El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón is about 297 road miles (478 km): roughly 6 h 8 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Argentina. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
| Total distance | 297 mi (478 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN40 → RN237 |
| Provinces on the route | Río Negro, Neuquén |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
What the drive from El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón is like
RN237 (205 mi) and RN40 (88 mi) carry about 99% of the 297 miles. It runs through 2 provinces: Río Negro, Neuquén. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Río Negro |
| RN40 | 1–89 | 88 | Río Negro, Neuquén |
| RN237 | 89–294 | 205 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
| local roads | 294–297 | 3 | Neuquén |
- Mile 88 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (province line)
- Mile 109 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (province line)
- Mile 114 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (province line)
- Mile 119 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (province line)
- Mile 122 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between El Bolsón and Villa El Chocón
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Reserva El Guadal (mile 7), Lago Guillelmo (mile 51)
- Nature and outdoors: Reserva El Guadal (mile 7), Área natural protegida Río Azul - Lago Escondido (mile 20), Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas (mile 23), Lago Guillelmo (mile 51)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi (mile 75), Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia (mile 75)
Reserva El Guadal
Near Mallín Ahogado and El Bolsón, Reserva El Guadal is a protected forest reserve created to preserve native woodland and support research on sustainable resource management.
Área natural protegida Río Azul - Lago Escondido
Near El Bolsón, in the Bariloche department of Patagonia, the Río Azul - Lago Escondido protected natural area covers Andean Patagonian forest.
Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas
About 30 km north of El Bolsón, east of Route 40, the Cipresal de las Guaitecas protected area lies within Patagonia's Andean forest ecoregion in the Bariloche department.
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.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi
Close to Nahuel Huapi Lake, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi is the main Catholic cathedral of San Carlos de Bariloche, set amid gardens on a large plot.
Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia
Set in the Civic Center of Bariloche, the Francisco P. Moreno Museum of Patagonia covers natural history and cultural anthropology.
When you get to Villa El Chocón
Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum
A municipal museum in Villa El Chocón, the Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum covers the paleontology, archaeology and history of the town and its surroundings.
Cañadón Escondido
Cañadón Escondido is a small canyon in Villa El Chocón, in Argentina's Neuquén Province.
More drives to Villa El Chocón
- San Antonio Oeste to Villa El Chocón
- Bahía Blanca to Villa El Chocón
- Trelew to Villa El Chocón
- Rawson to Villa El Chocón
- Curicó to Villa El Chocón, Argentina
From El Bolsón to other places in Argentina
- El Bolsón to Curacautín, Chile
- El Bolsón to Frutillar, Chile
- El Bolsón to Monte Águila, Chile
- El Bolsón to Chaitén, Chile
- El Bolsón to Monte Verde, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón?
About 6 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 297 miles.
What is the driving distance from El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón?
About 297 miles (478 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from El Bolsón to Villa El Chocón?
In order: RN40 and RN237. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between El Bolsón and Villa El Chocón?
Closest to the road: Reserva El Guadal (park, mile 7, 1 mi from the route); Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas (park, mile 23, 1 mi from the route); Lago Guillelmo (lake, mile 51, 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.