Plan on about 8 h 28 min of driving for the 393-mile (633 km) trip from El Colorado to Punta de Choros, 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.”
| Total distance | 393 mi (633 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | G-21 → D-110-C |
| Regions on the route | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the El Colorado to Punta de Choros drive plays out
D-110-C (25 mi) and G-21 (21 mi) carry about 12% of the 393 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: El Colorado to Punta de Choros
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| G-21 | 1–22 | 21 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 22–36 | 14 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| connecting roads | 36–37 | 1 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 37–368 | 331 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| D-110-C | 368–393 | 25 | Coquimbo |
- Mile 68 of this route: Región Metropolitana de Santiago → Valparaíso (region line)
- Mile 152 of this route: Valparaíso → Coquimbo (region line)
What to see on the way from El Colorado to Punta de Choros
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (mile 322)
- Nature and outdoors: Apoquindo Waterfall (mile 19), La Campana National Park (mile 91), Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park (mile 262)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Chilenidad Benjamín Mackenna Besa (mile 25), Museo de Química y Farmacia Profesor César Leyton Caravagno (mile 31), Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (mile 322)
Apoquindo Waterfall
Fed by snowmelt from Cerro San Ramón and Cerro Provincia, Apoquindo Waterfall lies in Aguas de Ramón Natural Park on the east side of Santiago, near Apoquindo.
Santuario de la Naturaleza El Arrayán
El Arrayán Nature Sanctuary (Santuario de la Naturaleza El Arrayán) is a privately owned protected area open to the public in the Lo Barnechea commune of Santiago.
National Astronomical Observatory
On Cerro Calán in Las Condes, Chile's National Astronomical Observatory is owned and operated by the University of Chile's Department of Astronomy.
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.
Museo de Química y Farmacia Profesor César Leyton Caravagno
Created in 1951 at the University of Chile, this museum on Merced Street in Santiago preserves the history of chemistry and pharmacy, starting from the look of old-time apothecaries.
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.
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.
Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena
Also called La Serena Cathedral, this is the seat of the Archdiocese of La Serena, standing on the northeastern corner of the Plaza de Armas at Los Carrera and Cordovez streets.
More drives to Punta de Choros
- Vicuña to Punta de Choros
- Reñaca to Punta de Choros
- Valparaíso to Punta de Choros
- Viña del Mar to Punta de Choros
- Santiago, Chile to Punta de Choros
- Valle Nevado to Punta de Choros
From El Colorado to other places in Chile
- El Colorado to Algarrobo
- El Colorado to Quintay
- El Colorado to Reñaca
- El Colorado to Vicuña
- El Colorado to Pisco Elqui
- El Colorado to Portillo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from El Colorado to Punta de Choros?
About 8 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 393 miles.
What is the driving distance from El Colorado to Punta de Choros?
About 393 miles (633 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 El Colorado to Punta de Choros?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from El Colorado to Punta de Choros use?
In order: G-21 and D-110-C. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from El Colorado to Punta de Choros?
Closest to the road: Santuario de la Naturaleza El Arrayán (nature sanctuary, mile 21, 3 mi from the route); National Astronomical Observatory (astronomical observatory, mile 25, 1 mi from the route); Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (cathedral, mile 322, 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.