Quintay to Las Leñas, Argentina is about 454 road miles (731 km): roughly 10 h 6 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 147, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night, especially if alone.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance by road | 454 mi (731 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | F-800 → RN7 → RN40 → RP222 |
| Border crossing | about mile 147, Chile → Argentina (the Cristo Redentor crossing) |
| Regions on the route | Valparaíso, Mendoza |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing from Chile into Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 147, at the Cristo Redentor crossing, from Valparaíso into Mendoza. 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.
Driving Quintay to Las Leñas: the shape of the trip
RN40 (166 mi) and RN7 (112 mi) carry about 61% of the 454 miles. The first 147 miles are in Chile; the last 307 are in Argentina. It runs through 2 regions: Valparaíso, Mendoza. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Quintay to Las Leñas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| F-800 | 1–15 | 14 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 15–16 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 16–21 | 5 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 21–22 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 22–62 | 40 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 62–63 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 63–147 | 84 | Valparaíso |
| RN7 | 147–259 | 112 | Mendoza |
| RN40 | 259–425 | 166 | Mendoza |
| RP222 | 425–454 | 29 | Mendoza |
- Mile 147 of this route: Valparaíso → Mendoza (international border)
Stops between Quintay and Las Leñas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 19), Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes (mile 104), Puente del Inca (mile 158)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 15), La Campana National Park (mile 68), Cacheuta Spa (mile 240)
- Museums and history: Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 19), Museo Artequin Viña del Mar (mile 25), Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes (mile 104), Puente del Inca (mile 158)
- With kids: Zoológico de Quilpué (mile 30)
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve
Chile's Lago Peñuelas National Reserve surrounds Peñuelas Lake, a freshwater reservoir that supplies drinking water to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
Museo Histórico de Placilla
About 14 km from Valparaíso, the Museo Histórico de Placilla opened in August 2009 under the Placilla Cultural Center and is the only museum in the Placilla de Peñuelas area.
Museo Artequin Viña del Mar
Inside Quinta Vergara in Viña del Mar, Artequin is an educational art museum opened in 2008 that encourages children's creativity through group visits, workshops and hands-on activities.
Teatro Municipal
Teatro Municipal de Viña del Mar is a heritage building in Viña del Mar, in Chile's Valparaíso Region, facing Plaza Vergara.
Zoológico de Quilpué
Maintained by the municipality, the Zoológico de Quilpué was set up on land donated to the city to create a recreation park for the community.
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.
Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes
Opened in 1969 by Carlos Coros, the Los Andes Archaeological Museum occupies a 19th-century house and holds a collection tied to the Aconcagua culture and the Inca civilization.
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.
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.
More drives to Las Leñas
- Temuco to Las Leñas, Argentina
- Rancagua to Las Leñas, Argentina
- Curicó to Las Leñas, Argentina
- Villarrica to Las Leñas, Argentina
- Pucón to Las Leñas, Argentina
- Curacautín to Las Leñas, Argentina
More drives from Quintay
- Quintay to Pisco Elqui
- Quintay to Villa Unión, Argentina
- Quintay to Malargüe, Argentina
- Quintay to San Agustín de Valle Fértil, Argentina
- Quintay to La Punta, Argentina
- Quintay to San José de Jáchal, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Quintay to Las Leñas, Argentina?
About 10 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 454 miles.
How far is Las Leñas, Argentina from Quintay by car?
About 454 miles (731 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 Quintay to Las Leñas drive cross the border?
At about mile 147, from Chile into Argentina, at the Cristo Redentor crossing.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Quintay 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 Quintay to Las Leñas, 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.
Which highways go from Quintay to Las Leñas?
In order: F-800, RN7, RN40 and RP222. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Quintay to Las Leñas?
Closest to the road: Museo Histórico de Placilla (archaeological museum, mile 19, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico de Los Andes (archaeological museum, mile 104, 1 mi from the route); Puente del Inca (historic bridge, mile 158, 0.1 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.