Route Identity

Ruta 40 Epic Long Highway Road Trip

Argentina — Patagonia

🚗 car 📏 183.6 km ⛰ 1503.808 m ⚡ extreme

Overview Layer

Overview

Tackle the legendary Ruta 40 across Patagonia, Argentina. This incredible, multi-day road trip crosses the entirety of the continent, offering a truly raw and epic experience through endless steppes and desert landscapes.

Weather

Extreme longitudinal route crossing desert, steppe, and Andean climates with strong winds and low precipitation.

Seasonal Driving Conditions

🌱 spring

Weather

Windy conditions with improving temperatures and partial snowmelt in southern sections.

Road Conditions

strong winds across open plains
gradual snowmelt in Andes

☀️ summer

Weather

Best accessibility with mild Patagonia conditions and open long-distance routes.

Road Conditions

best overall road access
dry steppe conditions

🍂 autumn

Weather

Cooling temperatures with increasing wind intensity and dry steppe conditions.

Road Conditions

cooling temperatures
stable but windy conditions

❄️ winter

Weather

Cold conditions with snow in Andes sections and reduced accessibility.

Road Conditions

snow in mountain passes
limited access in southern sections

Road conditions

Very long highway sections with mixed pavement quality, gravel stretches, and remote service gaps.

Driving difficulty explained

Very high difficulty due to remoteness, wind exposure, and long unsupported distances.

Route Snapshot Layer

Route Snapshot

This is a scenic driving route in Patagonia, Argentina.

The route features moderate driving conditions.

It is classified as Hard and is best suited for general road trip travelers.

Points of Interest

Scenic viewpoints

Mirador Lago — 39 m from route (0.0 km from start)
Mirador Brazo Norte — 45 m from route (70.3 km from start)
Mirador Arauco — 21 m from route (71.2 km from start)
Mirador Inalco — 19 m from route (71.9 km from start)
Mirador Lago Espejo — 42 m from route (82.4 km from start)

Actual Driving Track (GPX-data)

Download GPX

GPS Data Layer

Measured Driving Route

Distance

183.6 km

Max Elevation

1504 m

Max Gradient

6.9%

Difficulty

extreme

This route is analyzed directly from GPX track data. It features a total distance of 183.6 km, with an elevation gain of 2255 m.

Route Structure

Type	Distance (km)	Elevation Gain (m)	Avg Gradient (%)
flat	131.03 km	1216 m	0.1%
climb	25.43 km	948 m	3.6%
descent	27.18 km	91 m	-4.3%

About this route

The Ruta 40 Epic Long Highway Road Trip is one of the most scenic driving experiences in Argentina. Located in Patagonia, this route offers a unique combination of landscapes, road conditions and natural highlights.

Stretching over 183.6 km, this drive takes approximately 4 hours.

This route is especially popular among travelers looking for road trips.

Ruta 40 Epic Long Highway Road Trip scenic driving route in Argentina

Travel Experience

The initial drive was just a shock of raw, empty space. The sky was huge, and the land seemed to stretch out forever to the horizon. It was immediately clear that this was going to be a gigantic road trip. We couldn't even spot other people for miles.

There were sections where the road was practically straight for an eternity; my eyes kept getting bored just staring at the horizon line. I kept having to remind myself to look left and right, because the nothingness could be surprisingly disorienting. We just kept driving, relying on the fuel gauge to keep us going.

We eventually hit some desert scrubland, which was breathtaking in its desolation. The sky was a sharp, vibrant blue, making the colors of the sparse plants really pop. It was a different kind of beauty—vast, raw, and slightly humbling.

I honestly lost track of time today. It's impossible to even gauge how long the drive feels across such extreme distances. We got to a tiny town that appeared out of nowhere, and it was a massive relief. Just the thought of the next few hundred kilometers felt huge.

Best time to visit

The best time to explore the Ruta 40 Epic Long Highway Road Trip is typically during spring and summer months, when weather conditions are stable and visibility is high. However, autumn offers fewer crowds and more dramatic scenery.