By road, San Carlos de Bariloche and Coyhaique, Chile are about 475 miles (765 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 56 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 216, at Paso Futaleufú.
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 | 475 mi (765 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN40 → RN259 |
| Border crossing | about mile 216, Argentina → Chile (Paso Futaleufú) |
| Regions on the route | Río Negro, Chubut, Los Lagos, Aisén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Argentina–Chile border
The route crosses at about mile 216, at Paso Futaleufú, from Chubut 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.
How the San Carlos de Bariloche to Coyhaique drive plays out
RN40 (167 mi) and RN259 (47 mi) carry about 45% of the 475 miles. The first 216 miles are in Argentina; the last 259 are in Chile. It runs through 4 regions: Río Negro, Chubut, Los Lagos, Aisén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: San Carlos de Bariloche to Coyhaique
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Río Negro |
| RN40 | 2–169 | 167 | Río Negro, Chubut |
| RN259 | 169–216 | 47 | Chubut |
| local roads | 216–475 | 259 | Los Lagos, Aisén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo |
- Mile 78 of this route: Río Negro → Chubut (region line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Chubut → Los Lagos (international border)
- Mile 294 of this route: Los Lagos → Aisén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (region line)
Places worth a stop between San Carlos de Bariloche and Coyhaique
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lago Guillelmo (mile 23), Lago Las Torres (mile 398)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago Guillelmo (mile 23), Lago Puelo National Park (mile 82), Futaleufú National Reserve (mile 221), Lago Rosselot National Reserve (mile 318), Queulat National Park (mile 342), Puyuhuapi Thermal Baths (mile 347), Lago Las Torres (mile 398), Coyhaique National Reserve (mile 463)
- Museums and history: Museo Leleque (mile 124)
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.
Futaleufú National Reserve
Managed by CONAF, Futaleufú National Reserve is a protected area in the Northern Patagonia section of southern Chile.
Lago Rosselot National Reserve
Named after Rosselot Lake, this nature reserve in Chile's Aysén Region lies just north of Queulat National Park, on the east side of the Carretera Austral.
Queulat National Park
Queulat National Park protects a stretch of Chile's Aysén Region, with the Cisnes River forming its southern edge and Lago Rosselot National Reserve as its neighbor.
Puyuhuapi Thermal Baths
These hot springs (Termas de Puyuhuapi) sit beside the Carretera Austral in Chile's Aysén Region, 16 kilometers south of the village of Puyuhuapi and 225 kilometers by road from Coyhaique.
Lago Las Torres
Lago Las Torres is a body of surface water bordering the Lago Las Torres National Reserve in the Aysén Region of Chile.
Coyhaique National Reserve
Coyhaique National Reserve is a national reserve in southern Chile's Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region.
In Coyhaique itself
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores
In the city of Coyhaique, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows (Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores) is the Catholic seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aysén.
Museo Regional de Aysén
Part of Chile's National Cultural Heritage Service, the Museo Regional de Aysén is a public museum in Coyhaique, in the Aysén Region of Chilean Patagonia.
More drives to Coyhaique
More drives from San Carlos de Bariloche
- San Carlos de Bariloche to Trelew
- San Carlos de Bariloche to El Bolsón
- San Carlos de Bariloche to Los Ángeles, Chile
- San Carlos de Bariloche to Chaitén, Chile
- San Carlos de Bariloche to Monte Verde, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Carlos de Bariloche to Coyhaique, Chile?
About 10 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 475 miles.
How far is Coyhaique, Chile from San Carlos de Bariloche by car?
About 475 miles (765 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 San Carlos de Bariloche to Coyhaique drive cross the border?
At about mile 216, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Futaleufú.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche to Coyhaique 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 San Carlos de Bariloche to Coyhaique use?
In order: RN40 and RN259. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Carlos de Bariloche and Coyhaique?
Closest to the road: Lago Guillelmo (lake, mile 23, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Leleque (museum, mile 124, 2 mi from the route); Lago Las Torres (lagoon, mile 398, 0.5 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.