Things to Do on Route 40 | Andes Stops Worth The Miles

Route 40 is best for salt flats, Andean passes, wine valleys, lake drives, glaciers, and Patagonia hikes.

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For things to do on Route 40, start with Argentina’s Ruta Nacional 40 as a chain of short, high-reward road trips, not one single drive to finish. The full road runs from La Quiaca near Bolivia to Cabo Vírgenes near the Strait of Magellan, so the smart move is choosing the section that matches your time, weather window, and driving confidence.

Route 40 here means Argentina’s famous Andean highway, not Interstate 40 in the United States. The route’s strongest stops cluster into four zones: the high-altitude north around Jujuy and Salta, the wine and red-rock country around Mendoza and San Juan, the Lake District around Bariloche and Esquel, and the Patagonia run toward El Chaltén and El Calafate.

What Are The Best Stops On Route 40?

Route 40’s best stops are the places where the drive gives you something rare right away: salt flats, high passes, vineyards, lakes, ancient cave art, and glacier access. Most travelers should pick one or two zones instead of trying to cover the whole road in one rushed run.

The table below gives you a practical first cut. Use it to choose the right stretch before you get pulled into a huge map.

Route 40 Activities From North To South

Route 40 activities change sharply as the road moves south from the Puna to Patagonia. Northern Argentina gives you altitude and color, Cuyo gives you wine and desert parks, and the southern sections bring lakes, forests, cave art, and ice.

Northern Argentina: Salt Flats, Canyons, Andean Passes

Northern Route 40 is the right choice if you want the wildest scenery in the shortest number of days. Salinas Grandes sits at about 11,300 feet, and Abra del Acay rises to roughly 16,050 feet, so altitude shapes the pace as much as mileage.

Base yourself in Salta or Cafayate if you want easier lodging, fuel, and food between drives. Salinas Grandes pairs naturally with Purmamarca and the Hill of Seven Colors, while Cafayate works well with Quebrada de las Flechas and the Calchaquí Valleys.

Driving note: Abra del Acay is not a casual detour. Hire a local driver or use a guided route when weather, road surface, or altitude makes the pass questionable.

Guided day trips in the north usually start from Salta, which is the most useful hub for salt flats, high passes, and Calchaquí Valley routes.

Cuyo: Wine Roads, Red Rocks, And Desert Parks

Cuyo is the easiest section of Route 40 to turn into a polished road trip. Mendoza gives you airports, rental cars, winery restaurants, and a direct path toward the Uco Valley, while San Juan and La Rioja open the door to desert parks and rock formations.

Plan Mendoza for slow days rather than box-checking. A strong day here means one wine area, a long lunch, and a sober driver or arranged transport. From there, Talampaya National Park and Ischigualasto Provincial Park make sense as a separate red-rock extension, not a same-day add-on from Mendoza city.

Mendoza is the cleanest rental base if your Route 40 plan centers on wine valleys, Uco Valley side roads, and the Cuyo stretch.

Lake District: Seven Lakes, Bariloche, Esquel

The Lake District is the most forgiving Route 40 section for first-timers. The classic drive links San Martín de los Andes, Villa La Angostura, and Bariloche through the Route of the Seven Lakes, with paved roads, frequent services, and easy overnight stops.

San Martín de los Andes feels calmer than Bariloche, while Bariloche gives you the widest choice of food, lake viewpoints, and rainy-day options. Farther south, Esquel works well for Los Alerces National Park, where forest trails and boat rides can fill a full day without needing a hard mountain hike.

Southern Patagonia: Cave Art, Hiking Towns, Glaciers

Southern Route 40 is the strongest section for hikers and big empty spaces. El Chaltén gives you free trailheads toward Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna Torre, while El Calafate is the practical base for Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park.

Cueva de las Manos belongs on the plan if you are crossing the steppe between Los Antiguos, Perito Moreno town, and El Chaltén. The cave art is UNESCO-listed and remote, so it works best as a planned stop with daylight, fuel, and lodging already sorted.

Glacier tours and boat trips run from El Calafate, which is the easiest place to arrange a Perito Moreno Glacier day without solving remote logistics yourself.

How Many Days Do You Need On Route 40?

Route 40 needs at least 7 days for one strong regional section and 3 to 5 weeks for a serious cross-country drive. A full end-to-end attempt is more about endurance and road management than seeing the best sights.

• 3 to 4 days: Drive the Route of the Seven Lakes from San Martín de los Andes to Villa La Angostura and Bariloche.
• 6 to 8 days: Build a northern loop through Salta, Cafayate, Cachi, and a salt-flat day if altitude feels manageable.
• 7 to 10 days: Use Mendoza for wineries, then add Uco Valley and one red-rock park extension.
• 10 to 14 days: Focus on Patagonia with El Calafate, El Chaltén, and a Cueva de las Manos crossing.
• 4 weeks or more: Link multiple regions, add rest days, and expect weather or road delays.

Do not measure Route 40 only by miles. Remote fuel gaps, gravel sections, wind, border-style mountain weather, and long daylight swings can make a short-looking drive consume a full day.

Driving Route 40 Without Losing A Day

Driving Route 40 works best when you treat road conditions as part of the plan, not an afterthought. Argentina’s official tourism site lists Route 40 at 5,194 kilometers across 11 provinces, and conditions can shift by province, altitude, and season.

Before each long drive, check the Argentina national road-status page, then ask your lodging host or rental desk about the next day’s specific segment. Local advice matters most on gravel roads, high passes, and Patagonian steppe stretches where wind can change the drive.

1. Start with a full tank. Fuel stops are easy near major towns and thin across remote stretches.
2. Keep daylight in reserve. Arriving after dark raises the stress level on gravel, animals, and unlit roads.
3. Carry cash and offline maps. Card machines and cell coverage can fail in small towns.
4. Slow down on ripio. Loose gravel can crack windshields and punish tires if you drive like you are on pavement.

Where To Sleep Along Route 40

Route 40 works best with overnight bases that shorten the next day’s drive and put services within reach. The safest lodging plan is not the fanciest town; it is the town that leaves you fueled, fed, and close to tomorrow’s activity.

If hiking is the center of your Patagonia plan, stay in El Chaltén rather than commuting from El Calafate for every trail day.

A Practical Route 40 Shortlist

The best Route 40 plan is the one that chooses a region and gives it enough time. Pick the north for altitude and desert color, the Lake District for easier driving, Cuyo for wine, or southern Patagonia for hiking and glaciers.

• Choose the north if you have one week: Sleep in Salta and Cafayate, then add salt flats only when altitude and road conditions look good.
• Choose Cuyo if you want comfort: Use Mendoza as the base, book transport for winery days, and add one red-rock extension if you have extra nights.
• Choose the Lake District for a first Route 40 drive: Start in San Martín de los Andes, take the Seven Lakes road slowly, and finish in Bariloche.
• Choose Patagonia if hiking is the point: Split nights between El Chaltén and El Calafate, then add Cueva de las Manos only with enough daylight and fuel margin.

Route 40 rewards a selective plan. A traveler who spends 8 days on one strong section will see more, drive safer, and enjoy the road more than a traveler trying to race across Argentina just to say the full highway is done.