By road, San Salvador de Jujuy and San Pedro de Atacama, Chile are about 296 miles (477 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 16 min of driving. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 201, at Paso de Jama.
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: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Chile: “Secondary and mountain roads may be poorly maintained, poorly lit, and may lack guardrails.”
| Distance by road | 296 mi (477 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN9 → RN52 |
| Border crossing | about mile 201, Argentina → Chile (Paso de Jama) |
| Regions on the route | Jujuy, Salta, Antofagasta |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Chile
The route crosses at about mile 201, at Paso de Jama, from Jujuy into Antofagasta. 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.
What the drive from San Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama is like
RN52 (160 mi) and RN9 (36 mi) carry about 66% of the 296 miles. The first 201 miles are in Argentina; the last 95 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: Jujuy, Salta, Antofagasta. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from San Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Jujuy |
| RN9 | 3–39 | 36 | Jujuy |
| RN52 | 39–199 | 160 | Jujuy, Salta |
| local roads | 199–296 | 97 | Jujuy, Antofagasta |
- Mile 93 of this route: Jujuy → Salta (region line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Salta → Jujuy (region line)
- Mile 201 of this route: Jujuy → Antofagasta (international border)
Places worth a stop between San Salvador de Jujuy and San Pedro de Atacama
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Salar Aguas Calientes I (mile 227), Los Flamencos National Reserve (mile 227)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Flamencos National Reserve (mile 227)
Salinas Grandes
Spread across Jujuy and Salta provinces at about 3,450 meters, the Salinas Grandes salt flat covers 212 square kilometers of white desert.
Salar de Olaroz
In the Susques department of Jujuy province, about 270 km from San Salvador de Jujuy, Salar de Olaroz lies on a high plateau at around 3,900 m.
Salar de Quisquiro
Also called Salar de Loyoques, Salar de Quisquiro is a salt pan of about 80 km² in northern Chile, in a basin averaging 4,430 m and topped by 5,285 m Cerro Purifican.
Salar Aguas Calientes I
High in the Puna de Atacama of the Antofagasta Region, Salar Aguas Calientes I borders the Tara salt flat to the north and east, Quisquiro to the south and Pujsa to the west.
Los Flamencos National Reserve
Covering 740 square kilometres of dry puna in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, Los Flamencos National Reserve is made up of seven separate sections in the Antofagasta Region.
Once you reach San Pedro de Atacama
Tulor
Near San Pedro de Atacama, Tulor is an archaeological site with the remains of a former village complex covering 5,200 square meters, plus 22 outlying structures.
Catarpe
Five kilometers north of San Pedro de Atacama, Catarpe was an Inca administrative center that oversaw the area's fortresses; nearby stands the San Isidro chapel, built in 1913.
Pukará de Quitor
About 3 km northwest of San Pedro de Atacama, Pukará de Quitor is a pre-Columbian stone fortress overlooking the valley of the San Pedro River.
More drives to San Pedro de Atacama
- Copiapó to San Pedro de Atacama
- Tacna to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Sucre to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Oruro to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Potosí to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- San Miguel de Tucumán to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
More drives from San Salvador de Jujuy
- San Salvador de Jujuy to Amaicha del Valle
- San Salvador de Jujuy to Santa María, Argentina
- San Salvador de Jujuy to La Rioja
- San Salvador de Jujuy to Capilla del Monte
- San Salvador de Jujuy to San Antonio de los Cobres
- San Salvador de Jujuy to Llallagua, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from San Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile?
About 6 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 296 miles.
How far is San Pedro de Atacama, Chile from San Salvador de Jujuy by car?
About 296 miles (477 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 Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama drive cross the border?
At about mile 201, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso de Jama.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from San Salvador de Jujuy 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.)
Is it safe to drive from San Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile?
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 Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama use?
In order: RN9 and RN52. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from San Salvador de Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama?
Closest to the road: Salar de Olaroz (salt flat, mile 145, 2 mi from the route); Salar Aguas Calientes I (salt flat, mile 227, 0.9 mi from the route); Los Flamencos National Reserve (national reserve, mile 227, 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.