Puerto Varas to Esquel, Argentina is about 366 road miles (589 km): roughly 7 h 53 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 111, 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: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance | 366 mi (589 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | U-551-V → U-55-V → U-981-T → RN231 → RN40 → RN259 |
| Border crossing | about mile 111, Chile → Argentina (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Chile–Argentina border
The route crosses at about mile 111, 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.
On the road from Puerto Varas to Esquel
RN40 (229 mi) and U-981-T (23 mi) carry about 69% of the 366 miles. The first 111 miles are in Chile; the last 255 are in Argentina. It runs through 5 regions: Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Puerto Varas to Esquel
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–16 | 16 | Los Lagos |
| connecting roads | 16–17 | 1 | Los Lagos |
| U-551-V | 17–37 | 20 | Los Lagos |
| U-55-V | 37–43 | 6 | Los Lagos |
| U-981-T | 43–66 | 23 | Los Lagos |
| local roads | 66–111 | 45 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| RN231 | 111–130 | 19 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 130–359 | 229 | Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut |
| RN259 | 359–366 | 7 | Chubut |
- Mile 88 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 99 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 111 of this route: Los Lagos → Neuquén (international border)
- Mile 177 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Río Negro → Chubut (region line)
What to see on the way from Puerto Varas to Esquel
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 84), Lago Guillelmo (mile 213)
- Nature and outdoors: Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 84), Puyehue National Park (mile 99), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 144), Nahuel Huapi National Park (mile 155), Lago Guillelmo (mile 213), Lago Puelo National Park (mile 272)
- Museums and history: Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar (mile 17), Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi (mile 189), Museo Leleque (mile 314)
Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar
Opened to the public in January 1984, the Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar is an architectural and ethnographic museum devoted mainly to German immigration to the Llanquihue area of the Los Lagos Region.
Puyehue Hot Springs
A series of hot springs about 76 km east of Osorno along Route 215-CH, Puyehue Hot Springs sit in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile.
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.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi
Close to Nahuel Huapi Lake, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi is the main Catholic cathedral of San Carlos de Bariloche, set amid gardens on a large plot.
Lago Guillelmo
Inside Nahuel Huapi National Park in Río Negro's Bariloche department, Lago Guillelmo is a glacial lake ringed by Andean Patagonian forest that drains into Lake Mascardi.
Lago Puelo National Park
Covering 276.74 square kilometers in northwestern Chubut, Lago Puelo National Park is an Argentine national park in Patagonia.
Museo Leleque
Near kilometer 1440 of Ruta Nacional 40 in Leleque, Chubut, this history museum opened in 1998 in the steppe at the foot of the Andes, about 100 m from the tracks of La Trochita.
More drives to Esquel
- Rawson to Esquel
- Puerto Madryn to Esquel
- Neuquén to Esquel
- Temuco to Esquel, Argentina
- Puerto Montt to Esquel, Argentina
- Valdivia to Esquel, Argentina
More drives from Puerto Varas
- Puerto Varas to Pucón
- Puerto Varas to Curacautín
- Puerto Varas to Monte Águila
- Puerto Varas to Pelluhue
- Puerto Varas to Santa Cruz, Chile
- Puerto Varas to El Bolsón, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puerto Varas to Esquel, Argentina?
About 7 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 366 miles.
How far is Esquel, Argentina from Puerto Varas by car?
About 366 miles (589 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 Varas to Esquel drive cross the border?
At about mile 111, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Puerto Varas 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Puerto Varas to Esquel drive?
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 Varas to Esquel use?
In order: U-551-V, U-55-V, U-981-T, RN231, RN40 and RN259. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Puerto Varas to Esquel?
Closest to the road: Puyehue Hot Springs (hot spring, mile 84, 0.4 mi from the route); Puyehue National Park (national park, mile 99, 1 mi from the route); Lago Guillelmo (lake, mile 213, 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.