Plan on about 6 h 47 min of driving for the 354-mile (570 km) trip from Los Ángeles to El Colorado, 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.”
| Total distance | 354 mi (570 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | G-21 |
| Regions on the route | Bío-Bío, Ñuble, Maule, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Los Ángeles to El Colorado is like
G-21 (20 mi) carries about 6% of the 354 miles. It runs through 5 regions: Bío-Bío, Ñuble, Maule, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Los Ángeles to El Colorado
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–315 | 315 | Bío-Bío, Ñuble, Maule, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| connecting roads | 315–316 | 1 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 316–324 | 8 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| connecting roads | 324–326 | 2 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 326–332 | 6 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| G-21 | 332–352 | 20 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 352–354 | 2 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
- Mile 40 of this route: Bío-Bío → Ñuble (region line)
- Mile 101 of this route: Ñuble → Maule (region line)
- Mile 213 of this route: Maule → Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins (region line)
- Mile 283 of this route: Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins → Región Metropolitana de Santiago (region line)
Stops between Los Ángeles and El Colorado
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Laja Falls (mile 21), Teatro Victoria (mile 200), Museo Interactivo Las Condes (mile 325)
- Nature and outdoors: Laja Falls (mile 21)
- Museums and history: St. Ambrose Cathedral, Linares (mile 131), Museo Regional de Rancagua (mile 264), Museo Interactivo Las Condes (mile 325)
- With kids: Buin Zoo (mile 299)
Laja Falls
Beside Ruta 5 about 25 km from Los Ángeles, the Laja River pours over four cascades up to roughly 35 meters high, cut into basalt left by ancient lava flows from the Antuco volcano.
Teatro Municipal de Chillán
The Teatro Municipal de Chillán is a theater venue located in the city of Chillán, in Chile.
St. Ambrose Cathedral, Linares
Linares Cathedral, dedicated to St. Ambrose, is the Catholic cathedral and seat of the Diocese of Linares in Chile's Maule Region.
Santuario de María Auxiliadora
Run by the Salesian order, the Sanctuary of María Auxiliadora is a Catholic church and shrine in Talca, in Chile's Maule Region, opened in 1915.
Teatro Victoria
Museo Regional de Rancagua
Museo Regional de Rancagua is the main public museum of the O'Higgins Region, housed in two colonial-era mansions on Paseo del Estado: Casa del Ochavo and Casa del Pilar de Esquina.
Buin Zoo
Buin Zoo is a bioparque in the commune of Buin, Santiago Metropolitan Region, and a member of the Latin American Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Manuel Foster Observatory
Built in 1903 on Cerro San Cristóbal near Santiago, the Manuel Foster Observatory was originally known as the D. O. Mills Observatory, after the philanthropist.
Museo Interactivo Las Condes
The Museo Interactivo Las Condes is a museum in the Las Condes commune of Santiago, Chile.
More drives to El Colorado
- Santiago, Chile to El Colorado
- Valparaíso to El Colorado
- Viña del Mar to El Colorado
- Coquimbo to El Colorado
- La Serena to El Colorado
- Copiapó to El Colorado
From Los Ángeles to other places in Chile
- Los Ángeles to Pelluhue
- Los Ángeles to Curicó
- Los Ángeles to Santa Cruz, Chile
- Los Ángeles to Pichilemu
- Los Ángeles to Valle Nevado
- Los Ángeles to Los Andes
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Los Ángeles to El Colorado?
About 6 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 354 miles.
What is the driving distance from Los Ángeles to El Colorado?
About 354 miles (570 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 Los Ángeles to El Colorado?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Los Ángeles and El Colorado?
Closest to the road: Laja Falls (waterfall, mile 21, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro Victoria (theater, mile 200, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Interactivo Las Condes (history museum, mile 325, 0.6 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.