Plan on about 9 h 49 min of driving for the 435-mile (700 km) trip from Neuquén to Monte Verde, Chile, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 300, 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: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- 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 | 435 mi (700 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN22 → RN237 → RP65 → RN40 → RN231 → U-981-T → U-55-V → U-551-V → V-830 |
| Border crossing | about mile 300, Argentina → Chile (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Neuquén, Río Negro, Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Argentina into Chile
The route crosses at about mile 300, 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.
Driving Neuquén to Monte Verde: the shape of the trip
RN237 (195 mi) and RP65 (37 mi) carry about 53% of the 435 miles. The first 300 miles are in Argentina; the last 135 are in Chile. It runs through 4 regions: Neuquén, Río Negro, Los Lagos, Los Ríos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Neuquén to Monte Verde
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Neuquén |
| RN22 | 3–36 | 33 | Neuquén |
| RN237 | 36–231 | 195 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
| RP65 | 231–268 | 37 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 268–280 | 12 | Neuquén |
| RN231 | 280–300 | 20 | Neuquén |
| local roads | 300–344 | 44 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| U-981-T | 344–368 | 24 | Los Lagos |
| U-55-V | 368–374 | 6 | Los Lagos |
| U-551-V | 374–393 | 19 | Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 393–395 | 2 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 395–429 | 34 | Los Lagos |
| V-830 | 429–435 | 6 | Los Lagos |
- Mile 227 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 231 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (region line)
- Mile 300 of this route: Neuquén → Los Lagos (international border)
- Mile 312 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 322 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
Stops between Neuquén and Monte Verde
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañadón Escondido (mile 55)
- Nature and outdoors: Cañadón Escondido (mile 55), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 280), Puyehue National Park (mile 312), Aguas Calientes Hot Springs (mile 326), Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument (mile 415)
- Museums and history: Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum (mile 52), Puente Chirre (mile 344), Museo de Piedras de Monte Verde (mile 419), Historical Museum of Puerto Montt (mile 421)
Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum
A municipal museum in Villa El Chocón, the Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum covers the paleontology, archaeology and history of the town and its surroundings.
Cañadón Escondido
Cañadón Escondido is a small canyon in Villa El Chocón, in Argentina's Neuquén Province.
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.
Aguas Calientes Hot Springs
About 76 kilometers east of Osorno near Route 215-CH, Aguas Calientes Hot Springs is a series of hot springs in Chile's Los Lagos Region.
Puente Chirre
Built in reinforced concrete between 1940 and 1945 as a railroad bridge, Puente Chirre in Río Bueno now carries road traffic and was declared a National Monument in 2017.
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.
Museo de Piedras de Monte Verde
Opened in late 2000, Museo de Piedras de Monte Verde displays and conserves archaeological pieces recovered from the Monte Verde excavation site.
Historical Museum of Puerto Montt
Founded in 1967 as a municipal museum, the Historical Museum of Puerto Montt (Museo Histórico Juan Pablo II) has been on the city's waterfront since 1988.
Once you reach 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 Neuquén
- Neuquén to San Antonio Oeste
- Neuquén to Santa Rosa
- Neuquén to Balneario El Cóndor
- Neuquén to Sierra de La Ventana
- Neuquén to Puerto Madryn
- Neuquén to Rawson
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Neuquén to Monte Verde, Chile?
About 9 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 435 miles.
How far is Monte Verde, Chile from Neuquén by car?
About 435 miles (700 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 Neuquén to Monte Verde drive cross the border?
At about mile 300, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Neuquén 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Neuquén to Monte Verde, Chile?
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 Neuquén to Monte Verde use?
In order: RN22, RN237, RP65, 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.
What are good stops between Neuquén and Monte Verde?
Closest to the road: Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum (paleontological museum, mile 52, 1 mi from the route); Cañadón Escondido (canyon, mile 55, 0.3 mi from the route); Puyehue National Park (national park, mile 312, 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.