National Route 40 (Argentina)
Photo: Horacio_Fernandez, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
At a length of 5,224 km, and stretching the whole mainland part of the country, the Ruta Nacional 40 is the longest national highway of Argentina and a popular travel itinerary. The southern end is at the South Atlantic coast and the road goes north following the Andes. The highway crosses remote and uninhabited parts of the country but also metropolitan areas like Mendoza and San Juan. The northern end is in La Quiaca at the border to Bolivia.
As the route goes through a variety of climatic zones and landscapes, driving its full length is still a bit of a challenge, even with a 4WD vehicle. Much of the road is still not paved; moreover, you may encounter paved sections that are under construction where vehicles need to drive on a temporary gravel track next to the road (such sections can be up to 20 km long).
UnderstandRuta 40 began as a connection between the few inhabited places in the strategically important border zone with Chile. Today it is a popular travel route and is marketed as such by the Argentinian tourism authorities.
PreparePlan at least two weeks for the journey, even more if you really want to enjoy the route. If you're in a hurry, the road can be driven in 8-10 days if there are no unforeseeable incidents.
Get inThere are multiple starting points, depending on where you wish to begin the journey. In addition to the places below, Mendoza is also a good option.
GoThere are plans to extend the road along the coast to the southernmost part of the Argentinian mainland at Cabo Vírgenes, though as of early 2011 nothing had materialized yet.
Stay safeAs already mentioned, some of the sections are better driven with a vehicle suitable for off-road driving or even driving as a group of multiple vehicles.
Go nextIf you after the long journey have arrived at the Bolivian border and still are looking for more to see, take Bolivian Highway 14 to Potosí.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "National Route 40 (Argentina)" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Horacio_Fernandez, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons