Plan on about 10 h 29 min of driving for the 417-mile (671 km) trip from San Martín de los Andes to Chaitén, Chile, before any stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 317, 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 by road | 417 mi (671 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN40 → RP63 → RN237 → RN259 |
| Border crossing | about mile 317, Argentina → Chile (Paso Futaleufú) |
| Regions on the route | Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Los Lagos |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Chile
The route crosses at about mile 317, 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 Martín de los Andes to Chaitén drive plays out
RN40 (200 mi) and RN259 (47 mi) carry about 59% of the 417 miles. The first 317 miles are in Argentina; the last 100 are in Chile. It runs through 4 regions: Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Los Lagos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from San Martín de los Andes to Chaitén, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Neuquén |
| RN40 | 1–17 | 16 | Neuquén |
| RP63 | 17–58 | 41 | Neuquén |
| RN237 | 58–86 | 28 | Neuquén, Río Negro |
| RN40 | 86–270 | 184 | Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut |
| RN259 | 270–317 | 47 | Chubut |
| local roads | 317–417 | 100 | Los Lagos |
- Mile 62 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 67 of this route: Río Negro → Neuquén (region line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Neuquén → Río Negro (region line)
- Mile 179 of this route: Río Negro → Chubut (region line)
- Mile 317 of this route: Chubut → Los Lagos (international border)
Stops between San Martín de los Andes and Chaitén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lago Guillelmo (mile 124)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago Guillelmo (mile 124), Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas (mile 152), Área natural protegida Río Azul - Lago Escondido (mile 155), Reserva El Guadal (mile 168), Lago Puelo National Park (mile 183), Futaleufú National Reserve (mile 322)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi (mile 100), Bariloche Paleontological Association (mile 100), Museo Leleque (mile 226)
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.
Bariloche Paleontological Association
Founded in 1977, the museum of the Bariloche Paleontological Association is a nonprofit that preserves and shares local and provincial fossil heritage in San Carlos de Bariloche.
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.
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.
Área natural protegida Río Azul - Lago Escondido
Near El Bolsón, in the Bariloche department of Patagonia, the Río Azul - Lago Escondido protected natural area covers Andean Patagonian forest.
Reserva El Guadal
Near Mallín Ahogado and El Bolsón, Reserva El Guadal is a protected forest reserve created to preserve native woodland and support research on sustainable resource management.
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.
More drives to Chaitén
- Coyhaique to Chaitén
- San Carlos de Bariloche to Chaitén, Chile
- Puerto Madryn to Chaitén, Chile
- Rawson to Chaitén, Chile
- El Bolsón to Chaitén, Chile
More drives from San Martín de los Andes
- San Martín de los Andes to El Bolsón
- San Martín de los Andes to Colonia Suiza
- San Martín de los Andes to Frutillar, Chile
- San Martín de los Andes to Monte Verde, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Martín de los Andes to Chaitén, Chile?
About 10 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 417 miles.
How far is Chaitén, Chile from San Martín de los Andes by car?
About 417 miles (671 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 Martín de los Andes to Chaitén drive cross the border?
At about mile 317, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso Futaleufú.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from San Martín de los Andes 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 Martín de los Andes to Chaitén 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 Martín de los Andes to Chaitén use?
In order: RN40, RP63, RN237 and RN259. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Martín de los Andes and Chaitén?
Closest to the road: Lago Guillelmo (lake, mile 124, 0.4 mi from the route); Área natural protegida Cipresal de las Guaitecas (park, mile 152, 1 mi from the route); Reserva El Guadal (park, mile 168, 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.