driving from Bs As to Santiago (Valparaiso) in late October

Hola,

Going to Argentina/Chile in October/November (first time) and we need some advice.

Can anyone tell me if it is doable/feasible to rent a car in Buenos Aires to take us to Santiago/Valparaiso? We have 4-5 days and want to make stops in Mendoza and Cordoba. We will go back, and may select a different route.

I've heard something about possible snow in a pass, where does one get this information before even renting the car? and is it safe to drive the distance by ourselves? I read some not so charming stories about Mendoza, and having your packs stolen. Wonder if this applies, if we put our stuff in the trunk of the car?

Or is it safer to do the journey by bus rides?

Our overall plan is to cover Bs As - Santiago, Santiago-Lima, Lima-Bs As, and possibly by air, but personally, I'd like to see some of the places from 6-8 feet above the earth, rather than from 33000 feet.

Your hels is deeply appreciated.

Renting a car to take across a border is much more complicated and expensive. I know renting in Chile to go to Argentina is quite possible, I expect the reverse is also possible and I am sure Jorge will let us know.

The road is safe and the high risk time for snow across the Andes between Mendoza and Los Andes Chile is May through September. Anytime of year is possible to get snow, though you should be OK in November. Conditions can change quickly so when you rent in BA all you could find out is if the pass is open and what the present weather forecast was.

But your post says first you will go back, ie Santiago-BA, then you say you want to go on Santiago to Lima. Which is it? Forget about one way rentals, especially across a border. they are ridiculously expensive if not impossible. And a rental into Peru is a whole different story.

Four to five days time is reasonable, though a bit tight, one way with stops but not reasonable for a two way trip. So I guess you hadnt planned to return the rental where you got it.

Your question about backpacks and Mendoza indicate you are not an experienced traveller. If you have a car you need to take precautions whenever you park, especially when you have all your stuff on board. It will limit where you can stay easily as you need secure parking. There are exceptions, Patagonia is pretty relaxed and many areas of rural Chile, but as a general rule you need to take precautions.

All in all, though I personally am a big fan of having my own set of wheels, I think that taking busses is the way to go for you and when you cant stand another 14 hours across a desert, take a flight.

Renting a car is expensive. It is better to fly or take buses for long distance trips and rent a car locally. Buenos Aires-Mendoza by bus takes 14 hours. Mendoza-Santiago takes 7 hours. Buenos Aires-Lima takes 72 hours.

Previous reports:

Normally, buses are the way to go. International flights in South America are expensive and trains are very few and far between, so most people on a longer trip use mainly buses. Especially in Argentina and Chile, these are excellent value for money ( think airline business class ) and go everywhere.

I would have to say that my 20-hour trip from Buenos Aires to Bariloche with the company Via Bariloche may have been the best night sleep I got in my entire 14-month trip in South America. I know they do the Buenos Aires to Iguazu route as well, I would recommend them 100%, it was true luxury for me, champagne, whiskey, wine, great food, movies and such, I loved it. They do provide pillows and a blanket, and the air con is strong, not Brazil strong, but strong enough that you will want the blanket for the night.

I travelled in South America last year and the bus company that we used all the time in Argentina because of their high standards was Andesmar. The seats were comfortable and you should go for "cama total" as yes, it is the closet you will get to lying almost flat! They like to entertain their passengers on longer journeys with good old Bingo...in Spanish of course so you get a Spanish lesson while travelling! They gave us food, blankets and pilllows.

I would opt for Crucero del Norte. We took their bus from Buenos Aires to Iguazu earlier this year ( 2006 ) and it was great. We used them on other routes and it was consistently good. If I remember right, their top service is called "cama suite" (seats and foot rest fold down to a bed). Different companies may have different names for this type of service (ie. cama suite, cama total, ejecutivo), so it is always best to confirm exactly what you are getting when buying your tickets. If you buy your tickets at Retiro bus station in Buenos Aires, the bus companies generally have photos showing their top of the line service.

* If you are booking at the Buenos Aires Bus terminal, there are a number of companies there offering executive service with full cama. We went both ways by Crucero del Norte with no problem but we could not advise if they were any better than the rest. Might I suggest you book one way with one and the return with another, that way you could advise us if one was better than the other. ( Just a hint, as the buses travel at night, try to avoid the very front seats as the glare of on-coming headlights can be annoying when trying to sleep).

See post number 3

Jorge Daniel Barchi.
Buenos Aires.

Fully agree with #1. The drive from BA to Mendoza is a long drive and very boring. There are very good sleeper buses, much cheaper and more comfortable than renting a car for that stretch. Better hire a car locally in Mendoza and explore the surroundings there, Going from Santiago to Lima all along the coast is a very very long stretch and again, quite boring. I would cross into Bolivia or Argentina and do some part of this long travel on the other side.

Thanks for your advice. Yep, I realize that my post was a bit muddled up, sorry about that. I'll try to clarify:

We will fly from Europe to Buenos Aires (and back), and we will also visit Santiago/Valparaiso and Lima in Peru. How we plan the trip depends on whether routes are best covered by car, bus, plane. One thing is set, we're flying in to BA from Europe, and we're flying out of BA on the way back.

So one option would be to rent a car in BA, drive across to Santiago/Valparaiso and back - going west via Cordoba/Mendoza - and stay a week and then drive back east by a more southern route to BA.

Back in BA, then fly up to Lima and back, as I sure understand that this is not possible to drive there (it was never my plan, no matter how inexperienced I may seem to be ;-)

So in essence, my question is really whether it is worth it to go by rental car or by bus, which is safer, which is the better experience. It is, of course, also an option to do the BA-Santiago-BA by air, but I should so like to see and experience the area rather than simply fly over it.

I will explore the bus alternative a bit closer...

Thanks :-)

Hello, just thought I would chime in. My wife and I have just returned to Santiago after six weeks travelling through Chile and Argentina. I would highly recommend taking a bus, if not soley for the simplicity. The bus system in SA is excellent and super cheap. We took a twenty hour bus ride from Bariloche to BA in the Tutto Letto(full bed) class and it was $70/person. Renting a car is going to be expensive and parking is never easy here. We rented a car for a few days to drive to Vina and back and parking is a nightmare, at least compared to what I'm used to in the States. I would rather just take a bus and then taxis from there. Just my opinion but I would strongly suggest you just take the buses and save the stress and money that comes with renting a car.

Hi!!!

The Option Bs - SCL/VALPO Bs will be good!!!
We would strongly suggest you just take the buses and save the stress and money that comes with renting a car we are agree with that...when you get to Valparaíso, you can rent a car maybe for two days visiting Casa Blanca Valley/Wineries/Isla Negra/ Con Con Seafood city/Exploring the Top of the Hills in Valparaíso. We`d like to recommend you La Nona B&B is a fantastic place to stay in Valparaiso. Rene is a Valpo local and is extremely helpful in suggesting places to go, see, eat, drink. He´s also travelled extensively in Chile so can help with onward travel ideas. He goes out of his way to make sure that you have an enjoyable stay. This isn´t a hostel, it’s a home. If you’re looking for delicious breakfasts with fresh fruit and real coffee, hot showers, a decent sized room with made-up double beds with views of the city, while staying in a cool residential part of Valpo with loads of restaurants and cafes nearby, at incredibly reasonable prices then this is the place. Try www.bblanona.com / info@bblanona.com / tel:56322495706

Beers & Coffee
Good luck Susana