Esquel to Monte Verde, Chile is about 390 road miles (628 km): roughly 8 h 25 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 256, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Argentina, Chile. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
| Distance by road | 390 mi (628 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 25 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN259 → RN40 → RN231 → U-981-T → U-55-V → U-551-V → V-830 |
| Border crossing | about mile 256, Argentina → Chile (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Chile
The route crosses at about mile 256, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Neuquén into Los Lagos. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Esquel to Monte Verde drive plays out
RN40 (229 mi) and U-981-T (23 mi) carry about 65% of the 390 miles. The first 256 miles are in Argentina; the last 134 are in Chile. It runs through 5 regions: Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Esquel to Monte Verde, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Chubut |
| RN259 | 1–7 | 6 | Chubut |
| RN40 | 7–236 | 229 | Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén |
| RN231 | 236–255 | 19 | Neuquén |
| local roads | 255–300 | 45 | Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| U-981-T | 300–323 | 23 | Los Lagos |
| U-55-V | 323–329 | 6 | Los Lagos |
| U-551-V | 329–349 | 20 | Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 349–350 | 1 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 350–385 | 35 | Los Lagos |
| V-830 | 385–390 | 5 | Los Lagos |
- Mile 99 of this route: Chubut → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (region line)
- Mile 256 of this route: Neuquén → Los Lagos (international border)
- Mile 268 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 278 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
What to see on the way from Esquel to Monte Verde
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lago Guillelmo (mile 153)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago Puelo National Park (mile 94), Lago Guillelmo (mile 153), Nahuel Huapi National Park (mile 211), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 222), Puyehue National Park (mile 268), Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument (mile 370)
- Museums and history: Museo Leleque (mile 52), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Puerto Montt (mile 375)
Museo Leleque
Near kilometer 1440 of Ruta Nacional 40 in Leleque, Chubut, this history museum opened in 1998 in the steppe at the foot of the Andes, about 100 m from the tracks of La Trochita.
Lago Puelo National Park
Covering 276.74 square kilometers in northwestern Chubut, Lago Puelo National Park is an Argentine national park in Patagonia.
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.
Nahuel Huapi National Park
Established in 1922 and reconfigured in 1934, Nahuel Huapi National Park surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes.
Los Arrayanes National Park
Covering the Quetrihué Peninsula on Nahuel Huapi Lake, 3 km from Villa La Angostura in Neuquén, Los Arrayanes National Park protects 17.53 square kilometers.
Puyehue National Park
In the Andes across the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions, Puyehue National Park takes in hot springs, volcanoes and evergreen forests. It was expanded in 1950 and 1981.
Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument
Between Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas in Chile's Los Lagos Region, Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument protects about 2 square kilometers of ñadi.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, stands on the city's Plaza de Armas and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Puerto Montt.
Casa del Arte Diego Rivera
Puerto Montt's main cultural center, Casa del Arte Diego Rivera has a theater hall and several rooms for temporary exhibitions.
When you get to Monte Verde
Monte Verde
Near Puerto Montt in Llanquihue Province, Monte Verde is a Paleolithic site whose Monte Verde II layer, dated to about 14,500 years ago, shows people reached the Americas before the Clovis culture.
More drives to Monte Verde
- Frutillar to Monte Verde
- Osorno to Monte Verde
- Valdivia to Monte Verde
- Villarrica to Monte Verde
- Pucón to Monte Verde
- Temuco to Monte Verde
More drives from Esquel
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Esquel to Monte Verde, Chile?
About 8 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 390 miles.
What is the driving distance from Esquel to Monte Verde, Chile?
About 390 miles (628 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.
Where does the Esquel to Monte Verde drive cross the border?
At about mile 256, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Esquel into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Esquel to Monte Verde drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Esquel to Monte Verde?
In order: RN259, RN40, RN231, U-981-T, U-55-V, U-551-V and V-830. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Esquel to Monte Verde?
Closest to the road: Museo Leleque (museum, mile 52, 2 mi from the route); Lago Guillelmo (lake, mile 153, 0.4 mi from the route); Puyehue National Park (national park, mile 268, 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.