Driving to Argentina from Santiago

Have you been wondering if the grass is greener on the other side?

Has everyone you know gone and you’re (again) the last to go?

Then get ready to get yourself across the border to Argentina, crossing the Andes along the way.

We’ll assume you’ll be driving, either your own car or a rental.

First, you’ll need to get the paperwork ready.

1) Authorization.  If the car is yours, you won’t need authorization, since the padrón (the yellow piece of paper in the car document pile that identifies the car and owner) and your ID will match.

If the vehicle is not yours, i.e. it’s rented or loaned, then you will need the owner’s notarized permission to take it from the country.  The owner should go to a notary with your usual identification details (full name, date of birth, passport number, home address), and fill out a permiso notarial for about 2.000 pesos.  A rental car company will charge you a fee starting around CLP 50.000 that includes both the permiso notarial and the seguro de responsabilidad civil, described below.

2) Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil Internacional. This is special insurance required by Argentina to allow a Chile-plated car to drive on their roads.

You can buy this insurance at various places: on the internet (Scotiabank, BBVA) or at Jumbo Bilbao, where the Paris travel agency has a little stand outside.

Always buy the minimum number of days required for your trip.

If you forget, don’t worry, all hope is not lost. You can buy it right after the toll booth to Los Andes, on the right hand side, and you can actually get it at the exact point where they request it (after you cross the border into Argentina) at a little stand that sells it (and if you pay in Argentine coin, it’s the cheapest option!).

But if you prefer to play it safe, you’ll feel better having everything ready the day before.

3) Map. You can buy the following roadmaps, which include the route through Chile and part of the way into Argentina, at Copec and Terpel filling stations.

• Copec Rutas de Chile
• TURISTEL Mapa Rutero

See below for Google Maps driving directions.

Ready!

This is one of the best drives in South America.

First, the route: Get out on Americo Vespucio highway (Américo Vespucio Norte) heading north, which from Vitacura, is the road that wraps around the north side of the San Cristobal hill. Drive to the Los Andes exit, and continue straight ahead.

When you pass the toll and the tunnel, you’re almost there. Keep on the highway, straight, en route to Portillo/Mendoza as marked. No need to go into Los Andes; it will slow you down. At the end of the bypass, make a right and drive up the mountain.

There are some wide turns that can seem a  little daunting, but press on, underneath the chairlifts and through the avalanche tunnels. Make a left at Portillo, snap some photos of the lagoon, and have a hot chocolate. Get back in the car, and 5 minutes past Portillo you’ll have to stop at a little window, a checkpoint where they will verify your vehicle’s documentation and give you a form to fill in with the corresponding information.

Once he hands you the form, drive through without stopping at the big building (that’s the Chilean border station, where you’ll stop on your return trip).  You’ll be waved through by a man at the end of the building.  Nothing between you and Argentina now.

After coming out of the big tunnel, there is a smaller one, then a sign a mile or so down that says (in Spanish), “Private vehicles turn left”. This is the Argentinean border control building. Fill out the form they gave you while you wait your turn. Then it’s window window window, stamp stamp stamp.  A small control station in the middle of the road will check that you have your seguro, and give you yet another scrap of paper, that will be stamped as you go through a few more minor checks.

It may sound complicated, but it’s not.

Recommendations? Stop in Uspallata, Argentina, 80 km from the border, at the end of the mountain segment of the road. Have lunch at the Bar Tibet (made from props used in the film Seven Years in Tibet, which was shot here). It’s right at the first corner, opposite the YFP filling station.

There are horseback trips available in Uspallata, but the top trip is taking the camino antiguo a Chile (“the old road to Chile”), a 365-degree curve, dirt switchback that has the most stunning view of the pampas as you come down.  At the end, you’ll encounter the Villavicencio hotel, closed since 1978, but maintained by the mineral water company of the same name, and with a very good restaurant serving the finest local fare. If you ask for chicken, you will get the whole bird.  And bread? Let’s just say the loaves are filling.

From there, it’s a relatively short drive into Las Heras (the backyard of Mendoza city).

Biking down this road is heaven on earth for mountain bikers.

If you prefer staying on pavement, continue on Route 7.  The road to Mendoza has been recently redone, while conserving the red stone tunnels and the impressive view of the Mendoza river.

Potrerillos is a small town past Uspallata. On weekends, more hearty country food can be found in small simple restaurants, with chairs and tables set up on the lawn. Don’t miss this, some of the places are Anthony Bourdain-worthy.

Potrerillos is also home to a massive artificial lake. One day, this will be developed with recreational boats, picnic areas, and weekend homes, but today, it’s just a big beautiful mass of blue water. See it today!

You’ll notice I leave out Mendoza; it’s more of a city than a town, and there are many things to do, from the vineyards on the outskirts, to the famous argentine beef and pasta restaurants.  The park is magnificent, rivaling the big parks in Buenos Aires and possibly even New York City.  Too much to list here.

Returning to Chile

Driving back, you don’t have to stop at the same Argentinean border control as on the way in. What you do have to remember is to keep 3 pesos in Argentinean money handy for the tunnel toll.

Back through the tunnel, carefully pass the lines of parked trucks (never get behind them, they can be there for hours!), into the Chilean border control. Here, the procedure is different than on the other side. You will have to get out of the car, all passengers, and go through the immigration procedure from left to right. Have a pen handy as you will need to fill out the SAG (agriculture/livestock ministry) declaration that says you are not bringing in honey, meat, live animals, etc into Chile.  No fruit either.

Once your piece of paper is fully stamped, check with the carabinero that you’re good to go, and give your paid toll stamp to the man in the tiny plastic cabin, before heading back home.

This article and accompanying photos were contributed by ywok.

Google Maps Driving Directions ⇑