Plan on about 8 h 22 min of driving for the 399-mile (642 km) trip from San Carlos de Bariloche to Los Ángeles, Chile, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 79, 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 | 399 mi (642 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 22 min |
| Main roads, in order | RP237 → RN40 → RN231 → T-981-U → T-87 |
| Border crossing | about mile 79, Argentina → Chile (Paso Cardenal Samoré) |
| Regions on the route | Río Negro, Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, La Araucanía, Bío-Bío |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Los Ángeles
The route crosses at about mile 79, 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.
The San Carlos de Bariloche–Los Ángeles drive in a few lines
RN40 (52 mi) and T-981-U (23 mi) carry about 19% of the 399 miles. The first 79 miles are in Argentina; the last 320 are in Chile. It runs through 6 regions: Río Negro, Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, La Araucanía, Bío-Bío. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: San Carlos de Bariloche to Los Ángeles
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Río Negro |
| RP237 | 2–6 | 4 | Río Negro |
| RN40 | 6–58 | 52 | Río Negro, Neuquén |
| RN231 | 58–78 | 20 | Neuquén |
| local roads | 78–122 | 44 | Neuquén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| T-981-U | 122–145 | 23 | Los Lagos, Los Ríos |
| T-87 | 145–159 | 14 | Los Ríos |
| local roads | 159–399 | 240 | Los Ríos, La Araucanía, Bío-Bío |
- Mile 12 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (region line)
- Mile 79 of this route: Neuquén → Los Lagos (international border)
- Mile 90 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 101 of this route: Los Ríos → Los Lagos (region line)
- Mile 125 of this route: Los Lagos → Los Ríos (region line)
- Mile 219 of this route: Los Ríos → La Araucanía (region line)
- Mile 367 of this route: La Araucanía → Bío-Bío (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between San Carlos de Bariloche and Los Ángeles
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 101), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 105), Puente Collilelfu (mile 196), Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (mile 298), Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (mile 357)
- Nature and outdoors: Nahuel Huapi National Park (mile 34), Los Arrayanes National Park (mile 45), Puyehue National Park (mile 90), Aguas calientes Thermal Baths (mile 101), Aguas Calientes Hot Springs (mile 104), Puyehue Hot Springs (mile 105), Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (mile 298)
- Museums and history: Puente Collilelfu (mile 196)
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Puente Collilelfu
Puente Collilelfu is a bridge in the Los Lagos commune of Valdivia province, in Chile's Los Ríos Region.
Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument
Inside the city of Temuco, Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument protects a hill that rises to 335 meters, the highest point in the city, in Chile's Araucanía Region.
Teatro Municipal de Collipulli
Opened in 1942, the Teatro Municipal de Collipulli is a public cultural venue in this Malleco Province town in northern La Araucanía, and one of the commune's main architectural and cultural landmarks.
Once you reach Los Ángeles
St. Mary of the Angels Cathedral
Los Ángeles Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles in Chile.
More drives to Los Ángeles
- Talca to Los Ángeles
- Rancagua to Los Ángeles
- Santiago, Chile to Los Ángeles
- Valparaíso to Los Ángeles
- Viña del Mar to Los Ángeles
- Valdivia to Los Ángeles
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 Coyhaique, 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 Los Ángeles, Chile?
About 8 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 399 miles.
How far is Los Ángeles, Chile from San Carlos de Bariloche by car?
About 399 miles (642 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 Los Ángeles drive cross the border?
At about mile 79, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Cardenal Samoré.
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 Los Ángeles 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.
Which highways go from San Carlos de Bariloche to Los Ángeles?
In order: RP237, RN40, RN231, T-981-U and T-87. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Carlos de Bariloche and Los Ángeles?
Closest to the road: Puyehue Hot Springs (hot spring, mile 105, 0.3 mi from the route); Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (nature area, mile 298, 0.1 mi from the route); Teatro Municipal de Collipulli (theater, mile 357, 0.2 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.