The complete guide on crossing from La Quiaca to Villazon.

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Argentina famed for its tango and asados, not to mention stunning natural beauty hosted me for a lovely 3 weeks. Working in between the capital, Mendoza and bits of Patagonia, I finally wound up in the northern city of Salta. The northern districts of Salta and Jujuy in Argentina are likely one of the best kept secrets of South America’s second largest country. Saddling the Chilean, Paraguay and Bolivia borders this region is unlike any other in regards to food, culture and of course landscape. Rich local flavours permeate the tortilla rellenas and sweet variations of alfajores. Music is found on every dusty corner and towns of red clay and cacti gardens at every intersection.

I was instantly smitten with this region but was also counting down the days until the next adventure: Bolivia. So with a heavy heart  after a week of criss-crossing mountains and listening to pena music, it was  time for me to head into Bolivia. 

Bolivia, the landlocked country nestled in by much bigger neighbours, is easily accessible from many towns in northern Argentina. It is home to rich indigenous culture, strange and tasty foods and some of the most striking natural beauties such as the amazon jungle and the Salt flats of Uyuni. Needless to say, I was excited to get into this often overlooked country so below is the complete guide on crossing the argentina-bolivia border.  

Where is the border:

• The border crossing is located in between the Argentinian town of La Quiaca and the Bolivian town of Villazon. It sits just before the bridge crossing the La Quiaca river that divides the two countries.  La Quiaca is one of the most northern towns in Argentina and lies about 400 km away from the city of Salta. Villazon on the Bolivian side is about 300 km away from the tourist hub of Uyuni.

How to get to La Quiaca:

• Coming from Salta:

Getting to La Quiaca is a 7-8 hr drive from Salta. Multiple companies run this route such as Balut, Panamerican and Flechabus. The schedules offered tend to have 4 departures a day. The earliest leaving around 5am and the latest around 10. 

• Check out Balut’s scheduling and current prices here. 

• Coming from Tilcara or Humahuaca:

Getting to La Quiaca from Tilcara a Humahuaca is also easy, and often a bit shorter of a journey. Taking around 3-4 hours, respectively. The bus companies that run this are Panamerican and Balut. Their schedules are best found online or in the bus station. TIckets in person can be purchased day of or day before the desired departure. 

I took the 3:30 am departure from Tilcara serviced by Panamerican for 15,200 ARS(2025). I purchased the ticket the day before and at the time of writing this is the schedule:

* Pro-tip: check the bus schedules for your ongoing journey before you book tickets so you don’t end up stranded in Villazon- I recommend getting to the border as early as possible as reports from other travellers have noted that there are often line-ups and waits. 

I arrived at the bus station in La Quiaca around 7 and the border around 7:20.

*heads-up… delays are not uncommon with some of these late night buses in the smaller town stops like Tilcara and Humuahca. In addition the bus may be overbooked and you may be told “no hay asiento”.  This is not ideal, obviously but if you want to get to the border for that time you may as well embrace having to sit on the steps  or in the aisle. 

Getting to the border:

 The bus station in La Quiaca is a 10 minute walk to the border crossing. I was advised that this is not the most ideal place to hang out at dawn or after dark. However, walking around at 7am I found it to feel desolate but not threatening. Walking directions are here.

The border crossing:

The border crossing is a simple process once in the one building that houses both Argentine and Bolivian border controls. Get to the building by following the other travellers and the signs for “peatones”.  

Inside the immigration building, you will stop first at Argentine border control. I am fairly certain that Argentina is moving away from the stamping process as my Canadian passport never received a stamp at any point. At the Bolivian desk you will be processed and receive a piece of paper with your exit information that you are required to present when departing the country. 

Exit the building and there you are. Welcome to Boliva. 

Getting out of Villazon:

• The new terminal for the buses is about a 25 minute walk away from the border. Again I was advised against doing this during the early morning and at dark. Here there was a lot more action and business but I didn’t feel threatened or unsafe. It is a border town but just be aware of your surroundings.
• You can also go and change any left over Argentinian Pesos for Bolivianos at the exchange houses on the way.

Here are the directions for the trip from the border to the terminal in Villazon.

If you are interested in taking a collectivo taxi to the station it should be around 5-7bb per person.

Where to go from Villazon:

There are lots of options from Villazon on where to go  to begin your trip in Bolivia. Below are three of the most common options:

Tarija:

A charming city to the north-west, Tarija is best known for its burgeoning wine culture, the sleepy colonial charm and the very friendly people. It is about a 7 hour bus ride from Villazon and should cost between 40-60bb (at time of writing 2025). There is to my best knowledge a 10:00 am bus and one later in the evening at 9:00 pm. That route is offered by Choroloque

• Budget stay for a longer stay in Tarija: Hostal Pata & Pero– At 70bb a night it offers a gorgeous common area, kitchen and central location to all you need in Tarijia. 

Tupizia:

 A small town to the north-east, that is known for its wild west aesthetics, dusty small town feel and nearby hikes and viewpoints. It is about a 3 hour bus ride. Prices and schedules can be checked at tickets bolivia. 

• Budget stay for a night in Tupizia: Hostal Valle Hermosa– At 45bb this was a well located and clean stay that makes a perfect one night stop. 

Uyuni:

 A small town used as the starting point for the Salt Flat tours. Often just a one-night stop before embarking on the tour, Uyuni is a bit of a trek from Villazon but is possible nonetheless. The journey takes about 9 hours and tickets, schedules and prices can be found here.

• Budget stay for a night in Uyuni: Hostal Vieli- At 40bb this was the cheapest clean bed and bath I could find for the one night I spent in Uyuni.

Whichever route you decide to take, make sure that your border crossing lines up with a bus time, as spending a night in Villazon is not necessarily the ideal way to start your trip through Bolivia.

Final Notes:

Land border crossings are often a great way to get acquainted with a new country, save on flights and get to new locations efficiently. This crossing between Argentina and Bolivia is no different and offers a seamless if a bit tiring day of travel. Looking to cross the other way? Here is an excellent article on getting from Uyuni to Salta.

Safe travels 🙂