14 Days from Buenos Aires to the End of the Earth

There is a route at the bottom of the world that has haunted the dreams of adventurers for decades. It runs south along the spine of the Andes, through wine-soaked valleys and black-lava deserts, past smoking volcanoes and glacier-carved lakes, until the road narrows to a thread and the silence becomes something you can feel in your chest. Patagonia, shared by Chile and Argentina, is a region of jagged peaks, massive glaciers, and wind-swept plains — and driving through it offers a sense of adventure like no other, with opportunities to visit national parks, remote villages, and vast wilderness areas.

This is a 14-day road trip that begins in the electric chaos of Buenos Aires and ends at the literal end of the Earth — Ushuaia — with stops that will rearrange something fundamental inside you. You'll cross the Andes, navigate gravel tracks shared with guanacos, stand on a living glacier, and fall asleep to the sound of Patagonian wind threatening to tear your lodge from its foundations. Pack light, carry a spare tire, and brace yourself.

Best Time to Travel: The best time to drive any of this is December through early April. Summer brings long daylight hours and accessible mountain passes. Since Patagonia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed from the Northern Hemisphere — their summer is December through February. Since this itinerary includes mountainous hiking, you'll want to visit during the summer months or close to it.

Practical Note on Costs: In 2024, Argentina experienced severe inflation averaging 117%, but inflation ended 2025 at 31% — a promising change, though long gone are the days of Argentina as a cheap travel destination. Budget roughly $150–$220/day per person for mid-range accommodation, meals, and activities.

Car Rental: Most rental cars are manual. You will need an additional permit from the rental car company if you plan to cross the border between Chile and Argentina. Secure this in advance.

⭐ Hidden Gems are marked throughout this guide — these are lesser-known spots that locals love and tourists rarely find. You can also view this itinerary in the app and customize it for your own trip.

Day 1: Arrival in Buenos Aires — The City That Roars

Morning

You land at Ezeiza International Airport and the sensory assault begins immediately — the diesel smell, the honking, the Spanish that comes too fast. Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital and biggest city, is an easy starting point, and its combination of wide avenues, narrow side streets, and old Spanish-style architecture gives it a very European feel — basically a mashup of Lisbon, Madrid, and Paris.

Check into the Palermo Soho neighborhood, the heartland of Buenos Aires cool. A well-loved mid-range option here is Hotel Boutique Le Petit Palais — intimate, well-located, and close to the tree-lined plazas of Palermo Hollywood. Drop your bags and immediately head out on foot.

Afternoon

Walk the jacaranda-shaded streets of Palermo and make your way to the MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires) for an hour of immersion in the continent's extraordinary visual culture before your road trip begins in earnest. Then drift south toward San Telmo, Buenos Aires's oldest neighborhood, where cobblestones and colonial balconies drip with a faded glamour that no renovation project has yet managed to scrub away.

⭐ Hunt down the Feria de San Telmo market, which spills out across Plaza Dorrego on Sundays — a genuine neighborhood institution rather than a tourist spectacle. Old men sell vintage maps of Patagonia, tango records, and gaucho knives alongside the obligatory leather goods. It's the kind of place that makes you glad you arrived the day before your road trip started.

Evening

For dinner, La Cabrera in Palermo is the city's legendary parilla (steakhouse) — arrive before 8:00 p.m. to beat the queue or call ahead for a reservation. The bife de chorizo is absurdly good. Pick up an alfajor (Argentina's iconic caramel sandwich cookie) from one of Buenos Aires's numerous good-quality coffee shops before you turn in — you'll want the sugar before tomorrow's travel day.

🏨 Sleep: A mid-range boutique hotel in Palermo Soho — ideally somewhere with a rooftop terrace. Rates run $80–$140/night.

Day 2: Buenos Aires → Bariloche — Flying into the Lake District

Morning

The road trip doesn't actually begin on pavement — it begins in the sky. Bariloche has an airport with direct flights from Buenos Aires, making it the perfect place to pick up your rental car and launch your southbound adventure. Book an early Aerolíneas Argentinas or LATAM flight (~2 hours, ~$80–120). As the plane descends, you'll look down at mountains and glistening waters — Bariloche, considered the gateway to Argentina's magical Patagonia region, is a truly beautiful town that casts its spell before you've even landed.

Collect your rental car (4WD recommended) at the airport. Drive time to the city center: 30 minutes.

Afternoon

Nicknamed "Little Switzerland," Bariloche features German and Swiss mountain architecture and a passion for chocolate. The real charm, however, lies in its natural beauty — situated at 900 meters above sea level in the transition zone between the snowy Andes and the arid steppe, Bariloche is made even more spectacular by Nahuel Huapi National Park and the blue glacial lakes that surround the city.

Drive the famous Circuito Chico this afternoon — a 60-kilometer scenic loop that takes you past crystalline lakeshores, viewpoints, and the impossibly photogenic Llao Llao Peninsula. Stop at Cerro Campanario for the cable car (or 45-minute hike) to a panoramic viewpoint — often cited as one of the most beautiful views in Argentina.

💡 Practical Tip: Register all hikes within Nahuel Huapi National Park in advance through the official PNNH app. In summer you don't need a guide, but you do need to register for all hikes within the national park.

Evening

Bariloche is the perfect introduction to northern Argentine Patagonia — a short flight from Buenos Aires, with plenty of outdoor adventures plus a great food and beer scene with restaurants, breweries, and chocolate shops galore. Tonight, eat at El Boliche de Alberto on Villegas Street — a Bariloche institution serving enormous milanesas (breaded cutlets) and grilled meats to a loyal crowd of locals and trekkers. Wash it down with a craft beer from Cervecería Bachmann, one of the city's best microbreweries.

🏨 Sleep: Cacique Inacayal Lake Hotel & Spa — nestled on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, just a few blocks from downtown Bariloche, the chic rooms offer superb lake views and luxury finishes like designer furniture. Rates from ~$130/night.

Day 3: Bariloche — Volcano, Glacier & Craft Beer

Morning

Today is for the mountains. Drive south toward Cerro Tronador, a dormant but imposing volcano on the Chilean border that looms at 3,500 meters. One of the largest peaks in the Andes Mountains, a guided jeep tour from any agency in the city center takes you to the base of Cerro Tronador to view Lago Ventisquero and Ventisquero Negro glacier, with stops at various overlooks and the high-elevation community of Pampa Linda. Book this tour the night before (~$45–60 per person).

Afternoon

Cerro Catedral, the largest ski resort in South America, is revered across Argentina. More importantly, it's a year-round adventure center — in the summer months, lifts take you up to the 2,000-meter ridgeline to enjoy ridgeline hikes, mountain biking, ATV rides, and fantastic restaurants with endless views. Take the chairlift up and hike the ridge at your own pace.

⭐ For lunch, skip the busy summit restaurant and instead follow the ridge trail 20 minutes east to a small lookout point that almost no one visits — pack a sandwich and eat it with the entire Argentine Lake District spread before you like a watercolor painting.

Evening

Back in Bariloche, wander Calle Mitre — the city's chocolate row — and sample from Mamuschka and Rapanui, two of the city's most beloved chocolatiers. Bariloche is famous for its artisanal chocolates and local breweries, and this evening deserves both. Dinner at Restaurante Jauja — known for its Patagonian lamb stew and excellent local trout.

🏨 Sleep: Cacique Inacayal Lake Hotel & Spa (Night 2)

Day 4: The Route of the Seven Lakes — Bariloche to San Martín de los Andes

Morning (Driving Day)

This is one of the great road trip days on Earth. The Ruta de los Siete Lagos (Route of the Seven Lakes) follows a spectacular section of Argentina's legendary Ruta 40 from Bariloche north to San Martín de los Andes — roughly 110 kilometers of pure spectacle. This stunning section of the famous Argentinian Route 40 stretches from San Martín De Los Andes to Villa La Angostura, skimming the shorelines of seven distinct lakes: Lago Lácar, Lago Machónico, Lago Falkner, Lago Villarino, Lago Espejo, Lago Correntoso and Lago Nahuel Huapi.

Leave Bariloche by 9:00 a.m. Clear, inviting waters, dark grey mountains and pale blue skies greet you around every turn — ensure your camera is fully charged. Allow 4–5 hours with frequent stops.

💡 Practical Tip: Fill your tank in Bariloche. Gas stations along the Seven Lakes route are sparse.

Afternoon

Arrive into Villa La Angostura — a tiny lakeside village of timber-frame hotels and chocolate shops — for a late lunch. ⭐ Stop at La Encantada, a small local confitería (café-bakery) almost hidden on a side street, beloved by the Argentines who come here to ski in winter and hike in summer. Their homemade empanadas de cordero (lamb empanadas) are exceptional.

Continue the final 30 minutes north into San Martín de los Andes, a charming lakeside town that manages the rare trick of being popular without feeling like it sold out.

Evening

San Martín de los Andes is small, walkable, and genuinely lovely. Dinner at La Tasca overlooking Plaza San Martín — wood-fired Patagonian lamb, local draft beers, and the kind of warmth that makes you want to linger until midnight.

🏨 Sleep: Hostería Rucahuín — a well-regarded mid-range guesthouse with timber interiors and views toward Lago Lácar. Rates from ~$90–120/night.

Day 5: San Martín de los Andes — Kayaking, Hot Springs & High Altitude

Morning

San Martín de los Andes is a base camp for adventures in Lanín National Park, dominated by the perfectly conical Volcán Lanín (3,776m) — one of the most beautiful volcanoes in South America. Join a guided kayaking excursion on Lago Lácar: the water is cold, startlingly clear, and reflects the surrounding peaks in a way that makes you feel slightly unreal. Tour operators line the main street; expect to pay $35–50 per person for a half-day.

Afternoon

Drive 30 minutes into the national park to the Termas de Lahuen-Có — natural hot springs set in a forest clearing beneath Lanín's snowy flanks. The hiking along this route is some of the best in the region — hike amongst monkey puzzle trees, under waterfalls, and up to natural thermal pools.

⭐ The pool closest to the main complex is crowded; follow the steam uphill for 15 minutes to find a smaller, quieter pool where the only company is the occasional Andean condor overhead.

Evening

Return to San Martín for dinner. Try Ku Restaurante — rustic-chic with an open kitchen and a rotating seasonal menu leaning heavily on trout from Lácar Lake and wild boar from the surrounding hills. A uniquely local meal that costs around $20–30 per person.

🏨 Sleep: Hostería Rucahuín (Night 2)

Day 6: Driving South — San Martín de los Andes to Junín de los Andes & Onward to Neuquén, then Flying to El Calafate

Morning

Today is a transition day, but an important one — you're jumping from the northern Lake District to the heart of Patagonia. Drive 45 minutes south from San Martín to Chapelco Airport near Junín de los Andes (or backtrack to Bariloche's airport if necessary) for a flight to El Calafate (~2.5 hours, $80–150). Return your rental car at the airport and pick up a new one in El Calafate.

💡 Practical Tip: Alternatively, the legendary Ruta 40 can be driven the entire way south to El Calafate — a 3–4 day detour that's one of the world's great road trips but requires full logistical planning. After the popular stretch through the Lake District, you'll traverse desolate Patagonian plains where nandus (a type of ostrich) race alongside your car, and you'll spot foxes and come across herds of sheep crossing the road. For a 14-day itinerary, flying is the pragmatic choice.

Afternoon/Evening

Land in El Calafate — a small frontier town on the shores of turquoise Lago Argentino, entirely dependent on and dedicated to one thing: the glacier. Check in and explore the town's single main street, Avenida del Libertador, lined with tour agencies, gear shops, and parrillas.

For dinner, try ⭐ Casimiro Biguá Parrilla — a reliably excellent steakhouse that locals recommend over the more tourist-facing spots, serving Patagonian lamb alongside perfectly charred entrecôte.

🏨 Sleep: Esplendor El Calafate — located on a hillside near the city centre, the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, the elegantly styled interiors feature furnishings, art and textiles carefully selected to reflect the Patagonian landscape. The restaurant and bar Iglu offers the perfect vantage point for watching beautiful sunsets as you sip on a glass of Argentine wine or dine on regional Patagonian cuisine. Rates from ~$130–160/night.

Day 7: El Calafate — Perito Moreno Glacier

Morning

Nothing — absolutely nothing — prepares you for the Perito Moreno Glacier. The Perito Moreno glacier is a true travel bucket list kind of place — no trip to Patagonia is complete without seeing it. It's 30 kilometers long, 5 kilometers wide at its face, and advances at a rate of two meters per day. And unlike most glaciers, it's stable — even growing.

It is 1.5 hours from El Calafate to Perito Moreno Glacier. Most tours will collect you from your hotel early in the morning, between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Book a Minitrekking tour in advance ($75–100) — the highlight of which is lacing on crampons and walking across the glacier's surface. Perito Moreno is the third largest glacier in Argentina and the most accessible one in Los Glaciares National Park, and can be admired from a network of paths and observation decks, from a boat, or while trekking on its surface during a guided tour.

Afternoon

The glacier is especially active, calving several times during boat tours to send chunks of ice splashing into the lake. After the ice trek, take the afternoon boat cruise to drift beneath the glacier's 70-meter-high ice wall — a sound installation of groaning, cracking, and the occasional thunderous collapse. Nothing manufactured comes close.

Evening

Return to El Calafate exhausted and slightly changed. At the end of a long day visiting the glacier it's really nice to return to a cozy hotel and relax with a glass of Malbec and watch the turquoise lake shimmering in the distance. Make sure you try the local Calafate ice cream too! (The calafate berry is native to Patagonia and tastes like a dark, wild blueberry.) Dinner at Morrison's Restaurant on Puerto Deseado Street — a 5-minute walk from the hotel, where the local lamb sorrentinos and goulash with gnocchi attract visitors from all over the globe.

🏨 Sleep: Esplendor El Calafate (Night 2)

Day 8: El Calafate to El Chaltén — Road to Fitz Roy

Morning

This drive is, objectively, one of the most beautiful roads in Argentina. The 220-kilometer journey north from El Calafate to El Chaltén takes about 3 hours on Ruta 23 — a mostly paved road that crosses the steppe before the Andes build dramatically ahead of you. When you start getting close to the town of El Chaltén, the namesake peak (also known as Fitz Roy) looms in front of you like something from a dream.

Stop at the Estancia La Leona roadside historic inn (about halfway) for coffee and medialunas (croissants) — the building dates from the early 1900s, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid allegedly passed through.

Afternoon

Arrive in El Chaltén — Argentina's trekking capital — a tiny town of 1,500 people that exists almost entirely to serve hikers and climbers who come for the peaks of Los Glaciares National Park. El Chaltén looks unassuming but don't be fooled: it's full of secret treasures from cool restaurants and cafes to microbreweries and hiking gear shops. Oh, and did we mention the world-class hiking?

This afternoon, do the Laguna Capri trail — a relatively easy 9-kilometer round trip that rewards you with a jaw-dropping close-up view of Fitz Roy (3,405m) reflected in a small glacial lake. Allow 3–4 hours. Everything in El Chaltén is within easy walking distance, including the trailheads.

Evening

Dinner at Ahonikenk, El Chaltén's most beloved patagónico restaurant — Patagonian lamb slow-cooked over an open fire, local beer, and a dining room full of mud-caked hikers swapping trail stories. Reservations recommended.

🏨 Sleep: Hotel Destino Sur — a great luxury spa hotel on the edge of town, super-close to the Fitz Roy trail head and just a 5-minute walk to town. Rooms are spacious, the breakfast buffet is exceptional, and the spa is large and luxurious — great for relaxing post-hikes. Rates from ~$160/night.

Day 9: El Chaltén — The Laguna de los Tres Epic Hike

Morning (All Day)

Today is one of the hardest and most rewarding days of the entire trip. The Laguna de los Tres hike is El Chaltén's signature trail — a 23-kilometer round trip with 1,200 meters of elevation gain that culminates in a glacial lagoon at the foot of Fitz Roy. When you reach the top, Laguna de los Tres may still be covered in parts with ice. Just a tiny bit further gets you to the lookout, where you can see the stunning Laguna Sucia with its amazing deep blue coloring and Mt. Fitzroy towering as its backdrop — jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Leave the trailhead by 7:30 a.m. Pack layers — Patagonian weather changes violently. It's not uncommon to experience four seasons in a day! Bring high-calorie snacks, at least 2 liters of water, and a rain jacket that actually works. The final 1.5 km to the lagoon is brutally steep.

💡 Practical Tip: Register your hike the night before via the national park's ranger station or app. It's free and mandatory.

Evening

You'll return to town in late afternoon, legs destroyed, probably grinning. It's SO nice to take a hot shower and sleep in a comfy bed after your longest hike. The spa at Destino Sur awaits. A quiet dinner at ⭐ La Tapera — a small, barely-signed restaurant just off the main road that most tourists walk right past, serving exceptional homemade pasta and local trout with a wine list that punches far above the price tag.

🏨 Sleep: Hotel Destino Sur (Night 2)

Day 10: El Chaltén to Puerto Natales — Crossing into Chile

Morning

Pack up and drive the 3.5 hours back south to El Calafate, then continue west toward the Chilean border crossing at Villa O'Higgins/Río Don Guillermo — or take the more established Paso Río Turbio crossing. The drive from El Calafate to Puerto Natales in Chile takes about 3.5 hours, and the border crossing is comical — it's just a tiny building on a road in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

⚠️ Important: When traveling between Chile and Argentina, ensure you have your passport and immigration cards to hand, and do not carry any fresh fruit and vegetables — Chile has very strict laws on what can be brought in to protect their ecology. Complete your Chilean Customs Affidavit online in advance.

Afternoon

You will need an additional permit from the rental car company if you plan to cross the border between Chile and Argentina — confirm this was arranged before you left. Cross into Chile, where the landscape shifts subtly: the vegetation thickens, the sky somehow darkens, and the wind picks up with a new authority.

Arrive in Puerto Natales — a frontier town of painted tin-roofed houses on the edge of a fjord, 150 kilometers from Torres del Paine. Puerto Natales is the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. It's small, unpretentious, and full of trekkers comparing blister counts.

Evening

NOI Indigo Patagonia is an impressive designer hotel on the waterfront of the Última Esperanza Fjord in Puerto Natales. The property features a steak restaurant and bar, spa, sauna, and hot tub. Check in, clean up, and eat dinner at their Indigo Restaurant overlooking the fjord — the grilled centolla (king crab) is extraordinary, the wine list is exclusively Chilean, and the view toward the Andes at dusk is the kind of thing you'll try to describe to people at home and fail.

🏨 Sleep: NOI Indigo Patagonia, Puerto Natales — rates from ~$160–200/night.

Day 11: Torres del Paine — The Park Revealed

Morning

Drive the 90-minute road from Puerto Natales into Torres del Paine National Park — one of the world's great national parks, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and the most dramatic landscape most people will ever see. After checking in at accommodations near the park gates, take a sightseeing drive through the park.

The morning light on the Torres — three granite towers that rise 2,800 meters from the steppe like broken teeth — is best viewed from the Mirador Las Torres lookout. Begin the hike by 8:00 a.m. if you want the towers in pure light with minimal crowds. The hike is 18km round trip with significant elevation.

Afternoon

While in the park you'll have the chance to hike to Laguna Azul, sail around Grey Lake, and climb to Mirador Ferrier or Condor for breathtaking views. In the afternoon, drive around Lago Pehoé — the aquamarine lake beneath the Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Paine) — a view so outrageously beautiful it borders on surreal.

⭐ Stop at the Salto Grande waterfall where the milky-blue Río Paine thunders through a narrow canyon. Almost every visitor drives past it en route to other viewpoints — pull over and walk the 10-minute path down. You'll likely have the roaring cascade largely to yourself.

Evening

Return to Puerto Natales for dinner. ⭐ Try La Mesita Grande — a beloved locals' pizza spot that sounds too humble for a day like this but consistently delivers wood-fired pies topped with local lamb and merkén (Chilean smoked chili) that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pizza.

🏨 Sleep: NOI Indigo Patagonia (Night 2)

Day 12: Torres del Paine — Grey Glacier & Condor Country

Morning

Return to the park for a full day focused on the Grey Glacier sector on the park's western edge. The W Trek normally takes 4–5 days to complete in full; today you'll tackle its most dramatic arm — the trail to Mirador Grey, a 22-kilometer round trip through lenga beech forest to the edge of the Grey Glacier. Cerro Castillo National Park is famous for its jagged, snow-dusted peaks and the chance to spot rare wildlife like South Andean deer — similar landscapes appear throughout the park's western regions.

💡 Practical Tip: Securing reservations in Torres del Paine is so challenging that you'll probably want to plan this component of your trip well in advance and let the rest of your itinerary come together around those dates. Book CONAF permits months ahead.

Afternoon

The afternoon belongs to condors. Pull off at any of the park's high viewpoints and scan the thermals — with a wingspan up to 3.2 meters, Andean condors soar the ridges above the Paine massif daily. Bring binoculars.

Then drive to Laguna Azul on the park's quieter east side — a road trip can get you to Patagonia's more hidden gems, so plan time to get out exploring by foot, bike, or kayak. Rent a kayak at the lagoon's edge and paddle in silence beneath the towers.

Evening

Tonight, splurge on dinner inside the park at the EcoCamp Patagonia geodesic dome restaurant — even if you're not staying there, visitors can often dine by reservation. The experience of eating Patagonian cuisine surrounded by glass as the Torres turn orange at sunset is worth every peso.

🏨 Sleep: NOI Indigo Patagonia (Night 3)

Day 13: Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas — The Magellan Strait & Penguins

Morning

Drive the 250 kilometers south from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas along the windswept shores of the Magellan Strait — a 3-hour journey through estancia country where the guanaco outnumber the people. It is about 3 hours driving time between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales.

Punta Arenas is a city of a different character — wind-scoured, end-of-world pragmatic, built by wool barons and Croat immigrants in the 19th century. Its cemetery is genuinely one of the most beautiful and eerie in South America.

Afternoon

Los Pingüinos Natural Monument is just a 5-hour round trip from Punta Arenas and is definitely worth checking out — 130,000 penguins are located throughout the tiny island, and even though you're with other tourists, the sheer number of penguins makes up for it. Book the boat tour from Punta Arenas' waterfront ($45–60 per person) — you'll share a zodiac with Magellanic penguins that have absolutely no fear of humans and will investigate your boots with scientific thoroughness.

⭐ After returning, find Café Merkén — a tiny, frequently overlooked café on a side street off the Plaza de Armas, run by a local Mapuche family and serving some of the most distinctive food in Patagonia. The cazuela de mariscos (seafood stew) is liquid Patagonia in a bowl.

Evening

Dinner at Sotito's, Punta Arenas's celebrated seafood institution on the waterfront — order the centolla al pil pil (king crab in garlic) and a bottle of Carménère from the Maipo Valley. Outside, the wind howls off the Strait. Inside, it's warm, noisy, and exactly right.

🏨 Sleep: Hotel José Nogueira — a converted 19th-century wool baron's mansion on the Plaza de Armas, with enormous rooms, antique furnishings, and a dining room under a glass cupola. History you can sleep in, rates from ~$140–170/night.

Day 14: Punta Arenas — Ushuaia Day or Departure

Morning

You have two options for your final day, depending on budget and appetite:

Option A — Fly to Ushuaia, the End of the World: The world's southernmost city, Ushuaia is the furthest outreach of Argentina — known as el fin del Mundo, the end of the world. This former penal colony, set on the cold, damp shores of the Beagle Channel with a stunning backdrop of snow-capped glaciers, attracts everyone from backpackers and nature enthusiasts to adventurous visitors who use it as a base for multi-day hikes. A one-hour flight connects Punta Arenas to Ushuaia — spend the afternoon hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park before your international flight home.

Option B — Carretera Austral Northern Detour: For those driving back north, consider continuing onto the famous Carretera Austral for additional days — the Carretera Austral (Ruta 7) stretches 1,240 kilometers from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins, and is called the perfect road trip by National Geographic.

Afternoon

For most travelers, this is the departure day. Drive or transfer to Punta Arenas Airport (Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International) for connections through Santiago to your international flight.

Before you leave, stand at the shore of the Magellan Strait one final time. The wind will be blowing — it's always blowing here. The water is iron-grey. Somewhere beyond the horizon is Antarctica. Behind you, 14 days of the most extraordinary driving on the planet stretch back across the Andes.

Essential Practical Tips for This Road Trip

• Border crossings: Always carry your passport. Complete your Chilean Customs Affidavit form (available online) in advance of travel.

• Fuel: There's little support for extended stretches — keep the tank brimmed and carry a spare tyre. Petrol is around $6 USD per gallon in Chile.

• Road conditions: Road conditions can be unpredictable — the route is a mix of smooth tarmac, deteriorating roads and long gravel tracks.

• Weather: Pack sleeping bags and warm clothes — the weather can change fast, and it's not uncommon to experience four seasons in a day.

• Reservations: Book accommodation and transport in advance, particularly during the peak months between November and February — rooms book up very quickly.

• Cash: Carry Argentine pesos and Chilean pesos separately. Many rural stops are cash-only.

Sources & Inspiration

• Landcruising Adventure — 9 Legit Road Trips in South America

• Luxury Latin America — 8 Epic South America Road Trip Routes

• South America Backpacker — The 10 Best South America Road Trips

• Lost With Lydia — Best Patagonia 2-Week Road Trip Itinerary

• This Remote Corner — Best of Patagonia in 2 Weeks

• Travel Yes Please — 2-Week Patagonia Itinerary

• Man vs Globe — 3 Weeks in Patagonia

• Swoop Patagonia — Patagonia Road Trips

• Girl Who Travels the World — Where to Stay in El Calafate

• Girl Who Travels the World — Where to Stay in El Chaltén

• Worldly Adventurer — 21 Things to Do in Bariloche

• Sol Salute — Complete Bariloche Travel Guide

• Torn Tackies — Where to Stay in Bariloche

• The Adventure Diet — Best Patagonia Itinerary 2025

• Secrets of Patagonia — Best Hotels in El Calafate

• The South America Specialists — Top Hotels in El Calafate & El Chaltén

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