By road, Maipú and Vicuña, Chile are about 480 miles (772 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 16 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 131, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Chile: “Driving in Chile is relatively safe.”
| Distance | 480 mi (772 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | RP5 → RN7 → D-201 |
| Border crossing | about mile 131, Argentina → Chile (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Mendoza, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Chile
The route crosses at about mile 131, at the Cristo Redentor crossing, from Mendoza into Valparaíso. 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.
On the road from Maipú to Vicuña
RN7 (121 mi) and D-201 (5 mi) carry about 26% of the 480 miles. The first 131 miles are in Argentina; the last 349 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: Mendoza, Valparaíso, Coquimbo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Maipú to Vicuña
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Mendoza |
| RP5 | 1–4 | 3 | Mendoza |
| connecting roads | 4–9 | 5 | Mendoza |
| RN7 | 9–130 | 121 | Mendoza |
| local roads | 130–439 | 309 | Mendoza, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| connecting roads | 439–440 | 1 | Coquimbo |
| local roads | 440–452 | 12 | Coquimbo |
| D-201 | 452–457 | 5 | Coquimbo |
| local roads | 457–480 | 23 | Coquimbo |
- Mile 131 of this route: Mendoza → Valparaíso (international border)
- Mile 269 of this route: Valparaíso → Coquimbo (region line)
Places worth a stop between Maipú and Vicuña
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Puente del Inca (mile 119), St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (mile 183), Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (mile 439), Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla (mile 439)
- Nature and outdoors: Cacheuta Spa (mile 37), La Campana National Park (mile 209), Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park (mile 380)
- Museums and history: Puente del Inca (mile 119), St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe (mile 183), Museo Cardenal Jorge Medina Estévez (mile 434), Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (mile 439), Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla (mile 439)
- With kids: La Serena Zoo (mile 453)
Cacheuta Spa
At Cacheuta, on the Mendoza River in the Andes foothills, Cacheuta Spa is a bathing complex built around natural hot springs, along the old road from Mendoza toward the Uspallata Pass and Chile.
Puente del Inca
Puente del Inca is a natural rock arch spanning the Las Cuevas River, a tributary of the Mendoza River. It stands beside the village of the same name in Las Heras Department, Mendoza Province.
St. Philip's Cathedral, San Felipe
San Felipe Cathedral, dedicated to St. Philip, is a Catholic parish in San Felipe, Valparaíso Region, and serves as the cathedral of the Diocese of San Felipe de Aconcagua.
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.
Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena
Also called La Serena Cathedral, this is the seat of the Archdiocese of La Serena, standing on the northeastern corner of the Plaza de Armas at Los Carrera and Cordovez streets.
Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla
Facing the Plaza de Armas in La Serena, this history museum honors former Chilean president Gabriel González Videla, a native of the city, and shows permanent exhibits including works by Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró.
La Serena Zoo
Founded in 2006, La Serena Zoo is a privately run zoo in Chile's Coquimbo Region, set in the El Hinojal area on the road from La Serena to the Elqui Valley.
Once you reach 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
More drives from Maipú
- Maipú to Capilla del Monte
- Maipú to San José de Jáchal
- Maipú to Villa Unión
- Maipú to San Agustín de Valle Fértil
- Maipú to Curicó, Chile
- Maipú to Pichilemu, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maipú to Vicuña, Chile?
About 10 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 480 miles.
How far is Vicuña, Chile from Maipú by car?
About 480 miles (772 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 Maipú to Vicuña drive cross the border?
At about mile 131, from Argentina into Chile, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Maipú 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 Maipú to Vicuña 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.
What roads does the drive from Maipú to Vicuña use?
In order: RP5, RN7 and D-201. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Maipú to Vicuña?
Closest to the road: Puente del Inca (historic bridge, mile 119, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Histórico Gabriel González Videla (history museum, mile 439, 0.3 mi from the route); Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (cathedral, mile 439, 0.4 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.