Renting a Car in Patagonia

Car Rental

We highly recommend renting a car in Patagonia as it is so much easier than public transport. This is especially true in Chile and Torres Del Paine. We flew into Punta Arenas and did a full 2 week trip and dropped it off back here. It is quite expensive to drop off a car in another town, so this worked for us!

Crossing the Chile Argentina border with your car

Not all the rental companies allow you to cross the border. Make sure you check with your company beforehand. We used Emsa in Punta Arenas and had zero issues but there were lots of options. You can search for the cheapest and most reliable here. We like to compare Expedia and Kayak for the best deals. Kayak is usually a bit cheaper but Expedia has better rental protections. If you have a good travel credit card that doesn’t matter save that $$. If it is possible use those quotes and email and try and book directly. If your company allows you they will give you another piece of paper that allows you to clear customs. Crossing the border was big nothing and went fairly easily. No searches or hard times just have to make sure you get both sides of your paperwork stamped. It’s important to know that not all the border crossings are open all the time so make sure your route is open. Your car rental company is great for this.

Travel from Puerto Natales to El Calafate tip

When traveling between these two cities you want to take Ruta 40. Google will tell you to take the route 7 shortcut between Estancia and El Cerrito but the road is actually terrible. This is a proper 4wd road and will save you zero time. We highly recommend staying on the longer route 40 and filling up with gas in Esperanza.

Gas In El Chalten

There is only one gas station in El Chalten just outside of town. We stayed there for 4 nights total and it was only open 2 of those days. If that station is open when you drive through make sure you fill up! Cards are accepted but always have cash just in case through all of Patagonia.

Gas In Torres Del Paine Park and Patagonia

Gas in the entire Patagonia region can be a but hit or miss. If you see a gas station fill your car completely whether you need it or not. Many people run out of fuel on their Torres Del Paine driving loops so planning is required. We had a Nissan Sentra that got great mileage so we were okay for our 4 days of park driving.

The gas stations in Puerto Natales are reliable but farther north into the park area there are not many options. Many of the hotels in the Rio Serrano area will sell you 10-15 litres in an emergency but the prices are double or triple what it is in town. Most of these hotels will only take cash as well so make sure you have bills. Many people recommend bringing a jerry can with you but most rental companies (ours) will not allow it. If you plan out your route in advance you should be absolutely fine but it is something to pay attention to.

This is a similar story driving through to El Calafate and El Chalten. El Calafate is a big town and has many stations but El Chalten only has one and it does run out sometimes. The in between town of Esperanza is reliable and a great place to get a snack at the roadside cafe and fill up on your way to El Calafate.

Road Conditions In Torres Del Paine

The majority of your driving once you enter the park is on gravel roads. It is hard packed gravel and frequently graded so clearance is not required. We were absolutely fine in a small compact car but that is something to be aware of. We did almost 500km all in all and had no flats. I would make sure your rental company has set you up with a good spare tire and make sure it is pumped up and you have the tools just in case.

The drive times are going to be slightly longer and you want to be careful at night and in the rain.