By road, La Rioja and Maipú are about 386 miles (622 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 33 min of driving.
Full advisory: Argentina. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 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.”
| Distance | 386 mi (622 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN38 → RN150 → RN40 → RP22 |
| Provinces on the route | La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
How the La Rioja to Maipú drive plays out
RN40 (215 mi) and RN150 (118 mi) carry about 86% of the 386 miles. It runs through 3 provinces: La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza. Of the 5 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect La Rioja and Maipú
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | La Rioja |
| RN38 | 3–45 | 42 | La Rioja |
| RN150 | 45–163 | 118 | La Rioja, San Juan |
| RN40 | 163–378 | 215 | San Juan, Mendoza |
| RP22 | 378–383 | 5 | Mendoza |
| local roads | 383–386 | 3 | Mendoza |
- Mile 100 of this route: La Rioja → San Juan (province line)
- Mile 325 of this route: San Juan → Mendoza (province line)
Where to stop on the way to Maipú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Chiflón (mile 90), Teatro Sarmiento (mile 273), Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson (mile 273), Museo del Área Fundacional (mile 376), Mendoza Cathedral (mile 377)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chiflón (mile 90)
- Museums and history: Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson (mile 273), Museo del Área Fundacional (mile 376), Mendoza Cathedral (mile 377)
El Chiflón
On National Route 150, about 70 km west of Patquía, El Chiflón Provincial Park belongs to the Talampaya–Ischigualasto geological basin and shares its landscape, geology and cultural features with those parks.
Teatro Sarmiento
Teatro Sarmiento is a performing arts venue on Avenida Alem in the city of San Juan, Argentina.
Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson
In the city of San Juan, the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson is the main fine arts museum, regarded as one of Argentina's leading museums for the quality of its works.
Museo del Área Fundacional
Founded in 1993, this museum in the city of Mendoza displays items of historical and archaeological value from the surrounding region.
Mendoza Cathedral
Dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, Mendoza Cathedral began as a 19th-century chapel and was built as an interim cathedral in 1934.
When you get to Maipú
Mendoza Wine Museum
Run by Bodega La Rural about 16 km from the city of Mendoza, the Mendoza Wine Museum (Museo del Vino) displays objects from the region's winemaking going back to colonial times.
More drives to Maipú
- Catamarca to Maipú
- Valparaíso to Maipú, Argentina
- Talca to Maipú, Argentina
- Rancagua to Maipú, Argentina
- Concepción, Chile to Maipú, Argentina
- La Serena to Maipú, Argentina
From La Rioja to other places in Argentina
- La Rioja to Villa Carlos Paz
- La Rioja to Mendoza
- La Rioja to Tunuyán
- La Rioja to Amaicha del Valle
- La Rioja to Tafí Viejo
- La Rioja to Purmamarca
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from La Rioja to Maipú?
About 8 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 386 miles.
How far is Maipú from La Rioja by car?
About 386 miles (622 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 La Rioja to Maipú?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from La Rioja to Maipú?
In order: RN38, RN150, RN40 and RP22. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from La Rioja to Maipú?
Closest to the road: El Chiflón (park, mile 90, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson (museum, mile 273, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo del Área Fundacional (museum, mile 376, 0.2 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.