Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · Chile

Paso Los Libertadores (The 29 Switchbacks / Caracoles)

Chile · Ruta 60 (Chile) / Ruta 7 (Argentina)

The ultimate trans-Andean international pass linking Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina. The Chilean ascent features 'Los Caracoles'—a world-famous set of 29 numbered, un-barricaded hairpins stacked vertically up a sheer Andean cliff like a folded ribbon. Crests at the international Cristo Redentor tunnel at 10,500 feet under the shadow of Mount Aconcagua (22,837 ft, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere).

Paso Los Libertadores (The 29 Switchbacks / Caracoles) runs 75 miles between Los Andes, Valparaíso, Chile and Uspallata / Mendoza Gateway, Argentina. We count about 210 corners along it, which is flowing rather than tight. A hard road that rewards experience and punishes bravado.

Tank-bag quick reference

• StartLos Andes, Valparaíso, Chile-32.8339, -70.5983
• High2,700 ft - 10,498 ft (Cristo Redentor Tunnel 3,200m)elevation range
• EndUspallata / Mendoza Gateway, Argentina-32.5936, -69.3497

T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.

More in Chile

• Carretera Austral (Ruta 7 Northern Fjord Sector)145 mi · 310 corners

Questions riders ask

How long does Paso Los Libertadores (The 29 Switchbacks / Caracoles) take to ride?

About 75 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 2 hours of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.

Where does Paso Los Libertadores (The 29 Switchbacks / Caracoles) start and end?

It runs between Los Andes, Valparaíso, Chile and Uspallata / Mendoza Gateway, Argentina. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.

Is Paso Los Libertadores (The 29 Switchbacks / Caracoles) a twisty road?

We count about 210 corners across 75 miles, which is flowing rather than tight.

Is there a GPX file for Paso Los Libertadores (The 29 Switchbacks / Caracoles)?

Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.

Where these numbers come from

Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.