Drive from the sky to the bottom of the world.

Some road trips are lazy, meandering weekend jaunts—past scenic overlooks and quirky roadside attractions, through precious small towns and full of spontaneous little pit stops for donuts and antiques and pictures with giant dinosaurs... 

Argentina’s Route 40 is not that kind of road trip. 

“La Cuarenta,” as it’s known, is a beast—a white whale of a road trip that requires legitimate planning and an insatiable appetite for adventure. The payoff? The satisfaction of conquering one of the most beautiful stretches of road on the planet.

To do the whole thing means tackling 3,227 miles of highway—the equivalent of driving from New York to Los Angeles, then tacking on a trip to Seattle. It runs along the Andes mountains, from the arid town of La Quiaca on the Bolivian border all the way down to icy Cabo Vírgenes at the southern tip of South America.

Along the way, you’ll wind through volcanic lava fields, ancient forests, and shimmering salt flats. You’ll see sprawling national parks, turquoise lakes, massive glaciers, and multicolored rock formations. Whether you tackle the entire Ruta or opt for a shorter portion, this is an adventure like no other. Here’s how to make it happen, and a preview of the beauty that awaits.

Bariloche to Siete Lagos

This essential stretch of the Ruta 40 begins and ends in Bariloche—either a 119 mile there-and-back, or a 162-mile loop through Junín de los Andes—and is all about the water. One of the most beautiful places you’re likely to see on this adventure, the area’s name translates to Seven Lakes. That’s actually selling it short, as this landscape is dotted with seemingly endless bodies of water.  

From the glaciers of Mount Tronador in Nahuel Huapi National Park, the route runs through the Valdivian Jungle at Puerto Blest. Eventually you’ll get tired of pulling over and trying to photograph the incredible turquoise colors and surreal clarity of the lakes. Among them is Lago Correntoso, home to some of the best fly fishing on Earth; Lago Espejo—Mirror Lake— whose calm, transparent waters are impossibly pure; the highly isolated 21-square-mile Licar; and Mirador del Pil Pil, perhaps the most stunning viewpoint in this section of Argentina. 

A good place to stop midday for lunch is at Pistache in Villa La Angostura: It’s no exaggeration to say that their wood-fired pizzas are some of the best in Argentina. Then it’s back to Bariloche before the roads become increasingly longer. 

Bariloche to El Bolson

Pack a little extra patience: this 75-mile section of constantly winding road can be slow-going, but it’s worth it for the spectacular mountain views. At no other point on your road trip will you feel so close to the Andes.  

Bolson is the anti-Bariloche, ditching sailboats and nightclubs in favor of lazy days at the artist’s market and day hikes along the Cajon del Azul, a three-hour (one way) intermediate level hike starting from a river confluence 15 miles from town. Cajon del Azul is both the name of a canyon and of a wildly popular and commercial mountain refuge. For those who appreciate something more quiet and tranquil, keep walking just a bit more until you reach Retamal refuge or Casa de Campo.  

Finish the evening out with live music and raspberry beer back in town at the Patio Cervecero. If you aren’t careful, this town will suck you in: Suddenly you’re building your own tiny adobe house, living off the land, and popping into town every once in a while just to eat gelato from Jauja. (It happened to me. Highly recommended.) 

While here, meander over to Lago Puelo, a town whose namesake national park offers prime kayaking and swimming. After whiling the afternoon away, stop into Mavyska for a dinner of the best traditional comfort food (think lamb or trout) in Argentine Patagonia.

El Bolson to Epuyen 

While Argentina is known for its malbec from Mendoza, this region’s cooler weather helps to put out some nice pinot noir. On your way out of town, stop by Bodega de Bernardi, a quaint, small-scale vineyard. Grab as many bottles as you can, because you sure won’t be able to find these in your local supermarket back home.  

Ten minutes from Bolson is a town called El Hoyo, where you should stop to check out a waterfall: if you are lucky, you might even spot a condor nest at the top. Ten to 15 minutes from there is Epuyen, home of gorgeous Lago Epuyen. Explore the lake with Epuyen SUP, then camp for the night. Notable in the area is the Laberinto, the largest labyrinth in South America. In pre-pandemic days it was also the badass location for a cool end-of-the-summer international music festival. Hopefully, by the time your trip becomes a reality, it’ll be back in full swing.