Concepción, Chile to El Bolsón, Argentina is about 554 road miles (891 km): roughly 11 h 28 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 400, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Chile, Argentina. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance by road | 554 mi (891 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | T-87 → T-981-U → RN231 → RN40 |
| Border crossing | about mile 400, Chile → Argentina (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Neuquén, Río Negro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to El Bolsón
The route crosses at about mile 400, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Los Lagos into Neuquén. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Concepción to El Bolsón
RN40 (135 mi) and T-981-U (21 mi) carry about 28% of the 554 miles. The first 400 miles are in Chile; the last 154 are in Argentina. It runs through 6 regions: Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Neuquén, Río Negro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Concepción to El Bolsón
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–319 | 319 | Bío-Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos |
| T-87 | 319–334 | 15 | Los Ríos |
| T-981-U | 334–355 | 21 | Los Ríos, Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 355–356 | 1 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 356–400 | 44 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| RN231 | 400–419 | 19 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 419–554 | 135 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
- Mile 112 of this route: Bío-Bío → La Araucanía (region line)
- Mile 259 of this route: La Araucanía → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 378 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 388 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Los Lagos → Neuquén (international border)
- Mile 466 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
Stops between Concepción and El Bolsón
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (mile 180), Puente Collilelfu (mile 281), Puente Chirre (mile 346), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 373), Lago Guillelmo (mile 502)
- Nature and outdoors: Nonguén National Park (mile 11), Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (mile 180), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 373), Puyehue National Park (mile 388), Nahuel Huapi National Park (mile 444), Lago Guillelmo (mile 502)
- Museums and history: St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral (mile 81), Puente Collilelfu (mile 281), Puente Chirre (mile 346)
Nonguén National Park
Southeast of the city of Concepción in the Bío Bío Region, Nonguén National Park is a protected area in central Chile.
St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral
Los Ángeles Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles in Chile.
Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument
Inside the city of Temuco, Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument protects a hill that rises to 335 meters, the highest point in the city, in Chile's Araucanía Region.
Puente Collilelfu
Puente Collilelfu is a bridge in the Los Lagos commune of Valdivia province, in Chile's Los Ríos Region.
Puente Chirre
Built in reinforced concrete between 1940 and 1945 as a railroad bridge, Puente Chirre in Río Bueno now carries road traffic and was declared a National Monument in 2017.
Puyehue Hot Springs
A series of hot springs about 76 km east of Osorno along Route 215-CH, Puyehue Hot Springs sit in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile.
Puyehue National Park
In the Andes across the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions, Puyehue National Park takes in hot springs, volcanoes and evergreen forests. It was expanded in 1950 and 1981.
Nahuel Huapi National Park
Established in 1922 and reconfigured in 1934, Nahuel Huapi National Park surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes.
Lago Guillelmo
Inside Nahuel Huapi National Park in Río Negro's Bariloche department, Lago Guillelmo is a glacial lake ringed by Andean Patagonian forest that drains into Lake Mascardi.
Once you reach El Bolsón
Parque Serrano
Parque Serrano is a municipal protected natural area in El Bolsón, in Argentine Patagonia, covered by the Andean Patagonian forest ecoregion.
More drives to El Bolsón
- San Carlos de Bariloche to El Bolsón
- San Martín de los Andes to El Bolsón
- Neuquén to El Bolsón
- Comodoro Rivadavia to El Bolsón
- Trelew to El Bolsón
- Rawson to El Bolsón
More drives from Concepción
- Concepción, Chile to Curicó
- Concepción, Chile to Santa Cruz, Chile
- Concepción, Chile to Pichilemu
- Concepción, Chile to El Colorado
- Concepción, Chile to Valle Nevado
- Concepción, Chile to Los Andes
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Concepción, Chile to El Bolsón, Argentina?
About 11 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 554 miles.
How far is El Bolsón, Argentina from Concepción, Chile by car?
About 554 miles (891 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Concepción to El Bolsón drive cross the border?
At about mile 400, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Concepción into Argentina?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Concepción, Chile to El Bolsón, Argentina?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Concepción to El Bolsón use?
In order: T-87, T-981-U, RN231 and RN40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Concepción and El Bolsón?
Closest to the road: Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (nature area, mile 180, 0.2 mi from the route); Puente Chirre (historic bridge, mile 346, 0.3 mi from the route); Puyehue Hot Springs (hot spring, mile 373, 0.4 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.