Even though Argentina has plenty of roads to discover and drive through, there are some icons that are candidates for the best road trips in Argentina. Let’s have a look at some of the most legendary ones:
Ruta 40: from Patagonia to the North
This is probably the most iconic road in Argentina. It lies mostly parallel to the Andes, passing by 21 National Parks and an incredible variety of natural scenery in different latitudes. Moreover, it has several detours (through provincial roads) that lead to incredible places such as The Glacier Perito Moreno, El Chalten, Payunia, and the High Plateau.
It’s 5194 km long, it starts in Cabo Virgenes (Santa Cruz province, in the Atlantic front, with beautiful penguin rookery) and it finishes in La Quiaca (Jujuy province). Most of the circuit is paved, even though there still are some parts of rubble. For more information about Ruta 40, please click on our Ruta 40 Argentina Road Trip.
Ruta 7: from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and Chile
This route crosses Argentina from east to west, at the latitude of Buenos Aires (central area).
It starts in Buenos Aires and after 1220 km ends in Mendoza, crossing parts of the provinces of Santa Fe, Cordoba, and San Luis. Most of its itinerary is flat, except the last part, which is incredible.
This last part is known as the “high mountain circuit”, and is one of the most picturesque border crossings to Chile. The main highlight here is the Aconcagua Mount (the highest mount on the American continent).
If you’re keen on connecting Mendoza with Patagonia, we invite you to explore our Mendoza to Bariloche self-drive tour. Furthermore, you can connect Mendoza with the Northern Region, through Talampaya, Moon Valley, Salta and Jujuy.
Ruta 9: Córdoba & Northwest of Argentina
Like many other ones, this route starts in Buenos Aires, but it leads to the Northwest of Argentina.
It’s 1967 km and passes by highlights such as Rosario, Cordoba, Tucuman, the Calchaquies Valleys, Salta, and the Humahuaca’s Gorge. An amazing trip, and many people combine it with Ruta 40 (in the northern part).
One of our best self-drive tours in Northern Argentina, is Salta-Jujuy road trip (click to see).
Ruta 3: Atlantic Patagonia and End of the World!
This route runs parallel to the 40, but on the Atlantic side of Patagonia. It’s more than 3000 km long, and the fastest way to reach the very South of Argentina.
The most iconic destinations along Ruta 3 are Puerto Madryn and Ushuaia (among other incredible places, where the ocean wildlife, the steppe, and the endless sky are the protagonists). Same as Ruta 40, several detours can be done from this tour, for example Peninsula Valdes, Puerto Deseado, Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego, Cape San Pablo, Provincial Route 1 (Bahia Bustamante & Punta Tombo) etc..
It starts in Buenos Aires, and it finishes in Lapataia Bay, being the main way to cross Tierra del Fuego until the end of the world!
In our Atlantic Patagonia Road Trip, and El Calafate to Ushuaia we include parts of this road.
Rutas 12 & 14: Litoral of Argentina and Iguazu Falls
These routes run across the litoral of Argentina. Route 12 is 1560 KM long, lies on the side of the Parana River, and reaches Puerto Iguazu (Iguazu Falls). On the way, it crosses the provinces of Entre Ríos, Corrientes, and Misiones.
Route 14 is 1127 km and runs next to the Uruguay River (natural border with Uruguay). It passes by great spring-water destinations.
To reach these routes from Buenos Aires, you will cross two spectacular hanging bridges! Other highlights of the litoral are the Ibera Wetlands and the Jesuitic Ruins.
Other circuits among the best road trips in Argentina
- Ruta 41: paralel to Ruta 40, near Cueva de las Manos and in the border with Chile. It combines landscapes of the steppe with the Ecotono.
- Ruta del Desierto (from Buenos Aires to Bariloche).
- Roads that connect the High Plateau (Puna) in the provinces of La Rioja, Catamarca, Salta and Jujuy. This epic ecosystem includes attractions such as Tolar Grande, Campo de Piedra Pomez, Volcancito de Troya, etc..
- Road to Iruya and road to El Hornocal.
- Road from Trelew to Esquel, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes. An incredible itinerary, as you can see in our Puerto Madryn to Bariloche self-drive tour.
- “Altas Cumbres” in Córdoba.
- Ruta 1, Chubut: parallel to ruta 3, next to the Atlantic Ocean, combines incredible destinations for Ocean Wildlife such as Bahia Bustamante and Punta Tombo.
Custom tours in Argentina and Chile
We’re a local travel agency based in Buenos Aires that offers custom tours in Argentina and Chile, and we would love to help you plan your next journey to Argentina. Either a road trip or another kind of trip, we’ll do our best in order to match your wishes and preferences. As a kick off, we invite you to explore our following tours:
Patagonia Road Trips (Argentina and Chile)
Patagonia Tours (Argentina and Chile)
