By road, Valparaíso and Malargüe, Argentina are about 411 miles (661 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 53 min of driving. You cross from Chile into Argentina at about mile 324, at Paso Pehuenche.
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 | 411 mi (661 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN145 → RN40 |
| Border crossing | about mile 324, Chile → Argentina (Paso Pehuenche) |
| Regions on the route | Valparaíso, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Maule, Mendoza |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Argentina
The route crosses at about mile 324, at Paso Pehuenche, from Maule 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.
What the drive from Valparaíso to Malargüe is like
RN145 (46 mi) and RN40 (41 mi) carry about 21% of the 411 miles. The first 324 miles are in Chile; the last 87 are in Argentina. It runs through 5 regions: Valparaíso, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Maule, Mendoza. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Valparaíso to Malargüe: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–73 | 73 | Valparaíso, Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| connecting roads | 73–76 | 3 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago |
| local roads | 76–324 | 248 | Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Maule |
| RN145 | 324–370 | 46 | Mendoza |
| RN40 | 370–411 | 41 | Mendoza |
- Mile 26 of this route: Valparaíso → Región Metropolitana de Santiago (region line)
- Mile 104 of this route: Región Metropolitana de Santiago → Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins (region line)
- Mile 175 of this route: Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins → Maule (region line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Maule → Mendoza (international border)
Stops between Valparaíso and Malargüe
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 9), Laguna Carén (mile 63), Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo (mile 139)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna Carén (mile 63), Campanario Thermal Baths (mile 304), Médanos Grandes (mile 372)
- Museums and history: Museo Histórico de Placilla (mile 9), Votive Temple of Maipú (mile 71), Open Air Museum San Miguel (mile 73), Pukara of La Compañía (mile 111), Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo (mile 139)
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.
Laguna Carén
Laguna Carén is a man-made freshwater lagoon and wetland in Pudahuel, west of central Santiago, forming part of Parque Carén, a University of Chile property of about 2,525 acres.
Votive Temple of Maipú
Also known as the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Votive Temple of Maipú is a Catholic church in the Chilean commune of Maipú.
Open Air Museum San Miguel
More than sixty urban art murals and mosaics cover apartment walls, houses, benches and kiosks in Villa San Miguel, forming this open-air museum in the San Miguel commune, south of Santiago.
Pukara of La Compañía
On the hill above the village of La Compañía, in Graneros, this site holds remains of a Promaucae fortress later used by the Incas, the southernmost surviving Inca structure.
Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo
A Catholic church in the city of Rengo, the Basílica de Santa Ana is one of Chile's nine minor basilicas, with roots going back to the colonial period.
Teatro Regional del Maule
Known as the TRM, the Teatro Regional del Maule in Talca opened on September 5, 2005, and its main hall seats 1,028 people.
Campanario Thermal Baths
Campanario Thermal Baths (Baños Campanario) are hot springs in Chile's Maule Region, used both for medicinal purposes and by visitors looking for a soak.
Médanos Grandes
Médanos Grandes is a dune field in west-central Argentina, a sandy landscape that covers an area of roughly 2,000 square kilometers.
More drives to Malargüe
- Villa Carlos Paz to Malargüe
- Santiago, Chile to Malargüe, Argentina
- Temuco to Malargüe, Argentina
- Rancagua to Malargüe, Argentina
- Concepción, Chile to Malargüe, Argentina
- Valdivia to Malargüe, Argentina
More drives from Valparaíso
- Valparaíso to Coquimbo
- Valparaíso to Vicuña
- Valparaíso to Pisco Elqui
- Valparaíso to Punta de Choros
- Valparaíso to Copiapó
- Valparaíso to Caldera
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Valparaíso to Malargüe, Argentina?
About 8 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 411 miles.
What is the driving distance from Valparaíso to Malargüe, Argentina?
About 411 miles (661 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 Valparaíso to Malargüe drive cross the border?
At about mile 324, from Chile into Argentina, at Paso Pehuenche.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Valparaíso 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Valparaíso to Malargüe drive?
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.
What roads does the drive from Valparaíso to Malargüe use?
In order: RN145 and RN40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Valparaíso and Malargüe?
Closest to the road: Museo Histórico de Placilla (archaeological museum, mile 9, 0.7 mi from the route); Laguna Carén (lagoon, mile 63, 0.7 mi from the route); Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo (basilica, mile 139, 0.7 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.