What Is the Best Border Crossing in the World?
The border crossing from Mendoza in Argentina, to Santiago in Chile, offers stunning views of the Andes mountains
Crossing borders is never a fun experience. Particularly in South America, where, as a traveller, you are typically met with suspicion of smuggling drugs into the country.
Having travelled the length of South America, from Cartagena in the North of Colombia, to El Calafate on the southern tip of Argentina, crossing borders was always a bit of a drag.
But one of the most remarkable bus journeys I’ve been on was crossing the border from Mendoza, the wine capital of Argentina, to Santiago, the capital city of Chile.
It’s such an incredible border crossing because the Andes mountains sit between Mendoza and Santiago. As soon as you begin the journey, the scenery changes from the flat sun-kissed vineyards Mendoza is so famous for to a mountain landscape. There was nothing extraordinary about the climb up the mountain. It was the border crossing itself, where I started to become bedazzled.
Once we arrived at the border, the bus driver ground the bus to a halt, and the doors flung open. On stepping off the bus, I was blinded by sunlight as it reflected off the snow-capped mountains…
