You can make Mendoza to Tupungato in about 1.5 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 60 miles on RN40 and RP89, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable among the vineyards.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Mendoza
Aim to clear Mendoza before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 16 miles to Lujan de Cuyo.
The headline stop on this route is Malbec bodegas of Lujan de Cuyo. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Lujan de Cuyo, the last stretch
Lujan de Cuyo sits about 16 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Nearby, Andes views over the Uco Valley is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Rolling into Tupungato
The final 44 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Vendimia harvest festival; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Malbec bodegas of Lujan de Cuyo, Andes views over the Uco Valley and Vendimia harvest festival, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Lujan de Cuyo or the Uco Valley, Argentina is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along RN40 and RP89 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
