By road, Puerto Montt and El Bolsón, Argentina are about 275 miles (442 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 10 min of driving. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 121, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
Full advisory: Chile, Argentina. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- 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.”
- Argentina: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
| Total distance | 275 mi (442 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | U-551-V → U-55-V → U-981-T → RN231 → RN40 |
| Border crossing | about mile 121, Chile → Argentina (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén, Río Negro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Chile into Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 121, at Paso Cardenal Samoré, from Los Lagos into Neuquén. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón is like
RN40 (135 mi) and U-981-T (24 mi) carry about 58% of the 275 miles. The first 121 miles are in Chile; the last 154 are in Argentina. It runs through 4 regions: Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén, Río Negro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–27 | 27 | Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Los Lagos |
| U-551-V | 28–47 | 19 | Los Lagos |
| U-55-V | 47–53 | 6 | Los Lagos |
| U-981-T | 53–77 | 24 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 77–121 | 44 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| RN231 | 121–140 | 19 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 140–275 | 135 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
- Mile 99 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 109 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 121 of this route: Los Lagos → Neuquén (international border)
- Mile 188 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
Places worth a stop between Puerto Montt and El Bolsón
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 99)
- Nature and outdoors: Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument (mile 7), Aguas Calientes Hot Springs (mile 94), Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 99), Puyehue National Park (mile 109), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 154), Nahuel Huapi National Park (mile 165), Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas (mile 252)
- Museums and history: Puente Chirre (mile 77), Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia (mile 199)
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.
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.
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.
Aguas calientes Thermal Baths
In Chile's Los Lagos Region, the Aguas Calientes thermal baths (Termas de Aguas Calientes) are hot springs used for both medicinal and tourism purposes.
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.
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.
Nahuel Huapi National Park
Established in 1922 and reconfigured in 1934, Nahuel Huapi National Park surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes.
Francisco Moreno Museum of Patagonia
Set in the Civic Center of Bariloche, the Francisco P. Moreno Museum of Patagonia covers natural history and cultural anthropology.
Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas
About 30 km north of El Bolsón, east of Route 40, the Cipresal de las Guaitecas protected area lies within Patagonia's Andean forest ecoregion in the Bariloche department.
Once you reach El Bolsón
Parque Serrano
Parque Serrano is a municipal protected natural area in El Bolsón, in Argentine Patagonia, covered by the Andean Patagonian forest ecoregion.
More drives to El Bolsón
- San Carlos de Bariloche to El Bolsón
- San Martín de los Andes to El Bolsón
- Neuquén to El Bolsón
- Comodoro Rivadavia to El Bolsón
- Trelew to El Bolsón
- Rawson to El Bolsón
More drives from Puerto Montt
- Puerto Montt to Osorno
- Puerto Montt to Valdivia
- Puerto Montt to Villarrica
- Puerto Montt to Pucón
- Puerto Montt to Curacautín
- Puerto Montt to Los Ángeles
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón, Argentina?
About 6 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 275 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón, Argentina?
About 275 miles (442 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 Puerto Montt to El Bolsón drive cross the border?
At about mile 121, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Puerto Montt into Argentina?
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. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón, Argentina?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón use?
In order: U-551-V, U-55-V, U-981-T, RN231 and RN40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Puerto Montt to El Bolsón?
Closest to the road: Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (hot spring, mile 99, 0.9 mi from the route); Puyehue National Park (national park, mile 109, 1 mi from the route); Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas (park, mile 252, 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.