Plan on about 7 h 34 min of driving for the 362-mile (583 km) trip from El Colorado to Vicuña, before any stops.
Full advisory: Chile. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “Secondary and mountain roads may be poorly maintained, poorly lit, and may lack guardrails.”
| Distance by road | 362 mi (583 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | G-21 → D-201 |
| Regions on the route | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from El Colorado to Vicuña is like
G-21 (21 mi) and D-201 (4 mi) carry about 7% of the 362 miles. It runs through 3 regions: Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Roads you'll take from El Colorado to Vicuña
| 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 | 37–321 | 284 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| connecting roads | 321–322 | 1 | Coquimbo |
| local roads | 322–334 | 12 | Coquimbo |
| connecting roads | 334–335 | 1 | Coquimbo |
| D-201 | 335–339 | 4 | Coquimbo |
| local roads | 339–362 | 23 | 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 Vicuña
- Nature and outdoors: Rosaleda del Parque Araucano (mile 28), La Campana National Park (mile 91), Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park (mile 263)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes Decorativas (Santiago de Chile) (mile 31), Museo Nacional de Medicina Dr Enrique Laval (mile 32), Museo Cardenal Jorge Medina Estévez (mile 316), Lighthouse of La Serena (mile 321)
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.
Rosaleda del Parque Araucano
Inside Santiago's Parque Araucano, this 2,000-square-meter rose garden displays a range of rose species and varieties.
Museo de Artes Decorativas (Santiago de Chile)
The Museum of Decorative Arts is housed in the Recoleta Dominica Heritage Center, on the grounds of the Recoleta Dominica church and convent.
Museo Nacional de Medicina Dr Enrique Laval
The Museo Nacional de Medicina Dr. Enrique Laval is a museum in the Independencia commune of Santiago, Chile.
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.
Museo Cardenal Jorge Medina Estévez
Set behind the main altar of the Third Millennium Cross on El Vigía hill in Coquimbo, this museum is named for the Chilean cardinal Jorge Medina Estévez.
Lighthouse of La Serena
The Monumental Lighthouse of La Serena stands on the Avenida del Mar and is one of the most recognizable structures in the city.
Arriving in Vicuña
Entomological and Natural History Museum of Vicuña
Opened in 1994, this private museum in Vicuña holds about 26,000 specimens, mostly insects, mollusks and birds, from Chile and other parts of Latin America, along with fossils.
More drives to Vicuña
- Copiapó to Vicuña
- Caldera to Vicuña
- Reñaca to Vicuña
- Algarrobo to Vicuña
- Valparaíso to Vicuña
- Viña del Mar to Vicuña
From El Colorado to other places in Chile
- El Colorado to Algarrobo
- El Colorado to Quintay
- El Colorado to Reñaca
- 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 Vicuña?
About 7 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 362 miles.
How far is Vicuña from El Colorado by car?
About 362 miles (583 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 Vicuña?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from El Colorado to Vicuña?
In order: G-21 and D-201. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between El Colorado and Vicuña?
Closest to the road: National Astronomical Observatory (astronomical observatory, mile 25, 1 mi from the route); Museo Cardenal Jorge Medina Estévez (history museum, mile 316, 1 mi from the route); Lighthouse of La Serena (lighthouse, mile 321, 1 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.