chiloé Island Loop traces Chile's misty archipelago over about 400 km from Castro through Dalcahue, Tenaún, and Quemchi to the wild south coast at Cucao, closing back through Ancud. This is a landscape of stilt houses, tidal wetlands, and UNESCO-listed wooden churches, best explored at an unhurried pace across three days from December to March. It feels a world away from the mainland.

9. Mendoza and the Uco Valley, Argentina

Argentina's most famous wine country makes a gentle 180 km loop from Mendoza through Maipú, Luján de Cuyo, and the wide-open Uco Valley. Drive between olive groves and vineyard estates with the snow-backed Andes always on the horizon, stopping for Malbec tastings and long winery lunches around Tunuyán and Tupungato. It is an easy three days in any car and drives well from spring through autumn, a soft landing after a hard Patagonian route.

10. Calchaquí Valleys, Argentina

Far in the northwest, the Calchaquí Valleys run 520 km from Salta to Tucumán through sculpted red rock canyons, the world's highest vineyards at Cafayate, and the pre-Inca ruins of Quilmes. This cultural drive climbs from colonial Salta over high mountain roads to green Tafí del Valle, best in the dry windows of April to June and September to November. It is the desert counterpoint to the green south, and proof that Argentina's road trips are not all Patagonia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best road trip in Argentina and Chile?

For most travellers the Carretera Austral in Chilean Patagonia is the single best drive, with the deepest wilderness and the most varied scenery. If you want distance and grandeur over remoteness, Argentina's Ruta 40 is the epic alternative.

When is the best time for a Patagonia road trip?

The Patagonian summer, from November to March, is the reliable window for southern routes like the Carretera Austral, Ushuaia, and the Seven Lakes. Roads are open, days are long, and the weather, while always changeable, is at its kindest.

Can you drive between Argentina and Chile?

Yes. Several Andes passes connect the two countries, and the Trans-Andean Highway from Santiago to Mendoza is the classic crossing. Check that your rental company allows international travel and carry the correct paperwork, as border formalities are strict.

Do I need a 4WD for these road trips?

Only for the toughest routes. The Carretera Austral rewards an SUV and Ruta 40 is best in a 4WD, but the Lake District, Seven Lakes, Mendoza, and Chiloé are comfortable in a standard car on paved or well-kept roads.

How many days do you need for Patagonia?

Plan at least 10 to 14 days for a proper Patagonian road trip, enough for the Carretera Austral or a Ruta 40 segment plus a lake or coastal detour. With only a few days, the Route of the Seven Lakes or the Chilean Lake District gives you the scenery without the long transfers.

Plan your Argentina and Chile road trip

Every drive above is built from real catalog data, so you can compare distances, seasons, and difficulty before you commit. Start with the Carretera Austral, browse the Mountain Passes that connect the two countries, and open the interactive map to plot your own route down the Andes.