Crossing the Andes by Car: 7 Argentina-Chile Passes

The Andes are over 7,000 kilometers long, from northern Peru to the far south of Patagonia. Between Argentina and Chile, there are more than 40 official border passes, but most aren't open all year, and not all of them have a road a regular vehicle can drive.

For whoever travels by car, seven passes cover 99% of the routes that make sense. We gathered them here, from north to south, with altitude, the season they work in, the type of pavement and which destination makes sense for each one.

In short: if you're going to Atacama, it's Jama. For Santiago and 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 whoever wants a less busy path.

What to consider before choosing a pass

Four things weigh on the decision:

Altitude. Passes in the north (Jama, Sico) exceed 4,000 meters. For whoever has never faced altitude, this is uncomfortable and can take a whole day out of you. Hydration, rest the night before and a gradual stop help.

Season. Most passes of the central and southern cordillera close due to snow between June and September. Summer (December to March) is the safest window. Before traveling, check the status on the official sites of the Argentine Gendarmería and the Chilean Aduana.

Pavement. Most of the important passes are paved on both sides, but some have stretches of ripio (packed dirt) that turn to mud in winter. A low car with a bald tire suffers.

Customs flow. Famous passes have a historic line. Cristo Redentor in January can take 4 to 8 hours to cross. Small passes, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Leaving in the small hours (5-6 am) cuts a lot of waiting time at the popular ones.

Ready. Now the 7 passes.

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

Connects: San Salvador de Jujuy (Argentina) ↔ San Pedro de Atacama (Chile).

Total distance: about 520 km from Jujuy to San Pedro.

Pavement: almost all of it.

When to use: if you want to go to the Atacama desert, the Salar de Uyuni (via Bolivia, then Chile) or go down through northern Chile to La Serena.

The big theme of Jama is the altitude. You go from 1,200 m in Jujuy to 4,200 m at the top in one day. Altitude sickness is real, a 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. It has an exit free-trade zone. Open all year, but it can close due to sandstorms or off-season snow.

1. Paso Cristo Redentor (~3,200 m): central, the busiest

Connects: Mendoza (Argentina) ↔ Los Andes / Santiago (Chile).

Distance: about 380 km from Mendoza to Santiago.

Pavement: all of it.

When to use: if the destination is Santiago, Valparaíso, Chilean wineries or if you're going back to Brazil crossing through the Cordillera de los Andes.

This is the most used pass between the two countries. It has a tunnel about 3 km long at the top and a view of the 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 in the small hours and on a weekday reduces it drastically.

It works all year, but it closes due to snow a few times in winter. When it closes, everyone shifts to Pehuenche (the next on the list).

1. Paso Pehuenche (~2,553 m): central, the alternative to Cristo Redentor

Connects: Malargüe (Argentina) ↔ Talca (Chile).

Distance: about 200 km from the pass to Talca.

Pavement: all of it, on both sides.

When to use: when Cristo Redentor closes due to snow or when you want a less busy route with equally good scenery.

This one is the official "plan B" for travelers of the central Cordillera. Customs is usually fast (30 minutes to 1 hour). The path passes by the Laguna del Maule and has several volcanic areas. In winter it also closes, but in different windows from Cristo Redentor, it's worth checking beforehand.

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

Connects: Las Lajas (Argentina) ↔ Lonquimay / Temuco (Chile).

Distance: about 200 km to Temuco.

Pavement: all of it.

When to use: if you're going down through Argentina and want to cross into the Chilean Araucanía region (Pucón, Villarrica) without climbing much.

A low altitude for an Andean pass, which means very little closure due to snow, one of its real advantages. Customs is reasonably fast. It doesn't have great spectacular views, but it works well all year and that's why it's a favorite of whoever travels in autumn or winter.

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

Connects: Junín de los Andes (Argentina) ↔ Pucón (Chile).

Distance: about 130 km from Junín to Pucón.

Pavement: almost all of it, with short stretches of ripio in the last kilometers (depends on the year).

When to use: when the focus is scenery and you're doing the Argentine Ruta de los Siete Lagos or the southern Chilean lakes.

This is perhaps the most beautiful on the list for the travel time. It crosses next to the Lanín Volcano (3,776 m, perfectly conical, snow-covered). Customs is small, usually fast. It closes a few weeks in winter due to snow accumulation.

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

Connects: San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina) ↔ Osorno / Puerto Montt (Chile).

Distance: about 230 km from Bariloche to Puerto Montt.

Pavement: all of it.

When to use: if the destination is the Chilean Carretera Austral, Puerto Varas, Chiloé, or if you're doing the Bariloche-Puerto Montt-Carretera Austral itinerary.

This pass is the main entry point to the Chilean Carretera Austral. Good pavement on both sides, Andean-Patagonian forest scenery, Lago Puyehue. Big and organized customs (rare lines outside high season). It works all year.

1. Paso Integración Austral / San Sebastián, the far south, for Ushuaia and Torres del Paine

Connects: Río Gallegos (Argentina) ↔ Punta Arenas (Chile) and, later, San Sebastián to enter Tierra del Fuego.

Altitude: near sea level.

Pavement: all of it.

When to use: mandatory if you're going to Ushuaia or Torres del Paine.

Technically it's not a "mountain pass": it's a crossing of a windy plain in the far south. But it counts as an Argentina-Chile crossing and it's the route with no alternative for whoever goes all the way down. Customs is usually fast, the wind is the protagonist (gusts of 100 km/h are normal). It works all year.

Reminder: to reach 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: a practical summary

Atacama, northern Chile: Jama.

Santiago, Valparaíso, wineries: Cristo Redentor (or Pehuenche if the main one closed).

Pucón, Villarrica, southern Chilean lakes: Mamuil Malal (scenic) or Pino Hachado (faster).

Carretera Austral, Puerto Montt, Chiloé: Samoré.

Ushuaia, Torres del Paine: Integración Austral / San Sebastián.

Basic documentation

It applies to any pass: a passport, a driver's license, the original CRLV, a country-exit authorization if the car isn't in your name, Mercosur insurance (Green Card) and the safety items that Argentina and Chile enforce (a warning triangle, reflective vest, fire extinguisher, cones).

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 discard it before customs.