Plan on about 10 h 53 min of driving for the 531-mile (854 km) trip from Copiapó to El Colorado, before any stops.
Full advisory: Chile. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “Driving in Chile is relatively safe.”
| Distance by road | 531 mi (854 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | G-21 |
| Regions on the route | Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Copiapó to El Colorado
G-21 (20 mi) carries about 4% of the 531 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Región Metropolitana de Santiago. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Copiapó to El Colorado: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–493 | 493 | Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| connecting roads | 493–494 | 1 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 494–508 | 14 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| G-21 | 508–528 | 20 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 528–531 | 3 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
- Mile 159 of this route: Atacama → Coquimbo (region line)
- Mile 379 of this route: Coquimbo → Valparaíso (region line)
- Mile 463 of this route: Valparaíso → Región Metropolitana de Santiago (region line)
Stops between Copiapó and El Colorado
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla (mile 208)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Desierto Florido (mile 15), Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park (mile 267), La Campana National Park (mile 439), Parque natural San Carlos de Apoquindo (mile 511)
- Museums and history: Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla (mile 208), Museo de Cera de Las Condes (mile 505), Museo de la Chilenidad Benjamín Mackenna Besa (mile 505)
Parque nacional Desierto Florido
This protected area in the Copiapó commune and province of the Atacama Region covers 57,107 hectares, and is officially known as Parque Nacional Desierto Florido.
Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla
Facing the Plaza de Armas in La Serena, this history museum honors former Chilean president Gabriel González Videla, a native of the city, and shows permanent exhibits including works by Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró.
Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park
Near Ovalle in Chile's semi-arid north, Fray Jorge National Park shelters a fog-fed forest of species typical of southern Chile, such as olivillo and canelo. A short marked loop trail winds through it, and the park is a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
La Campana National Park
In Chile's coastal range northwest of Santiago, La Campana National Park protects the Chilean palm that Charles Darwin studied on his 1834 visit. Trails climb toward Cerro La Campana, and the park also holds petroglyphs and the Salto La Cortadera waterfall.
Teatro Oriente
Museo de Cera de Las Condes
Wax figures fill the Museo de Cera de Las Condes, a public museum that opened in July 2019 inside Parque Los Dominicos in the Las Condes district of Santiago.
Museo de la Chilenidad Benjamín Mackenna Besa
Housed in La Llavería at the Santa Rosa de Apoquindo estate in Las Condes, Santiago, this museum's three galleries explore how the horse, the land and its people shaped Chilean identity.
Parque natural San Carlos de Apoquindo
On the east side of Las Condes, Parque natural San Carlos de Apoquindo offers mountain bike trails and hiking routes up to summits such as Alto Las Vizcachas, Morro del Guayacán and Cerro Provincia.
More drives to El Colorado
- Santiago, Chile to El Colorado
- Valparaíso to El Colorado
- Viña del Mar to El Colorado
- Coquimbo to El Colorado
- La Serena to El Colorado
- Los Andes to El Colorado
From Copiapó to other places in Chile
- Copiapó to San Pedro de Atacama
- Copiapó to Vicuña
- Copiapó to Pisco Elqui
- Copiapó to Reñaca
- Copiapó to Quintay
- Copiapó to Algarrobo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Copiapó to El Colorado?
About 10 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 531 miles.
How far is El Colorado from Copiapó by car?
About 531 miles (854 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.
Is it safe to drive from Copiapó to El Colorado?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Copiapó and El Colorado?
Closest to the road: Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla (history museum, mile 208, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro Oriente (theater, mile 500, 2 mi from the route); Museo de Cera de Las Condes (museum, mile 505, 2 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.