Crossing the Andes

The landscape is impressive, the journey can be an adventure, and there's a new view at every turn. Plus, people can really say they've crossed the Andes in a private car? Somehow strange, this trip is a dream come true for many out there.
The roads are in good condition and then there's the dreaded customs. Yes, we may be lucky and enter Chile in an hour or less. Or we may spend hours and hours waiting in line.

From Mendoza, the journey to Santiago is 365 km (227 miles) and is estimated to take five hours. This does not take into account traffic, photo stops, or passing through customs. The road is very direct and easy to locate. From the city of Mendoza, we continue south on Route 40 and then west on Route 7. We'll have a great time here, as long as there's no traffic. Once we head west on International Route 7, we'll appreciate some wineries along the way, such as Ruca Malen, Séptima, Caelum, among others. Almost immediately after leaving this area, we will get closer to the Andes Mountains, which have always had a huge impact on the imagination of those who picture it. The road to Chile is impressive to see and fascinating to learn about. Following this route that borders the winding course of the Mendoza River, you'll leave the countryside behind in order to enter the foothills area. The first stop will be at Potrerillos, a small mountain town with weekend residences belonging to the inhabitants of Mendoza. There's also an unbeatable view of the Potrerillos dam, which forms an impressive artificial lake. The next section of the route leads to the town of Uspallata, framed by mountainous landscapes with varied colors, full of various geological formations and many tunnels along the way. The famous movie "Seven Years in Tibet" with Brad Pitt was filmed here.

The journey continues towards several other small mountain towns: Polvaredas, Punta de Vacas, Penitentes. Here we will stop to ride the cable car at this ski resort that operates year-round taking advantage of its viewpoint, which we will reach using the cable car from the station.

Before the next stop, we will visit the family snow park Los Puquios and shortly after we will arrive at Puente del Inca, a natural bridge where the Las Cuevas River pierced through the mountains, forming this incredible natural attraction. Thermal water emerges from different areas and several heated natural pools are used by climbers as a free spa!

A few kilometers later, we will see customs on the Argentine side but we won't stop there. This is only for travelers entering Argentina from Chile. Then we will have another stop at Aconcagua Park, which has a wonderful viewpoint that will allow us to see Mount Aconcagua in all its splendor, rising to 6,962 meters (22,841 feet) above sea level. We will enter the park by walking to the dazzling Laguna Horcones. The Andes Mountains are the highest in the world outside of Asia.
Our last stop before crossing the border will be in the town of Las Cuevas, where we will stop to eat at the only small regional restaurant here; a homemade and typical mountain meal.
We will cross the border into Chile through the Cristo Redentor Tunnel. Once in Chile, we will immediately notice the mountain landscape is very different, with many more rocks.

We will go through the border control in Chile. We will need to present our passports to Customs and go through all the bureaucracy. Please note that the border crossing here is notorious for long wait times.
Then, the real descent begins at the legendary 29 curves. People love this section of the drive. ¡¿How often do we see a road like that ?!
From the top, we will see Portillo Ski Resort. It is a Swiss-style hotel with a restaurant. Lake Portillo creates a very pleasant environment, and during the off-season, the hotel is almost completely deserted.

As we get closer to Santiago, the landscape characteristics change, the climate is more humid, and the landscape much greener. In the small town of Los Andes, we can use a stop for a bathroom break or to buy a quick snack, as we will already be close to our final destination.
The private tour with our guide from Mendoza to Santiago is awe-inspiring and although sometimes the journey is long, it's always worth it... A trip never to forget!

Approximate time: From 07:00 am to 8:00 pm.

• Private transport with a/c, reclining seats, onboard mineral water, and heater.
• Service of a professional guide throughout the tour.
• Entrance to Aconcagua Park.
• All stops according to the above description: Mirador Potrerillos, Uspallata, Puente del Inca, Aconcagua Provincial Park, Laguna Horcones, Aconcagua Viewpoint, Las Cuevas, Portillo and Laguna del Inca, Mirador de los Caracoles and Los Andes (technical stop)
• Time for lunch (paid separately)
• All taxes.

• Lunch and snacks.
• Tips and any items not mentioned as included.