Renting a car and driving in Argentina: Southern Patagonia and Mendoza and Salta *2019

Argentina is an expensive country to rent a car

Expensive car rental per day and rather expensive gasoline 1 USD per liter.

Gasoline 2019 / less than 1 EUR per liter
Salta , man roads ok, but smaller in bad shape. Many roads without asphalt.

Southern Patagonia:

Main roads are in excellent condition.

Police control at the end of El Calatafe town.

Crusing lights always on.

Very little car traffic.

Be aware of by the road animals.

Always fill the tank if you see a gasoline station.

Parking permitted in El Calatafe on the main road, peak hours paid.

No cellular phone coverage outside towns.

The nearest gasoline station to the airport is in El Calafate town 18 km away.

Beware of Guanacos crossing your road sign.

Renting a car and driving in San Juan and Mendoza:

Main road between two towns in bad shape, beware. A lot of traffic.

“Sanitary” toll of 30 Peso per car.

Parking price in Mendoza: first our 16 Peso, next hour 8 Peso (you can park on the main roads, there are people to collet money then put a receipt in your car) or use closed by the road parking where you have to eave your keys.

A main road from Mendoza to Chile (road number 7) is very busy with hundreds of trucks so if you can choose a weekend to travel (less traffic). Friday evening is the worst.

From Uspallata the road number 149 takes you north and the traffic drops to almost zero, but beware there is a 20 km long part of the road which is unpaved, prepare to dust and a bumpy road. Later the asphalt returns in the beginning of El Leoncito National Park. In Barreal by the salt lake there is a police checkpoint, show your documents.

The road from Mendoza, through Uspallata to San Juan is one of the most beautiful rides on the planet. Pictured above is the dry lake and snowy peaks od Andes mountains.