By road, La Rioja and Mendoza are about 378 miles (609 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 21 min of driving.
Full advisory: Argentina. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
| Total distance | 378 mi (609 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN38 → RN150 → RN40 |
| Provinces on the route | La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
What the drive from La Rioja to Mendoza is like
RN40 (214 mi) and RN150 (118 mi) carry about 88% of the 378 miles. It runs through 3 provinces: La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza. Of the 3 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: La Rioja to Mendoza
| 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 | 163–377 | 214 | San Juan, Mendoza |
| local roads | 377–378 | 1 | Mendoza |
- Mile 100 of this route: La Rioja → San Juan (province line)
- Mile 325 of this route: San Juan → Mendoza (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between La Rioja and Mendoza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Chiflón (mile 90), Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson (mile 273), San Juan de Cuyo Cathedral (mile 274)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chiflón (mile 90)
- Museums and history: Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Franklin Rawson (mile 273), San Juan de Cuyo Cathedral (mile 274)
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.
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.
San Juan de Cuyo Cathedral
Dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, San Juan Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral and parish in San Juan, Argentina, and seat of the Archdiocese of San Juan de Cuyo.
Once you reach Mendoza
Reserva natural Divisadero Largo
About 8 km from the city of Mendoza, Divisadero Largo Nature Reserve sits in the foothills of the first Andean ranges west of town.
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.
More drives to Mendoza
- Catamarca to Mendoza
- Viña del Mar to Mendoza, Argentina
- Valparaíso to Mendoza, Argentina
- Talca to Mendoza, Argentina
- Rancagua to Mendoza, Argentina
- Concepción, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina
From La Rioja to other places in Argentina
- La Rioja to Villa Carlos Paz
- La Rioja to Maipú
- 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 Mendoza?
About 8 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 378 miles.
How far is Mendoza from La Rioja by car?
About 378 miles (609 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 La Rioja to Mendoza drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from La Rioja to Mendoza use?
In order: RN38, RN150 and RN40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Rioja and Mendoza?
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); San Juan de Cuyo Cathedral (cathedral, mile 274, 0.7 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.