Round The World: Mendoza to Santiago through the Andes

For a number of weeks before I arrived in Mendoza, I kept on hearing that the pass between Argentina and Chile near Mendoza through the Andes was closed because of snow. Luckily about 2 weeks before I arrived, the backpacker network seemed to indicate that the pass was open again although it may be closed for a day or two here and there.

So I took a chance and booked a bus ticket. The pass was open! I managed to get a seat right at the front of the bus for the views through the Andes. It was stunning. My seat was before the front bus wheel. The pass had about 32 U shaped corners winding like a snake through the snow down a steep slope. Each time we turned, I basically went over the mountain edge and held my breath!

The border was interesting too. We got led through it by our bus driver (who couldn’t speak English). After the International tunnel, the valley opened out to a warehouse structure in the middle of a snowy valley which was in the middle of nowhere. Our passports went through the appropriate checks and our baggage was scanned for fruit and veggies. The boarder into Chile is notoriously strict. So I declared a couple of items like tea and salt and spices. The guy checking my bags was rather excited to practice his broken English.

The mountains were stark with snow and rock garnishing the steep slopes and every now and again a view stretching down a valley. There were still a number of ski slopes functioning which was good fun watching.

My favourite ski slope was after the boarder where a skier was coming slalom down a slope with a dog careening down in a cloud of snow after its owner. The slope went over the road supported by a tunnel and when the bus came out I spotted dog and owner on one of those tiny 2 man T bar ski-lifts heading back up the slope.

The 6 hour journey went really fast and was wonderful.