Routing suggestions south of Bolivia: Ride Chile or Argentina until Mendoza/Santiago?
 

Hi folks:

I'm planning my route south of Bolivia as I prepare to leave the country in a week or two. I'm trying to figure out whether I should be exiting Bolivia for Argentina or Chile. I'm interested in discussing routing until Mendoza/Santiago first, but would love suggestions farther south.

Positives I've heard about Argentina Route:
* No road tolls like Chile
* Cheaper gas
* Cool stops along the way (Cafayate, Cordoba)
* Supposedly beautiful

Negatives I've heard about the Argentina Route:
* Really heavy winds of 60-100km can happen
* Incredibly boring road
* Gravelly (maybe this is routa 40 farther south)

Positives I've heard about the Chilean route:
* You get to actually see the coast (I love the coast) at some points
* Highway is supposedly beautiful
* No wind

Negatives for Chile:
* Road tolls
* Deserty type terrain in northern Chile like the Peruvian coast (didn't love Peru coast with some exceptions like Mancora).

Would love your thoughts!

Skip back and forth between one and the other. Riding over to Chile from Uyuni is not to be missed. Also not to be missed: riding to Argentina over any of the high passes from Chile. Repeat crossings until sated, with intervals in northern Argentina cities and along Chilean coast. Try to squeeze in a winery or two while you're at it.

Mark

We have just ridden north from Santiago then via Mendoza. And can compare the two routes as we went south from Arica -> Puerto Natales 2 years ago.

Between Bolivia and Mendoza the route is *HOT*, we did not use Ruta 40 so tarmac all the way. Wind not too bad.

Fuel easy to find (except between San Juan and San Agustine ( Valle Fertil).
Cafayete worth a visit. So is Salta.

However, I'd say go to San Pedro and then cross back to Argentina.

Ruta 5 is OK in Chile, I like deserts (but this time when we return to Santiago we will try and hit the coast a bit).

Chile is toll free until La Serena.

If you are happy on gravel/ripio then yes flip between the two. If not, then don't do the San Pedro crossing, take the higher one from Oruro to Arica :-)

Sounds like there is some stuff visiting on the Argentian side... can I ask you why you might prefer the route south on the Chilean side?

Many thanks in advance!

Don't forget the Dakarstarts in a few weeks and traverses some of the area you are talking about.

Would be worthwhile to watch a stage or 2.

I will be chasing it from Lima down to Santiago as much as possible.

Better road, cooler.

Then when you hit Patagonia, brill :-)