Glaciers, steppe, lakes and fjords, departing from Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Coyhaique, El Calafate, Ushuaia, Bariloche and Puerto Madryn
Patagonia is shared between Chile and Argentina, from the Lake District to Tierra del Fuego. You drive between glaciers, southern forests, wind-battered steppe and cliffs where penguins nest. Twelve pick-up cities are available: Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Coyhaique, Balmaceda, Ushuaia, El Calafate, Río Gallegos, Río Grande, Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes, Trelew and Puerto Madryn. Seven rental companies are present, including Ruta Sur, Andes Campers, Holiday Rent RV, Camper Travel and Motor Home Time.
Here, the scale is not European. Legs are counted in hundreds of kilometres, petrol stations are far apart, and part of the road network is gravel. The wind is a permanent companion. In return, campsites are often deserted, the scenery changes with every pass, and a motorhome gives you the freedom to stop wherever the view is best.
Alpacas adventure
Rental company category:Standard
Andes Campers
Rental company category:Standard
Camper Travel
Rental company category:Standard
Public rating of the rental company:
4.1/5
(30 reviews)
Holiday Rent RV
Rental company category:Premium
Kawascars Camper Rentals
Rental company category:Economy
Motor Home Time
Rental company category:Standard
Ruta Sur
Rental company category:Standard
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
From Coyhaique, Ruta 7 plunges into the rainforest: Lake General Carrera, marble chapels, the hanging glaciers of Puerto Río Tranquilo, then the fishing villages of Cochrane and Villa O'Higgins. The road is mostly gravel, with long narrow stretches and ferries to take for the last kilometres.
Plan for fuel at every village and do not count on mobile coverage. Balmaceda, further east near the border, suits a shorter trip, returning to Coyhaique. A one-way trip between two cities depends on the rental companies and dates.
From Punta Arenas, follow the strait to Puerto Natales, the base for Torres del Paine National Park. Inside, a gravel road links the lakes, waterfalls and viewpoints over the granite towers. Guanacos cross without warning, and gusts can push a high-sided vehicle onto the verge.
In high season, the park's pitches are booked long before departure. On the way back, take time to visit the Milodon Cave, near Puerto Natales, before returning to Punta Arenas.
On the Argentine side, start from El Calafate. The Perito Moreno Glacier lies in Los Glaciares National Park, about an hour from the town. Further north, the road to El Chaltén crosses the steppe, with the Fitz Roy massif as a backdrop.
Distances are long between petrol stations, and crosswinds are strong on this stretch. To then link up with Chile and Torres del Paine, written permission from the rental company is essential. Find out about customs formalities before booking.
Ushuaia lies at the foot of the mountains, facing the Beagle Channel. Tierra del Fuego National Park is very close, and Ruta 3 ends on the shore of Lapataia Bay. Heading north, you pass the Garibaldi Pass, Lake Fagnano, then the steppe to Río Grande, on the Atlantic.
The road is paved for most of the trip, but wind and black ice can catch you out. On the ground, distances are more reasonable than elsewhere in Patagonia. A one-way trip between Ushuaia and Río Grande depends on the rental companies.
From Bariloche, the Circuito Chico road runs along Lake Nahuel Huapi, with its pebble beaches and cypress forests. Heading north, the Seven Lakes Road reaches San Martín de los Andes through lakes lined with lenga trees. Ripio is rare, which makes this area easier for a first trip.
Allow for snow in winter, and for summer weekend crowds. The return to Bariloche is possible by the same road, or by a variant via Villa La Angostura.
This is the best time to drive. In Balmaceda, January shows a high of 22 °C, with only 16 mm of rain and up to 13.5 hours of sunshine a day. In Punta Arenas, it is cooler, with 13 °C in January and nearly 18 days of rain. Days are very long, which leaves room for the distances.
Argentine and Chilean school holidays fill the parks and campsites. In El Calafate, January brings a high of 16.5 °C and 13.7 hours of sunshine. Book the vehicle, the Torres del Paine pitches and the Carretera Austral ferries well in advance. Main roads are busier, but the tracks stay quiet.
The late season offers russet forests and fewer people, but the rain returns. In Coyhaique, March brings 128 mm of rain and a high of 16 °C. April drops to 12.5 °C. Some campsites and services close, especially on the Carretera Austral. Ask the rental company about reopening and end-of-season dates.
Winter is cold, short on light and often snowy. In Ushuaia, July shows a high of 2.6 °C and a low of -2.7 °C, with 3.5 hours of sunshine a day. In Puerto Natales, lows fall to -3.4 °C. Many gravel roads become difficult. Only certain areas, such as around Bariloche, remain suitable with an equipped vehicle.
First decide on the area: northern lakes, Carretera Austral, Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego or the Atlantic coast. A single country simplifies the trip, as it avoids border-crossing formalities.
Punta Arenas has six rental companies, Bariloche has three. Compare offers for your dates in the search, then choose the city best placed for your route.
Distances make domestic flights common. Arrive a day before picking up the vehicle, to collect your luggage and do the shopping. Remember the seasonal offset: you are travelling in the southern summer.
Fix pitches in the parks and the Carretera Austral ferries in advance. If you cross the border, ask the rental company for written permission when you book.
Allow a one-day margin before your return flight, for wind, gravel and delays. If the start and the end are in two different cities, check that the rental company accepts this one-way trip.
To go from Chile to Argentina, or the reverse, the rental company must provide written permission to cross. Without this document, customs may refuse entry. Customs formalities and the insurance required vary: find out before booking, and allow time at the border post.
Ripio means gravel tracks. They are common on the Carretera Austral and in the parks. Drive slowly, keep your distance from other vehicles because of flying stones, and check the terms of your contract. Some rental companies restrict or ban certain tracks.
Gusts on the steppe are strong enough to push a vehicle sideways. Park facing the wind, open doors with care and avoid putting out the awning. On bridges and ridges, slow down, especially in a tall motorhome.
Petrol stations are rare outside towns, notably between El Calafate and El Chaltén or on the Carretera Austral. As soon as the gauge drops to half, fill the tank, and keep a reserve of water and food. Mobile coverage disappears in many areas.
In national parks, camping is on designated pitches, sometimes to be booked. Elsewhere, overnight parking depends on the municipalities and landowners: check locally. Respect fire rules, take your rubbish with you and leave nothing out in the open.
Allow at least two weeks for one area: Carretera Austral, Torres del Paine with El Calafate, or the northern lakes. Distances are long and gravel slows you down. To link several areas, three weeks is more realistic.
It depends on the area. Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales for Torres del Paine, Coyhaique for the Carretera Austral, El Calafate for the glaciers, Ushuaia for Tierra del Fuego, Bariloche for the lakes.
The Carretera Austral is the most spectacular, but also the slowest and most remote. The Seven Lakes Road, around San Martín de los Andes, is simpler and very scenic.
It is possible in the North, around Bariloche, with a suitable vehicle. Further south, the cold, snow and short daylight greatly reduce the appeal of the trip.
Yes: guanacos, condors, foxes, rheas, Magellanic penguins and whales depending on the season. Near Puerto Madryn, the Valdés Peninsula is known for its marine mammals. Keep your distance.
Communication has been good with prompt replies to any queries we have had.
They have always responded quickly to all my requests and their website is very functional!
Fast service
Yes, but only with the rental company's written permission, to be requested before departure. Customs formalities vary by post and period. Check with the rental company and the authorities, and allow time at the border.
Often, but it depends on the rental company and dates. A one-way trip between Chile and Argentina is more complicated than a one-way trip within one country. Check the conditions when booking.
A valid driving licence is required. For a non-Spanish licence, an international permit is often recommended. Check the conditions with the rental company and the authorities of each country.
It depends on the contract. Some rental companies allow ripio on specific roads, others ban it for certain vehicles. Read the conditions before booking, especially for the parks and the Carretera Austral.
In towns and main villages. Between two localities, distances can exceed 200 km without a station. Fill up at every opportunity and keep a margin, especially on the Carretera Austral and on the steppe.
Not everywhere. Towns are covered, but many stretches of road and park have no signal at all. Download offline maps and tell someone close to you your route.
Patagonia is a region where you drive to see entire landscapes without meeting anyone. A motorhome, campervan or 4x4 lets you string together glaciers, lakes, steppe and the end of the world, with your bed in the vehicle when accommodation is scarce or too far away.
The trip takes organisation: wind, gravel, borders and fuel all need preparing for. With dates chosen in the southern summer, a well-defined area and the necessary permissions, Patagonia can be discovered at your own pace, from Chile to Argentina.
