Ruta 41 – This track deserves its own post!
Another border crossing was in order. This time we were preparing to leave Argentina for a significant period of time, so we did the sensible thing and stocked up on things that would cost us more in Chile – mainly beer and wine! From Los Antiguos, you can simply pop across the border, entering Chile at the town of Chile Chico. This was the plan until Pete and Barb, who had taken a different route to Los Antiguos, told us about their trip on Ruta 41! They were so taken with the drive that they were happy to do it again with us in reverse the next day .
Ruta 41 is a little known ‘track’ that hugs the border with Chile, heading south between Los Antiguos and Paso Roballos. At this point, (which is a dusty intersection), the track splits with one track going into Chile at the very remote border crossing and the other winding its way back to Ruta 40. This hundred kilometres of the Ruta 41 has some of the most spectacular scenery and unusual geological features we have seen and in other parts of the world would certainly be a major tourist attraction. We hope the photos give you a bit of an idea of what it was like.
Notes from somewhere else... 
I got my map out to check where Ruta 41 was (just putting the knife in the open wound). Did not know it was so spectacular.
When you turn north again at O’Higgins will you drive also the road that goes from the Carretera Austral to Chile Chico along the south bank of Lago General Carrera/Buenos Aires (El Maiten – Chile Chico)?
Filiep
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Hi Filiep, sorry for the delay getting back to you – sorry also about your wounds! Perhaps you will need to moderate your viewing of the blog – we don’t want you to injure yourself more! As you can see we didn’t go across the bottom of the lake but continued North around the Western side of the lake. The weather came in rainy and dark for a few days which was unfortunate but we did travel through Villa Santa Lucia, the town that was flattened by the mudslide, which you mentioned to us way back in November. Now heading up through the Lakes District – it’s getting busier! Take care
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Love those big landscapes of Ruta 41 and all your other posts. We don’t leave a reply to your every post but know that we’re watching and enjoying every one. Mac and Robyn.
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Yes Ruta 41 is definitely one to factor into your trip to South America. Extraordinary scenery for the entire 100km that we drove.
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Wow! We thought the National Park and glacier photos were stunning but these are breathtaking! What an extraordinary landscape. Keep them coming. Margie and Ian XX
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Yes, it was stunning. Taking this road was a very last minute change of direction but was a fantastic drive. The road did turn into a bit of a goat track and was quite hard on the cars but we spent a lot of time saying ‘oh wow’ so it was well worth it. Definitely one to put on your bucket list!
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Wow Amazing sceneries in the dry places from Snow peaks places in last photos, All the photos were stunning & amazing. Enjoy more & have a Safe trip .
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Thanks MaryLou. It’s great to see a message from you. The scenery is very large and we often have trouble choosing the photos. We take too many.
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Hi
I am planning again our postponed trip to Argentina and Chile next January and was looking at driving the Ruta 41 section you posted above. Please can you tell me if there was anywhere to stay enroute?
Thanks
Louise
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Hi Louise, apologies for not responding till now. I don’t know whether you have done your trip yet but I will answer just in case you are still planning (Covid19 has changed any plans!). Re: Ruta 41, the section we travelled which was south from Los Antigos on the border with Chile down to Paso Raballos had no accommodation. There is plenty of accommodation in Los Antigos and further south if you stay in Argentina (rather than crossing into Chile at Paso Roballos), there’s a small village called Lago Posadas where there is some accommodation.
This road runs south/north along the Argentina/Chilean border and is not paved. (There is another major road numbered 41 which radiates from Buenos Aires. )
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