Cross-border trip · Argentina to Chile
Private transfer from Salta to San Pedro de Atacama, over the Jama Pass.
We drive you from Salta to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, through Purmamarca, the Cuesta de Lipán, Salinas Grandes and the Jama Pass, on your own schedule and with your own stops. You travel in a 19-seat minibus or a 4x4 pickup with a professional driver, one way or return. We file the vehicle's international trip permit and tell you which documents each passenger needs.
The road
Salta to San Pedro, leg by leg
It is about 590 km (370 miles), paved all the way. We leave on Ruta 9 toward Jujuy and Purmamarca, climb Ruta 52 onto the high plateau and cross into Chile at Jama. On the Chilean side, Ruta 27 CH drops down to San Pedro de Atacama.
Pure driving time is close to 8 hours. In practice it is a full day: add your stops, the border check and the slower pace the altitude calls for. We leave early so the crossing happens in daylight.
| Leg | Approximate distance, altitude and what to know |
|---|---|
| Salta to Purmamarca | About 180 km on Ruta 9 through Jujuy. Purmamarca is the last sizable village before the climb, a good place for water and a break. |
| Purmamarca to Salinas Grandes and Susques | Ruta 52 climbs the Cuesta de Lipán, which tops out at about 4,170 m (13,700 ft), then crosses the Salinas Grandes salt flat at about 3,450 m (11,300 ft). Susques sits at 3,896 m (12,800 ft). |
| Susques to the Jama Pass | Open high plateau to the Jama border complex at 4,200 m (13,800 ft), about 250 km from Purmamarca. This is the stretch most exposed to wind and snow. |
| Jama to San Pedro de Atacama | About 160 km on Ruta 27 CH. The road descends some 1,700 m (5,600 ft): San Pedro is at about 2,500 m (8,200 ft). |
Distances and driving time: approximate, calculated on OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM routing engine on Oct 10, 2026. Altitudes: Visit Argentina (Lipán, Salinas Grandes, Susques), the Chilean border-crossings unit (Jama) and Chilean Customs (San Pedro de Atacama).
The border
The Jama Pass: opening hours and closures
Jama is an integrated border complex on the Argentine side, where both countries work in the same building. You exit Argentina and enter Chile in a single stop: immigration, customs and the Chilean agricultural inspection (SAG).
The two governments publish different hours, and the hours change with the season. On Oct 10, 2026, Argentina's official page listed 9:00 to 19:15 and Chile's listed 8:00 to 20:00, Chilean time. We plan the crossing in daylight with time to spare and check the hours the day before departure.
The pass closes for snow and blizzards, in winter and in summer too. In August 2026 it was closed from the 11th for snowfall, whiteout winds and sub-zero temperatures, with stretches of Ruta 27 CH impassable. There were closures in January as well, during the Altiplano summer storms. If the pass is closed on your travel day, we tell you before we leave and move the date with you.
Live status: Jama Pass on argentina.gob.ar (Border Police, National Roads and Weather Service) and the daily status of Chile's border complexes. August 2026 closure: El Tribuno de Jujuy, Aug 22, 2026. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Documents and food rules
What each passenger needs
- Most travelers from outside South America: a valid passport. Chile admits tourists for up to 90 days. Nationals of some countries need a prior authorization or visa from a Chilean consulate before the trip; the Chilean Foreign Ministry publishes the list.
- Argentine citizens: national ID card (DNI) or passport.
- Citizens of Mercosur and associated countries (for example Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador): the national ID card recognized under the Mercosur agreement, or a passport, unless their nationality needs a visa.
- On entering Chile, the Chilean police (PDI) record your stay on the Tarjeta Única Migratoria. Keep it until you leave the country.
- Minors leaving Argentina may need a travel authorization, depending on who travels with them. Argentina's immigration office explains the cases.
Chilean food rules (SAG). Chilean law requires you to declare, on a sworn form, every product of plant or animal origin you carry on you, in your luggage or in the vehicle. Fresh fruit is not allowed in, and fruit and vegetables, dairy, honey and meat, fresh or processed, are among the most closely checked items. Not declaring is fined. Our advice: carry no fresh food, and declare any food at all, even if it is packaged.
Official sources, checked Oct 10, 2026: tourist stays in Chile (Chilean National Migration Service), visas to enter Chile (Chilean Foreign Ministry), Mercosur travel documents and travel authorization for minors (Argentine immigration), and the SAG sworn declaration. Rules change: confirm yours with your consulate before you travel.
Stops and return
What you can add to the trip
This is a private transfer, so the stops are yours to choose. The ones travelers ask for most on this road are the Hill of Seven Colors in Purmamarca, the Cuesta de Lipán viewpoint, Salinas Grandes and the village of Susques. Name the ones you want when you ask for a price and we build them into the schedule.
- One way: we drop you at your lodging in San Pedro de Atacama.
- Return: we pick you up in San Pedro on the agreed date and drive you back to Salta, or to Salta or Jujuy airport.
- Combined trips: San Pedro as part of a longer route through Salta and Jujuy, or together with Bolivia, planned on request.
A note on time zones: from September to April mainland Chile is on summer time and shares Argentina's clock; the rest of the year Chile is one hour behind. We account for it when setting the crossing and pickup times.
Booking
What we need for the price and for the permit
For a price, send us the date, how many are traveling, where we pick you up, one way or return, and the stops you want. We normally reply the same business day, Argentina time.
Every trip abroad needs its own permit from the CNRT, Argentina's national transport regulator. It is filed at least 72 hours before departure and includes the passenger list, so when you confirm we ask for each traveler's full name and passport or ID number. Book at least a week ahead. The vehicle travels with its insurance extended to Chile.
- 19-seat minibuses and 4x4 pickups with a professional driver
- CNRT license No. 60284 in force
- AMT permit for passenger transport within Salta province
- Licensed travel agency
- International trip permit filed by us, for every trip
- Larger groups travel in several minibuses, with one person coordinating
- Drivers work in Spanish; English messages are answered in English
Frequently asked questions
What travelers ask before crossing to Chile
How long does Salta to San Pedro de Atacama take?
Driving time is close to 8 hours for about 590 km. With stops and the border check at Jama it is a full day, so we leave early to cross in daylight.
What happens if the Jama Pass is closed?
We check the pass the day before and again before leaving. If it is closed for snow or wind, we do not set off: we let you know and find the nearest date when the pass is open.
Will the altitude affect me?
The road goes above 4,000 m (13,000 ft) at the Cuesta de Lipán and at Jama, which sits at 4,200 m. Many people feel it. We climb steadily and stop along the way; drink water and eat light. If you have a medical condition, ask your doctor before the trip.
Can I bring food across?
The easiest choice is to carry no fresh food. Chile does not allow fresh fruit and checks vegetables, dairy, honey and meat. Any food of plant or animal origin goes on the SAG sworn declaration, and failing to declare it is fined.
Do I need a visa for Chile?
It depends on your nationality. Argentines and citizens of Mercosur and associated countries enter with their ID card. Everyone else enters with a passport, and some nationalities need a prior authorization from a Chilean consulate. Check the Chilean Foreign Ministry's visa page before you travel.
Do you publish prices?
No. The price depends on the date, the number of travelers, one way or return, and the vehicle the group needs. Send us those details and we reply with a price.
More questions about getting around Salta and Jujuy are answered on our tours and transfers page.
Who we are. Lausof SRL is a family-owned transport company based in Salta. We have carried passengers since 2010 under CNRT license No. 60284. About the company.
Related: International trips · Salta to Uyuni, Bolivia · Tours and transfers in Salta and Jujuy
Updated Oct 10, 2026. Border hours and entry rules are published by the governments of Argentina and Chile and can change.
Ready to plan the crossing?
Tell us the date, how many are traveling, where we pick you up, one way or return, and a name and contact for the booking.
English inquiries: write to contacto@lausof.com or send a WhatsApp message to +54 9 387 526-9009. We reply in English, normally the same business day (Argentina time, UTC−3). Phone calls are answered in Spanish.
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