The Ultimate Road Trip from El Calafate to Mendoza
If you’ve exhausted your list of activities in El Calafate but don’t want to wrap up your trip in Argentina, the wine region of Mendoza should definitely be your next destination. Though the two Argentine regions are days apart by car—one is located on the country’s southern tip and the other at its northern end—a road trip from El Calafate to Mendoza is the perfect way to get a feel for the enormity of not just Patagonia, but Argentina in general.
First stop: El Chaltén
Though you may at first feel extremely overwhelmed by the enormous distance you’re about to cover, those feelings will soon be replaced by an excitement for the journey. Your first stop is the mountain village and hiking hub of El Chaltén. Located in the Glaciers National Park, the town is overlooked by the most famous peak in all of Patagonia (and the peak that inspired the logo of the equally famous clothing company named after it)—the Fitz Roy. Anywhere you go in El Chaltén, you’ll enjoy terrific hiking trails of all levels, from short days hikes with fairly level ground to full day trips or multi-day loops in some of the world’s most stunning natural settings.
Cross into Chile’s Patagonia
Visit the Chiloé Islands and Puerto Varas
From Coyhaique, continue north towards the blustery port town of Puerto Cisnes for your penultimate boat trip. Cruise overnight on the unforgiving waters between the mainland of Chile and the Chiloé Islands and on the following morning, you’ll get to explore the rustic fishing villages scattered across the main island and visit a couple of the 16 Churches of Chiloé, which were named Unesco World Heritage Sites. Your final ferry trip will take you away from the Chiloé Islands and will be much shorter than the one that brought you there. In less than an hour, you’ll be behind the wheel again heading towards Puerto Varas, your last stop in Chile. Spend the night in this picturesque coastal village and rise early to start heading back east towards Argentina.
Cross back over into Argentina
The only backtracking you will do on this trip is completely worth it in order to visit San Carlos de Bariloche. Like a piece of the Swiss Alps in Argentina, this mountain town is nearly aesthetically perfect and will be tough to bid farewell to. However, Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, your next two destinations, are a couple of gorgeous towns that are a treat for the eyes whether it’s a crisp, sunny day, a colourful fall afternoon or a frosty morning.
At last, Mendoza
As you work your way through this rugged part of South America, you’ll start feeling your proximity to the equator, its warmth and constant sunshine. Before reaching your final stop of Mendoza, you’ll travel through San Rafael, a town located between the mountains of San Martín and the desert of Mendoza, where you can enjoy a city that is meticulously lined with sycamore trees. After this last stop, the road trip of a lifetime will come to an end in the charming city of Mendoza, Argentina’s most famous wine region. The only truly fitting way to salute this incredible journey will be to relax with a bottle of Argentina’s finest wine. Cheers!
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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