Crossing the Andes by Car: 7 Argentina-Chile Passes

The Andes stretch for more than 7,000 kilometers, from northern Peru to the southern tip of Patagonia. Between Argentina and Chile there are more than 40 official border crossings, but most are not open year-round, and not all of them have a road that an ordinary vehicle can handle.

For anyone traveling by car, seven passes cover 99% of the routes that make sense. We have gathered them here, from north to south, with altitude, the season when they operate, road surface and which destination each one suits.

In short: if you're heading to Atacama, it's Jama. For Santiago and the wineries, Cristo Redentor. For the Chilean lakes, Samoré. For Ushuaia, Integración Austral. The other three are alternatives for when the main one closes or for those who want a quieter road.

What to consider before choosing a pass

Four things weigh on the decision:

• Altitude. Passes in the north (Jama, Sico) go above 4,000 meters. For anyone who has never dealt with altitude, this is uncomfortable and can knock out a whole day. Hydration, rest the night before and gradual stops help.
• Season. Most passes in the central and southern cordillera close because of snow between June and September. Summer (December to March) is the safest window. Before traveling, check the status on the official websites of Argentina's Gendarmería and Chile's Aduana.
• Pavement. Most of the major passes are paved on both sides, but some have stretches of ripio (gravel) that turn to mud in winter. A low car with bald tires suffers.
• Customs flow. Famous passes have legendary lines. Cristo Redentor in January can take 4 to 8 hours to cross. Small passes, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Leaving at dawn, around 5 or 6 a.m., cuts a lot of waiting time at the popular ones.

The 7 passes, from north to south

1. Paso Jama (about 4,200 m): north, link to Atacama

• Connects: San Salvador de Jujuy, in Argentina, to San Pedro de Atacama, in Chile.
• Total distance: about 520 km from Jujuy to San Pedro.
• Pavement: almost all.
• When to use it: if you want to go to the Atacama desert, to the Salar de Uyuni via Bolivia, or to head down northern Chile to La Serena.

The big issue with Jama is altitude. You go from 1,200 m in Jujuy to 4,200 m at the summit in one day. Altitude sickness is real: headache, shortness of breath, nausea. Stop in Susques (3,700 m) to sleep before the final climb and drink plenty of water. The scenery is absurd: salt flats, lagoons with flamingos, vicuñas.

Customs is at the top, on the Argentine side, and charges a free-zone exit fee. Open all year, but it can close because of sandstorms or off-season snow.

2. Paso Cristo Redentor (about 3,200 m): central, the busiest

• Connects: Mendoza, in Argentina, to Los Andes and Santiago, in Chile.
• Distance: about 380 km from Mendoza to Santiago.
• Pavement: all.
• When to use it: if your destination is Santiago, Valparaíso, Chilean wineries or if you are returning to Brazil by crossing the Andes mountain range.

This is the most used pass between the two countries. It has a tunnel of about 3 km at the top and a view of Aconcagua (6,961 m, the highest mountain in the Americas) along the way. In January and February, the customs line easily reaches 6 hours. Leaving at dawn and on a weekday reduces it drastically.

It operates all year, but it closes because of snow a few times in winter. When it closes, everybody heads to Pehuenche, the next one on the list.

3. Paso Pehuenche (about 2,553 m): central, alternative to Cristo Redentor

• Connects: Malargüe, in Argentina, to Talca, in Chile.
• Distance: about 200 km from the pass to Talca.
• Pavement: all, on both sides.
• When to use it: when Cristo Redentor closes because of snow or when you want a quieter route with equally good scenery.

This one is the official plan B for travelers in the central cordillera. Customs is usually quick, 30 minutes to 1 hour. The road goes past Laguna del Maule and through several volcanic areas. In winter it also closes, but in different windows from Cristo Redentor, so it's worth checking beforehand.

4. Paso Pino Hachado (about 1,864 m): south, all year

• Connects: Las Lajas, in Argentina, to Lonquimay and Temuco, in Chile.
• Distance: about 200 km to Temuco.
• Pavement: all.
• When to use it: if you're heading down through Argentina and want to cross into the Chilean Araucanía region (Pucón, Villarrica) without climbing too much.

Low altitude for an Andean pass, which means very few snow closures, one of its real advantages. Customs is reasonably quick. It has no spectacular views, but it works well all year, and that's why it's a favorite of people traveling in autumn or winter.

5. Paso Mamuil Malal (about 1,207 m): south, the most scenic

• Connects: Junín de los Andes, in Argentina, to Pucón, in Chile.
• Distance: about 130 km from Junín to Pucón.
• Pavement: almost all, with short stretches of ripio in the last kilometers, depending on the year.
• When to use it: when the focus is scenery and you are doing the Argentine Seven Lakes Route or the lakes of southern Chile.

This is perhaps the most beautiful one on the list for the time the trip takes. It crosses next to Lanín Volcano (3,776 m, perfectly conical, covered in snow). The customs post is small and is usually quick. It closes for a few weeks in winter because of snow accumulation.

6. Paso Cardenal Antonio Samoré (about 1,321 m): south, the classic for the lakes

• Connects: San Carlos de Bariloche, in Argentina, to Osorno and Puerto Montt, in Chile.
• Distance: about 230 km from Bariloche to Puerto Montt.
• Pavement: all.
• When to use it: if your destination is the Chilean Carretera Austral, Puerto Varas, Chiloé, or if you are doing the route from Bariloche to Puerto Montt and from there to the Carretera.

This pass is the main entry point to the Chilean Carretera Austral. Good pavement on both sides, Andean-Patagonian forest scenery, Lake Puyehue. Large, well-organized customs, with rare lines outside high season. It operates all year.

7. Paso Integración Austral and San Sebastián: far south, for Ushuaia and Torres del Paine

• Connects: Río Gallegos, in Argentina, to Punta Arenas, in Chile, and then San Sebastián to enter Tierra del Fuego.
• Altitude: close to sea level.
• Pavement: all.
• When to use it: mandatory if you're going to Ushuaia or Torres del Paine.

Technically it's not a mountain pass: it's a crossing of windy plains in the far south. But it counts as an Argentina-Chile crossing and it is the route with no alternative for anyone going all the way down. Customs is usually quick, and the wind is the protagonist, with gusts of 100 km/h considered normal. It operates all year.

Reminder: to get to Ushuaia, you cross twice. To enter Chile at Río Gallegos, you cross the Strait of Magellan by ferry and cross back into Argentina at San Sebastián.

Which pass to use for which destination

• Atacama and northern Chile: Jama.
• Santiago, Valparaíso and wineries: Cristo Redentor, or Pehuenche if the main one has closed.
• Pucón, Villarrica and the lakes of southern Chile: Mamuil Malal (scenic) or Pino Hachado (faster).
• Carretera Austral, Puerto Montt and Chiloé: Samoré.
• Ushuaia and Torres del Paine: Integración Austral and San Sebastián.

Basic documentation

Valid for any pass: passport, driver's license (CNH), original CRLV (vehicle registration), exit authorization if the car is not in your name, Mercosur Insurance (Carta Verde) and the safety items that Argentina and Chile require (triangle, reflective vest, fire extinguisher, cones). The complete checklist of documents for crossing borders details each one.

In Chile, food inspection is strict: fruit, meat, dairy and honey are prohibited from entering. The fine for a false declaration is high. Eat it or throw it away before customs.