Plan on about 2 h 45 min of driving for the 112-mile (180 km) trip from El Colorado to Quintay, before any stops.
Full advisory: Chile. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “Use caution when walking or driving at night, especially if alone.”
| Distance by road | 112 mi (180 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 2 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | G-21 |
| Regions on the route | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving El Colorado to Quintay: the shape of the trip
G-21 (21 mi) carries about 19% of the 112 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: El Colorado to Quintay
| 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 | 22–112 | 90 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso |
- Mile 84 of this route: Región Metropolitana de Santiago → Valparaíso (region line)
Stops between El Colorado and Quintay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Ralli, Santiago de Chile (mile 29), Pablo Neruda Amphitheater (mile 30), Chilean National Zoo (mile 34), Laguna Carén (mile 47)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna Carén (mile 47), Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 94)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Chilenidad Benjamín Mackenna Besa (mile 25), Museo Ralli, Santiago de Chile (mile 29), Basílica del Corazón de María (mile 34)
- With kids: Chilean National Zoo (mile 34)
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 Ralli, Santiago de Chile
Located in Santiago, the Museo Ralli is a museum of contemporary Latin American art.
Pablo Neruda Amphitheater
At the top of Cerro Los Gemelos in Santiago's Parque Metropolitano, the Pablo Neruda Amphitheater is an arts venue that doubles as a lookout.
Chilean National Zoo
Founded in 1925 at the foot of San Cristóbal Hill inside Santiago Metropolitan Park, the Chilean National Zoo covers 12 acres and keeps animals from 158 species.
Basílica del Corazón de María
Built by the Claretians and opened in 1879, Santiago's Basilica of the Heart of Mary became a basilica in 1929 and a National Monument of Chile in 1987.
Laguna Carén
Laguna Carén is a man-made freshwater lagoon and wetland in Pudahuel, west of central Santiago, forming part of Parque Carén, a University of Chile property of about 2,525 acres.
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve
Chile's Lago Peñuelas National Reserve surrounds Peñuelas Lake, a freshwater reservoir that supplies drinking water to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
More drives to Quintay
- Reñaca to Quintay
- Coquimbo to Quintay
- La Serena to Quintay
- Vicuña to Quintay
- Punta de Choros to Quintay
- Copiapó to Quintay
From El Colorado to other places in Chile
- El Colorado to Algarrobo
- El Colorado to Reñaca
- El Colorado to Vicuña
- El Colorado to Pisco Elqui
- El Colorado to Punta de Choros
- El Colorado to Portillo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from El Colorado to Quintay?
About 2 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 112 miles.
How far is Quintay from El Colorado by car?
About 112 miles (180 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 Colorado to Quintay drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between El Colorado and Quintay?
Closest to the road: Museo Ralli, Santiago de Chile (private museum, mile 29, 0.7 mi from the route); Pablo Neruda Amphitheater (open-air theater, mile 30, 0.3 mi from the route); Chilean National Zoo (zoo, mile 34, 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.