It was time to embark on the legendary Ruta 40, the longest route in Argentina and one of the longest in the world.  It runs parallel to the Andes Mountains, stretching over 5,000 km (3,107 mi) while going through some spectacular national parks and internationally famous sites. Ruta 40 is meant to be savored slowly since much of the southern section is still unpaved.  Rough. Bumpy. Dusty.  Still, it’s considered a “must-see” so of course we had to do it. So along we went, following the route of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Though we don’t drive a humongous RV or armored vehicle with multiple spare tires as many of the European Overlanders do, we nonetheless felt equal to the task. On this trip we only covered the Patagonian section but Ruta 40 continues north to the Bolivian Border.

Our itinerary along Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

We found the weather to be rather fickle; there was always the Patagonian wind, but many times during the day it was much hotter than we had bargained for and the clothes I had chosen for the chilly mornings suddenly became inappropriate!

Hot and desolate along Lago Cardiel, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

And before we could get too comfortable along a stretch of paved road, along came a deviation…

Another deviation? Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

The first sign of civilization was Gobernador Gregores, a sleepy outpost for weary travelers.  The town was a distance of 325 km from our starting point of El Calafate, 100 of those km being gravel and dirt.  We finally found the municipal campground called Nuestra Señora del Valle. It was free and filled with young backpackers who were enjoying the grassy terrain, barbeque pits and hot showers. Surprisingly, we had a fairly quiet night there and made certain to fill our tank before leaving. This is a must along Ruta 40 since gas stations are often few and far between and there is no guarantee that they will even have fuel at the time of your arrival.

Gobernador Gregores, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

We continued north to Bajo Caracoles, then onward through the mostly monotonous Patagonian steppe. We did spot a Patagonian flamingo and a rhea along the way but missed getting photos, much to our chagrin. Our destination was Cueva de las Manos This is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of exceptional rock art, said to have been executed 9,300 to 1,300 years ago. The site, called Cave of the Hands in English, was named for the stenciled hand paintings along the rocks. It is set in picturesque Pintura Canyon and also contains drawings of guanacos, rheas and hunting scenes. It was 32°Ç (90°F) by the time we reached the winding dirt road that led to the site. For some reason we had thought the tour would be in a cool cave, at least part of the time, but that didn’t happen. Instead, we were herded with a group of other tourists along a hot dusty trail. Each time we were stopped to hear our young exuberant guide’s spiel in rapid-fire Spanish, many of us would scramble for the little shade there was to be had. Andre and I had questions about the authenticity of this art, since much of it looked like it had been painted yesterday. Indeed, when questioned by an employee about why we had left the group early, that was our reply. Oh well, call us cynical, if you will.

Pintura Canyon, Cueva de las Manos, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Cave art, Cueva de las Manos, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

We returned along the same dusty road to the town of Perito Moreno where we stayed in their municipal campground, then left for Rio Mayo, a veritable dust bowl. It was hard to imagine life in a community where there were no paved roads and not even sidewalks on many streets. We managed to find a hotel there with a cafe and wifi, something we had not been able to find for a few days.

Rio Mayo, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Wifi was the only service available in Rio Mayo so we continued on in search of a gas station. This section of Ruta 40 is rather desolate, so it was an unexpected treat to spot an armadillo running through the steppe.

The back end of an armadillo outside of Rio Mayo, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Continuing along the dusty road, we arrived in Gobernador Costa where we found a gas station but no EuroDiesel. We just kept on trucking. The next town was Tecka which had EuroDiesel but the line was so long that we were afraid they might run out before it was our turn. Finally, we made it to Esquel, a pretty town surrounded by mountains. The city was founded by Welsh immigrants in 1865 and is home to “La Tronchita,” the Old Patagonian Express Train. It’s a narrow gauge railroad that is still in operation for tourists. Esquel is also the gateway to Los Alerces National Park, our next stop.

The Patagonian Express, Esquel, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Hiking at Lago Rivadavia, Parque Nacional Alerces, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

The park was created to protect the Alerce tree, a conifer that is native to Patagonia. Like all protected sites we had visited, the road was unpaved. This one was very narrow and it was impossible to turn off or stop in most places for a view or walk around the many beautiful lakes and mountains. We did enjoy a hike along Lake Rivadavia in the northern part of the park before leaving. The rough road continued for about 30 more km, but now the view was scenic – lakes, valleys and mountains.

View of Rivadavia Valley, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Finally, we arrived at El Bolsón, a picturesque town that has been famous since the 1970s when Argentine hippies arrived and began farming the land. We almost felt like we were back in California as we strolled through the Artisan Market, where it’s required for all items to be handcrafted. There was organic produce as well, something that is in very short supply in Argentina. Behind the market was a park, where an aging hippie was playing his guitar and lip syncing to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” We sampled some of their excellent ice cream before leaving then stopped at Aldea Suiza, a pleasant campground run by Swiss expats.

Shopping at the Artisan Market, El Bolsón, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Pink Floyd in the park, El Bolsón, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

We were now in the Lake District, a lovely area, though crowded with tourists. Our first stop was San Carlos de Bariloche, the most famous of the Lake District towns. Our first stop was the DHL office to finally pick up our temporary VISA card and then we were off to explore the city. We ate pink trout (landlocked salmon), for which the region is famous… then chocolate, another regional specialty. We had read that the Mamushka Cafe had the best chocolate treats and it didn’t disappoint!

Mirador del Nahuel Huapi, San Carlos de Bariloche, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Chocolate break, Mamuschka Cafe, San Carlos de Bariloche, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Chocolate break, Mamuschka Cafe, San Carlos de Bariloche, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Civic Center, San Carlos de Bariloche, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Typical overland vehicle at Camping Selva Negra, San Carlos de Bariloche, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

From there we drove to the town of San Martin de los Andes, another touristic stop with stunning scenery. We hiked to Mirador Bandurrias and were a bit disappointed that our view of Lake Lácar was obscured by foliage but it was still a beautiful walk. It was hot enough for a swim when we returned but the lake seemed polluted so we contented ourselves with exploring the Artisan Market and the rest of the town.

At the top of Mirador Bandurrias, San Martin de los Andes, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Playa la Islita, Lago Lácar, San Martin de los Andes, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

City center, San Martin de Los Andes, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Then we left for the spectacular Camino de los Siete Lagos (Road of the Seven Lakes).  Highlights there included wild camping on Lago Machónico and the hamlet of VillaTraful.  We could only get there by an unpaved road, but it was an experience.  Andre even caught a pink trout in Lago Traful, where 60 cypress trees are submerged.

Wild camping on Lago Machónico, Road of the Seven Lakes, Patagonia, Argentina

Ashy-headed geese, Lago Traful, Villa Traful, Road of the Seven Lakes, Patagonia, Argentina

We ended our drive on the Road of the Seven Lakes at Villa la Angostura.  It was here that we met my first cousin Mark and his wife Susan.  They live in Portland, Oregon but we hadn’t been able to connect with them when we were there in July.  Just by chance he emailed me when I was in Argentina and I learned that we would both visit the Lake District at the same time!  It was our first meeting and our lunch date was over all too soon. Then it was time for us to cross the border into Chile to meet Andre’s first cousins who live there…

A street in city center, Villa la Angostura, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Lunch with cousins Mark and Susan, Villa  la Angostura, Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina

Cerro Pantojo, extinct volcano on Argentine-Chilean border Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, Argentina

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