![]() Some 3246 miles (5224km) long, it stretches the entire length of Argentina, from Cabo Vírgenes in southeast Patagonia to the border with Bolivia. Known fondly by Argentinians as La Cuarenta (The Forty), Ruta 40 has the same legendary status in Argentina as Route 66 in the States. Start: El Calafate end: Bariloche distance: 1017 miles (1637km) allow two weeks Look out for flocks of sheep and Ruta 40 is a legendary drive through Patagonia's iconic grassland Then you can either retrace your steps or take a weekly ferry from Puerto Yungay to Puerto Natales, and adventure further in the south. A final ferry crossing from Puerto Yungay, and narrow hairpin bends of a particularly precipitous stretch of road, with glimpses of forest-clad mountains and raging glacial river below, bring you to Villa O’Higgins, a small pioneer settlement at the end of the road. Farther south, the ranching town of Cochrane is a good overnighter, and a convenient base for visiting Parque Nacional Patagonia – another Tompkins conservation project – before detouring off the main route to Caleta Tortel – a unique village with cypress boardwalks instead of streets. The southern half of the journey is even more remote, sweeping through the pioneer town of Villa Cerro Castillo, past the glacial Lago General Carrera, and through tiny Puerto Río Tranquilo – the jumping-off point for glacier hikes and boat trips to the Capilla de Mármol. Stretch your legs in Parque Nacional Queulat before following the hilly ribbon of road to Coyhaique, the largest town halfway along the Carretera Austral. The road skirts the fjord and passes high-end fly-fishing lodges before the highest section of the Carretera Austral takes you over Queulat Pass, with mist-shrouded mountains looming ahead. Passing through dense woodland, you reach the market town of La Junta, before arriving at picturesque, fjordside Puyuhuapi, famous for its hot springs. Just south is Chaitén, half buried by the volcanic eruption of 2008 but since recovered, followed by the Villa Santa Lucía crossroads town from here, you can detour to Futaleufú – Chile’s whitewater rafting capital. Start in Puerto Montt, the Lake District’s port city, take the first of four ferries, then pass through the salmon-farming town of Hornopirén, before taking two interconnecting ferries through the fjords, with a strip of land in between, to reach the southern half of Parque Nacional Pumalín Douglas Tompkins – a vast area of native forest, gifted to the state by the Tompkins philanthropists. Be prepared for inclement weather and occasional delays (landslides, having to wait for car ferries, etc). The southern section is still not paved, which makes travel more challenging. ![]() A Pinochet-commissioned project in the 1970s, the road was supposed to tame the wilderness and help settle the isolated Aysén region. The so-called "Southern Highway" is Chile’s most iconic drive that snakes south from Chile’s Lake District across a landscape of dense forest, snow-peaked mountains, volcanoes, glacial rivers, and misty fjords. Start: Puerto Montt end: Villa O’Higgins distance: 760 miles (1223km) allow 10 days Carretera Austral is Chile's most iconic drive Here are nine of the best road trips in Patagonia (and Tierra del Fuego), ranging from three hours to a couple of weeks. Also, one-way drop-off fees are hefty, so plan your journey carefully. Bear in mind that some routes cross the border between Chile and Argentina, so you’ll need special permission to cross borders from your rental company. The best time to drive around is between October and April, as during the southern winter, some side routes may be closed by snow. While a 4WD is not essential, a vehicle with high clearance is preferable – and essential on minor side routes. ![]() While the main roads between towns are mostly paved, and even Chile’s Carretera Austral and Argentina’s Ruta 40 are no longer more pothole than road, you may still have to contend with challenging driving conditions: occasional landslides, muddy sections or a bumpy "washboard". Given the region’s vastness and the remoteness of many of its most scenic roads and destinations, road-tripping is the best way to explore Patagonia, particularly if you want to journey off the beaten track. ![]()
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