Easy Peasy — Reaching Cruce Andino’s Starting Points

November 30, 2018 - 2 minutes read

Whether you’re starting from the Chilean end or the Argentine side, the epic Cruce Andino circuit through the Lake District is easy to reach.

The journey crosses the Andes via three beautiful lakes connected by four overland legs through the majestic mountainous landscapes of Patagonia

Below are the best ways to reach the two points of departure:

Argentina

For travelers starting from Argentina, it’s best to fly into Buenos Aires, spend a few days exploring one of the world’s great cities, and then travel onward to San Carlos de Bariloche by air or road.

By plane

Bariloche is located just under a thousand miles from Buenos Aires. Aerolíneas Argentinas, LATAM and Andes airlines operate frequent (2 hour, 20 minute) direct flights from BA. The airport is located about nine miles from Bariloche’s city center.

By car or bus

A wide range of buses offer overnight services to/from Bariloche. You can choose between basic, half-bed, full-bed or executive-bed services. If you feel like driving yourself across the pampas, the car journey from Buenos Aires will take about 22 hours.

Chile

Travelers starting from Chile should fly into Santiago, linger in the nearby wine country or along the Valparaíso/ Viña del Mar coast for a few days, and then head south to Puerto Varas.

By plane

The closest airport is near Puerto Montt, about 18 miles from Puerto Varas. Daily (90 minute) flights are offered by LATAM, Sky or Law airlines from Santiago.

By car or bus

Puerto Varas is located approximately 630 miles from Santiago and 1,400 miles from Punta Arenas. Daily buses travel to/from Santiago and the journey lasts about 12 hours. In general, these buses depart at night and arrive in Puerto Varas in the early morning.

By boat

Navimag offers a four-day, three-night ferry cruise through the channels and fjords of northern Patagonia between Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt.

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