Two weeks one way from Santiago to the island of Chiloé: Valparaíso and its funiculars, the Colchagua vineyards, then the Ruta 5 to the Lakes and Volcanoes region, Pucón, Valdivia, Puerto Varas, and the car ferry crossing to the wooden churches of Castro. It's all on tarmac, stage by stage, whereas the Atacama is better explored on day trips from a single village.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Santiago | Start |
| Days 3 to 4 | Valparaíso | 121 km · 1h30 |
| Day 5 | Santa Cruz (Colchagua) | 248 km · 3h55 |
| Day 6 | Salto del Laja | 350 km · 4h20 |
| Days 7 to 9 | Pucón | 303 km · 3h50 |
| Day 10 | Valdivia | 202 km · 3h35 |
| Days 11 to 12 | Puerto Varas | 209 km · 2h45 |
| Days 13 to 14 | Castro (Chiloé) | 194 km · 3h25 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
From November to March, the southern summer; CONAF recommends November to March for Chiloé. From May to September, heavy rain in the south, short days and parks sometimes closed by bad weather.
🚗 121 km · 1h30 of driving from Santiago
Ruta 68 through the Lo Prado and Zapata tunnels, two toll barriers, then the Casablanca wine valley.
🚗 248 km · 3h55 of driving from Valparaíso
Ruta 68 to Casablanca, coast roads via Isla Negra, then the Ruta 66, the Ruta de la Fruta (fruit route), to the Colchagua Valley.
🚗 350 km · 4h20 of driving from Santa Cruz
Route I-86 towards San Fernando, then the tolled Ruta 5 Sur, a dual carriageway. Detour through the centre of Chillán.
🚗 303 km · 3h50 of driving from Salto del Laja
Ruta 5 Sur via Collipulli and Temuco, tolls payable in cash, then route 199 via Villarrica, along the lake.
🚗 202 km · 3h35 of driving from Pucón
The lakes road via Licán Ray, Coñaripe and Panguipulli, then the Ruta 5 and route 202 towards the coast.
🚗 209 km · 2h45 of driving from Valdivia
Route 206 to Paillaco, the Ruta 5 Sur, then Frutillar and the west shore of Lake Llanquihue.
🚗 194 km · 3h25 of driving from Puerto Varas
The Ruta 5 to Pargua, a 30-minute ferry to Chacao with no booking, then Ancud and Chiloé's Ruta 5.
Fly from Santiago to Temuco and pick up the car at La Araucanía airport. Then Pucón (2 nights), Valdivia (1), Puerto Varas (2) and Castro (2), returning to Puerto Montt airport.
| One way Santiago-Puerto Montt | from ≈ €47 a day (Discover Cars, Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|
| Santiago, 2026 monthly averages | ≈ €24 (May) to €29 (July, August, November) a day |
| Small car, Santiago | from ≈ €11 a day |
| Puerto Montt, June and January | ≈ €17 and ≈ €30 a day |
| Vehicle | A city car or compact: the route is tarmacked, apart from access roads to parks such as Huerquehue (8 km of ripio). |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Santiago airport, returned at El Tepual airport in Puerto Montt. The one-way fee is built into the daily rate. |
| Chiloé and tracks | Have the contract state that the ferry to Chiloé is allowed; many rental companies forbid unpaved roads. |
| TAG | Santiago cars come with an electronic toll tag, charged on top by the rental company. |
| Insurance | The compulsory SOAP only covers personal injury. Take damage cover including the windscreen. |
| Age | 18 minimum according to Discover Cars, young driver fees under 22. |
⚠️ Thefts of rental cars and staged punctures are on the rise (France Diplomatie): with a flat tyre, stay in the car and call the rental company.
The French embassy accepts a French licence for a tourist stay; Discover Cars says rental companies require the International Driving Permit. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
As in mainland Europe. On the big avenues, expect overtaking on the right and lane changes without indicating.
30 km/h near schools at opening and closing times. More than 20 km/h over the limit: licence suspended.
Above that, driving under the influence; from 0.8 g/l, drunkenness and a two-year licence suspension.
Main toll plazas of Nueva Angostura and Quinta between Santiago and Talca; manual payment in cash only.
Bus lanes are camera-enforced in Santiago; the direction of some avenues changes with the time of day.
Required in every vehicle (CONASET). Keep your passport and the vehicle papers on board.
Check before Pucón and the Osorno volcano; tsunami risk on the coast after a strong earthquake.
≈ €1.31 per litre of petrol (1,418 pesos, 21 Sept. 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,627 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €150 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
GlobalPetrolPrices national average, converted at the ECB rate. France Diplomatie: few stations off the main roads, fill up before the parks.
| Ruta 68, Lo Prado and Zapata | 2,700 CLP (≈ €2.50) on weekdays, 4,000 CLP (≈ €3.70) from Friday 17:00 to Monday |
|---|---|
| Ruta 5, Santiago-Talca (Angostura, Quinta) | 3,800 CLP (≈ €3.50) per main barrier, 2026 |
| Ruta 5, Collipulli-Temuco | 3,600 CLP (≈ €3.35) per main barrier, 2026 |
| Side tolls (exits) | 900 to 1,100 CLP; free once within 6 to 12 hours of a paid main toll |
| Santiago urban motorways | TAG with no barriers, recharged by the rental company |
| Pargua-Chacao ferry | 19,800 to 21,500 CLP (≈ €18 to €20) per car per crossing |
| CONAF national parks | Tickets and opening hours on pasesparques.cl |
| CONAF parks in the south | Occasional closures due to bad weather or lahars, as on 23 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Huerquehue, Quinchol and San Sebastián trails | Closed until 15 December 2026 |
| Pichillancahue Glacier (Villarrica) | Trail closed from 25 July to 31 December 2026 |
| Osorno volcano road | Sometimes closed on days of very heavy rain |
| Pargua-Chacao ferry | 24 hours a day all year round, schedule depending on the weather |
| Chacao Bridge | Under construction, opening announced for the second half of 2028 |
Allow two weeks for this one-way trip from Santiago to Chiloé: 8 stages, 14 nights, about 1,800 km without the excursions. In 7 days, stick to the south by flying to Temuco. The Atacama Desert and Patagonia each need a separate trip, with a domestic flight.
Estimate for the car only: about €650 of one-way car hire (from €47 a day, Discover Cars), about €165 of petrol at September 2026 prices for 1,800 km at €1.31 a litre, about €40 for the return ferry to Chiloé, plus 2,700 to 3,800 pesos (€2.50 to €3.50) at each main toll barrier.
The French embassy in Chile states that a French licence is enough for a tourist stay. Some rental companies nevertheless require the International Driving Permit, according to Discover Cars: apply for it at least a month before departure (in France, through the ANTS, €7.25). Also keep your passport and entry stamp in the car.
Yes, on the Pargua-Chacao ferry: a 30-minute crossing, 24 hours a day, no booking, 19,800 to 21,500 pesos per car (€18 to €20). Have the contract specify that the ferry is allowed. The Chacao Bridge, under construction, will not open before the second half of 2028.
The Lakes region suits a car better: you move on almost every day, on tarmac. In the Atacama, you make day trips from San Pedro to high-altitude sites, up to 4,320 m at El Tatio, often on tracks that many rental companies forbid.
From November to March, the southern summer, the best period for Chiloé according to CONAF. In winter, the Lakes region gets heavy rain: damaged roads and parks closed as a precaution, as on 23 September 2026. January is the most expensive month to hire a car in Puerto Montt (about €30 a day).
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/chile · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
