Top 5 best scooter rentals in San Rafael

San Rafael doesn't feel like a place you're meant to explore on foot. It's spread wide across the Mendoza countryside, with the real prizes — the Atuel canyon, the wineries, the turquoise reservoirs — sitting well outside the compact centre. Twist the throttle out of Plaza San Martín and within half an hour you can be tracing the red rock walls of the Cañón del Atuel, with the river running turquoise beside the road. It's the kind of ride that turns a sightseeing checklist into an actual afternoon out.

This is scooter country. San Rafael's centre has wide, quiet streets and none of the gridlock you'd fight in Buenos Aires, and the approach roads to its main attractions run long and straight for 30 to 80 km before the terrain does anything interesting. A bicycle would wear you out before you reached the canyon; a scooter carries you there at an easy pace, with enough range to string together a reservoir, a couple of wineries and a canyon lookout in a single day — no car, no tour bus, no fixed schedule.

Top 10 things to see in San Rafael by scooter

1. Cañón del Atuel — the signature ride out of town, a scenic canyon road along turquoise water and red rock formations, roughly 35–50 km from the centre depending on the stretch.
2. Valle Grande — the gateway to the canyon circuit, with river beaches, restaurants and adventure-sport operators, and a natural turnaround point for a shorter ride.
3. Dique Los Reyunos — a striking turquoise reservoir ringed by mountains, about 35 km out, made for a scenic loop and a few photo stops.
4. Dique El Nihuil — the larger reservoir further along the Atuel circuit, roughly 80 km from town, and the classic start or end point of the full canyon route.
5. Bodega Bianchi — one of the region's landmark wineries, an easy stop just outside the city for a tasting.
6. Bodega Suter — a historic San Rafael winery close to town, ideal for combining wine tourism with a short ride.
7. Isla del Río Diamante — a riverside park right in San Rafael, good for a quick local spin, walking paths and a swim.
8. Plaza San Martín — the city's central square, where most routes out of town naturally begin.
9. The Nihuil–Valle Grande stretch — the winding section of the canyon road with the best-known lookout points over the rock formations and river.
10. Villa 25 de Mayo / Real del Padre wineries — a quieter rural stretch southeast of the city, with smaller bodegas and backroads away from the main canyon traffic.

What do you need to rent a scooter in San Rafael?

Argentina doesn't have a moped exemption, so a motorcycle licence is required even for a small scooter. Visitors normally ride on their home-country motorcycle licence carried together with an IDP and passport. Rental minimum ages tend to sit in the low twenties, though each company sets its own floor, and you'll usually need to leave a deposit, most often as a hold on your credit card.

How much does it cost to rent a scooter in San Rafael?

A basic 50–110cc scooter runs from around ARS 5,500–6,500 per day in low season up to roughly ARS 8,000–11,000 per day in high season, while a bigger 125–150cc model typically costs ARS 10,000–15,000 per day even outside peak dates.

• Prices climb in January–February and around Easter week, when domestic tourism to southern Mendoza peaks.
• They drop from May to August, outside the ski and harvest seasons, when demand is lowest.

When to book a rental scooter in San Rafael?

High season runs December through February, plus a smaller bump around Easter — book ahead if you're travelling then, since both prices and availability tighten. Low season, from May to August, is the cheapest and easiest time to find a scooter without planning far in advance.

Local traffic rules in San Rafael

Argentina drives on the right. Helmets are mandatory for riders and passengers, and it's worth simply leaving your headlight on at all times, as is required on rural routes. Urban speed limits sit around 40 km/h on streets and 60 km/h on avenues, and the safest approach to alcohol is to have none at all before riding — motorcyclists face a stricter legal limit than car drivers, and several areas apply zero tolerance.

Most of our scooter rentals in San Rafael come from operators with years of experience, and each one hands over a well-maintained vehicle, a helmet, insurance and friendly service. If you want to rent a scooter in San Rafael, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!

Types of scooters available

On our website you can rent the following types of scooters: classic scooter, Vespa, moped, motoroller, motoscooter, with a sidecar, with automatic or manual gears, three-wheeled scooters, large, maxi-scooter, touring, scooters with a windscreen and a roof, underbones, electric scooters.

Models of scooters available

On our website you can hire scooters from the following manufacturers: Adly, Aeon, Aprilia, Piaggio, Bajaj, Benelli, Beta, BMW, Derbi, Gilera, Honda, Kawasaki, Kymco, LML, Malaguti, Peugeot, PGO, Suzuki, SYM, TVS, Vespa, Yamaha.

Which insurance is provided with my rental scooter?

Usually basic third-party insurance is included in the rental price. If you wish to have more protection you can purchase additional CDW insurance, which limits your risk to the amount of your deposit. If you wish to rent a scooter without a deposit and with zero risk, you will need to add full insurance to your reservation.

Extra services available

When you make an online scooter reservation you can also order the following extra services and equipment: integral helmet, GPS navigation, intercom, unlimited mileage, top case, side cases, boots, jacket, gloves, individual guide or tour, map, full insurance, one-way rental, delivery to your hotel, delivery to your address, delivery to the arrival point of your choice.

Why use BikesBooking.com?

• Find the best deals for scooter hire;
• Compare prices of scooter rental companies;
• Read reviews of previous customers;
• Reserve a scooter online with the Best Price Guarantee!

Most of our local moped rental companies have many years of experience and will provide you with a well-kept scooter, helmet, lock, top case, GPS, insurance and friendly service. The number of companies we work with is increasing every day, so if you want to rent a scooter, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!