Border Crossing - Paso Mallín de Icalma, Chile to Argentina
Crossing Date: 25 January 2024
Direction: Chile to Argentina
Altitude: 1,307m
Vehicle: UK-registered motorcycle
People: 1
Total time: 30 mins
Rating: 5/5 (speedy)
Paso Mallín de Icalma is the northernmost crossing between the Chilean and Argentinian lake districts, connecting the villages of Icalma (Chile) and Villa Pehuenia (Argentina).
The Process
The Chilean border post is located 138km from the city of Temuco, or 140km and 164km respectively from the tourist towns of Villarrica and Pucon. Access is via the S-61 highway, which is paved up until the last 20km to the Icalma village. From there the S-61 swings uphill and returns to paving for the last 4km to the border station.
First stop is the Chilean facility, which is unmissable in the middle of the road. Immigration and customs are both housed in the same building, with counters right next to each other. The first step is to exit Chile for immigration purposes with the PDI (Immigration Police). You'll need to surrender the slip of paper with the QR code which you were given when you entered Chile. The Chilean temporary import permit (TIP) is then cancelled by Customs. From there you are able to proceed to the Argentinian border post, a mere 3km or so down the road. And surprisingly for remote Argentina, the road is paved all the way on their side too.
The Argentinian facility is small, but functional. On entering the area, a border official gives you a slip of paper on which you need to collect your immigration and customs process stamps. You then park and enter the building. Both immigration and customs are located inside. Starting with immigration, you're processed into Argentina. Almost all Argentinian borders are now electronic, so they don't stamp your passport. You do, however, need the stamp on your slip of paper to show you've completed the process. The Customs counter is on the other side of the room, where the Argentinian TIP is generated on presentation of your vehicle registration paperwork. Once completed, your paper slip receives its second stamp.
You can then exit the building and bring your vehicle to the barrier. The official will take your stamped slip of paper, lift the barrier, and you're on your way. The road continues to be paved to Villa Pehuenia and beyond. There is a small YPF petrol station at Villa Pehuenia.
How it Went for Me
I rode to the border from Pucon on a lovely warm summer day. It was a pleasant ride around Lago Villarrica before hitting the quiet and nicely paved first section of the S-61. The route traverses some beautiful Chilean forests and crosses a large lavafield courtesy of a fairly recent eruption from Volcan Pichi LLaima.
The S-61 paving ends as the road starts its ascent through the Andean foothills, giving way to a moderately rough and sometimes fairly narrow gravel road. There are several small bridges to cross and plenty of corrugations, particularly on upward inclining sections. After about 20km or so, you arrive in the lakeside village of Icalma, where the road veers right and the paving starts again to the border post.
The Chilean facility was completely empty - I was the only person there. Formalities were completed in a matter of minutes and I was on my way to the Argentinian side. From previous experience, the paving usually stops at the actual border line, so I was surprised to see it continue all the way to the Argentinian border post. Not that I was complaining.
Entering the facility, I was met by a boom barrier and a friendly border official who directed me to park and enter the building. Inside there were one or two people ahead of me, but I was quickly seen and processed. It was probably all of about 15 minutes to complete the immigrations and customs procedures before I the barrier was being lifted and I was on my way.
This was my last border crossing of the trip and was by far the quickest and easiest of them all.