carretera austral sur tour

Be amazed by the remote region of Aysen!

ATTRACTIONS

suggested Trips

Amazing Adventures in Aysen

The Chelenko Experience

Route of the Parks in Aysen

Come and discover the world of Aysen Journeys through our blog. Here we will tell you about stories, destinations to discover, news and advice, so that your next trip along Carretera Austral is a more informed and entertaining experience. Every week or two you can read our most recent publications here. Don't forget to comment, like and share if you like the content! Would you like us to write about a travel log or any particular destination information? You can leave us your questions and comments at [email protected]

Conoce los tipos de bosque en Aysén

How do the Ayseninos prepare for a long and harsh winter?

Discover the flavors of the Carretera Austral

Nuestros partners.

Gran Patagonia

Tour operador oficial de la carretera austral y patagonia sur, sustentabilidad, compromiso social, nuestros destinos principales.

• Carretera Austral

Capillas de Mármol

Laguna san rafael, aventuras destacadas, experiencias más solicitadas, navegación a la laguna san rafael desde puerto chacabuco  , navegación a la laguna san rafael desde puerto tranquilo  , capillas de mármol en kayak  .

Nuestro Recorrido

Somos parte de

Somos una empresa que busca la innovación en su oferta turística, la generación de productos turísticos sustentables, con participación y beneficios para las comunidades locales.

• Experiencias
• Capillas de mármol
• Torres del Paine
• [email protected]

Travel the Carretera Austral, the essential guide

In this complete guide to travel the Carretera Austral you will find information to travel the scenic Chile’s Southern Highway, one of the most beautiful in the world.

The Carretera Austral starts in the city of Puerto Montt , crosses scenic landscapes between lakes and mountains, culminating after 1230 km in the town of Villa O’Higgins . Let’s describe it in this complete guide.

Table of Contents

Getting to some of the starting points of the Carretera Austral

There are several alternatives to travel the Carretera Austral . Taking into account that normally the starting point is from the city of Puerto Montt in the north or from the region of Aysen in the extreme south.

– Arriving at one of the starting points by plane

• Getting to Puerto Montt : It is possible to get to Puerto Montt, the starting point for visiting the Carretera Austral in the north, on a flight from Santiago de Chile, Punta Arenas or Balmaceda. There are regular flights every day.

✈️ Check here for cheap flights to Puerto Montt .

• Getting to Balmaceda : The airport is located on the southern part of the Carretera Austral, very close to the border with Argentina and 57 kilometers from the town of Coyhaique. There are direct flights from Puerto Montt or Santiago de Chile.

– Can it be done by bus?

Visiting the Carretera Austral by bus is not impossible . You just have to take into account the infrequency of public transport . In addition, you often have to make several combinations to get from one place to another. If you arrive in Chile via Santiago, the best way is to get to Puerto Montt by bus or plane and from there rent a car.

– Visiting the Carretera Austral in your own or rented car

It is clear that the best option to travel the entire Carretera Austral and stop to enjoy the landscapes is either in your own car or a rental car.

It must be taken into account that the route is cut in three sections due to the accidents of the terrain.So you have to do part of this route aboard a ferry. The three navigable stretches are:

• Caleta La Arena to Caleta Puelche : 45 minutes of navigation.
• Hornopirén to Leptepu : 4 hours of navigation.
• Fiordo Largo to Caleta Gonzalo : 45 minutes of navigation.

🚗 See here the prices of rental cars in Puerto Montt .

– Doing the Carretera Austral by ferry

If you are going to travel the Carretera Austral, there are options to a rrive by ferry to different points . And by the way, you can see the fjords and the entire coast of southern Chile:

• Route from Puerto Montt to Chaitén or to Puerto Chacabuco : in the first case, it is about 10 hours of navigation and in the second, it is a day of navigation.

🚢 Check the route from Puerto Montt to Chaitén with Naviera Austral (in Spanish). 🚢 Check the route from Puerto Montt to Puerto Chacabuco with Navimag .

• Route from Quellón in Chiloé : if you are on the island of Chiloé there are several ferries that connect Quellón with different ports of the Carretera Austral such as Chaitén, Puerto Cisnes or Puerto Chacabuco.

Check the route from Chiloé with Naviera Austral (in Spanish).

• Route from Puerto Natales : it is possible to travel by ferry through the Ice Fields region from Puerto Natales , passing through Puerto Eden and arriving at Puerto Yungay.

🚢 Check the route from Puerto Natales with Transbordadora Austral .

So, what is the best option?

As we have already commented before, the best way to visit the Carretera Austral is to do it by own or rental car , unless you want to visit only a section or navigate. Public transportation between cities is limited and there is no service every day.

Keep in mind that if you visit the Carretera Austral by car, the further south you go the greater the distance between towns, although fortunately gas stations are no longer a problem as you can fill up in most of the towns along the Carretera Austral (Hornopiren, Chaitén, Futaleufú, Palena, La Junta, Puyuhuapi, Puerto Cisnes, Puerto Aysén, Puerto Chacabuco, Villa Maniguales, Coyhaique, Puerto Río Tranquilo, Villa Cerro Castillo and Chile Chico). La Junta, Puyuhuapi, Puerto Cisnes, Puerto Aysén, Puerto Chacabuco, Villa Maniguales, Coyhaique, Puerto Río Tranquilo, Villa Cerro Castillo and Chile Chico, Cochrane, Tortel). However, many sections of the Carretera Austral are still gravel roads , although they are gradually being paved.

Along the Carretera Austral, there are several border crossings with Argentina . These are: Futaleufú in Chile with Esquel and Trevelin, Chile Chico with Los Antiguos and Balmaceda with Estancia Valle Huermules.

Are there ATMs to withdraw money?

Yes, fortunately many of the cities and towns on the Carretera Austral have ATMs for withdrawing money. Puerto Montt, being the largest city, has the most ATMs. But places like Puerto Río Tranquilo, Coyahique, Puerto Cisnes, Chile Chico, Chaitén and Puerto Aysén also have ATMs for cash withdrawals.

You can pay by card in many gas stations and shops , but keep in mind that in remote places the connection is often unstable and therefore sometimes you can’t pay by card even if the shop has a device to do so.

Do you need to carry enough cash to do the Carretera Austral? Our advice is not to skimp on this . If you stop at a petrol station to fill up and the system fails, you will have to pay in cash. The same goes for shopping or eating in a restaurant. The advantage is that you can pay for items such as hotels and excursions in advance by credit card.

Best time to travel the Carretera Austral

The best time to visit the Southern Highway is during the summer , late spring and early fall (from November to April) when the weather is pleasant during the afternoon. In addition, the length of the day, in terms of sunlight, is long. As the route is so vast, the further south you go the weather will tend to be colder, so it is recommended to bring warm clothes , even if the visit is in summer.

There are certain places where the visit should be done outside the summer season. This is the case of the Marble Chapel (Capillas de Marmol). During this time of year the lake water rises considerably due to thaws and it is not possible to go into the caves.

In the southern part of the Carretera Austral, the frequency of rains is constant , so it is recommended to bring a raincoat. It can even snow in summer.

From May to September the weather is very col d and, added to the fact that most of the activities are outdoors, it is difficult to visit the sites.

Accomodation in Southern Highway

🏨 Check here where to stau in Carretera Austral and get your ideal accommodation.

Must-see sights and attractions in Carretera Austral

• Top 5 things to do in Carretera Austral
• Other attractions to visit in Carretera Austral

Activities to do in Carretera Austral

• Take a break at the hot springs
• Mountain biking
• Navigation through channels

Comparte esta entrada:

The Carretera Austral: How to Plan Patagonia’s Most Magnificent Road Trip

By Author Steph Dyson

Posted on Last updated: 18th January 2024

Chile doesn’t always make it to the top of traveler’s itineraries. Travel costs and a more European culture compared with other South American countries have diminished its appeal.

But those who give it a chance learn something that the thriftier travelers don’t: Chile is stunning . And the best place? Patagonia’s Carretera Austral. 

The Carretera Austral road trip: a true Patagonian adventure

When I first arrived in Patagonia back in March 2016, it was in the back of a purpose-built overlanding truck.

Little did I know that this was the start of a love affair that would see me spending the next three years visiting the length and breadth of Chile . Its diverse natural beauty and welcoming culture saw me falling head over my walking boots in love.

Before I got to Patagonia, I had been struck by the adventurous possibilities of the vast deserts and salt flats of the Atacama Desert in the north  and the vineyards and snow-topped mountains crisscrossed with ski runs that surround Santiago .

But then I stumbled upon the Carretera Austral.

Click to navigate this article:

Why I love Chilean Patagonia’s Carretera Austral

I’ve since returned practically every year to explore even further and deeper into what is northern Chilean Patagonia’s only highway.

I’ve taken almost all of the ferries that you can to get here. I’ve travelled by bus and car; I’ve hitchhiked and even gone on foot along stretches of this famed highway.

I’ve trekked into the rugged depths of its various national parks, climbed to lofty viewpoints above sweeping landscapes of lush temperate rainforests, sat in the spray of powerful waterfalls and stood in awe beneath egg-blue glaciers that seem to tumble from cliffsides as you watch.

For me, the Carretera Austral is the pinnacle of why Patagonia holds its travellers in an indescribable awe. It beats the allure of Torres del Paine National Park in the south and is packed with enough glaciers and pristine lakes to give the Perito Moreno glacier and Parque Nacional Los Glaciares in Argentina a run for their money. It’s one of my favorite places – and contains some of the best destinations to visit in Patagonia (and Chile in general!).

What you can expect to discover here are endless opportunities for camping and trekking, appreciating nature at its most remote and untouched and being fortunate enough to experience Patagonia’s – and perhaps South America’s – most incredible road trip.

What, and where is the Carretera Austral?

The Carretera Austral (which means “Southern Highway”) refers to the 1,240-kilometer (770-mile) road that runs from Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins all the way through northern Chilean Patagonia.

Also known as Ruta 7 (“Route 7”) or the “Ruta Austral” (the “Southern Route”), this road connects its northernmost point, Puerto Montt (in the Chilean Lakes District), and its southernmost point, Villa O’Higgins (in the Aysén region).

It spans a territory that is divided from Argentina in the east by the Andes Mountains and bookended in the west with the narrow channels and fjords of the Pacific Ocean.

What makes it so captivating a destination to visit is the fact that the Carretera Austral remains the only road connecting Puerto Montt and the deep, remote regions of Northern Patagonia.

This region is among the least inhabited in Chile , with – on average – fewer than one person per square kilometer living here.

What you’ll quickly realise is that this lack of habitation is evidenced in other ways: namely through the state of the road.

Don’t be fooled: the name The Southern Highway disguises the fact that the Carretera Austral remains a work in progress, with vast tracts of the road still unpaved.

And why is it so famous?

It’s partly because of its poor state that the Carretera Austral has reached such elevated status in travellers’ imaginations. Unpaved, pot holed and impassable due to the elements: all of these are qualities have helped secure the Carretera Austral as one of South America’s most remote – and therefore most beguiling – road trips.

Another feature of the road’s infamy is the fact that it was one of the main infrastructure legacies of the Pinochet dictatorship (which also killed and “disappeared” over 40,000 people).

Prior to the 1980s, this part of Patagonia was practically unconnected from outside civilisation, with no roads linking the majority of the settlements that were beginning to grow.

Construction of the road took twenty years and locals still refer to it as “Pinochet’s Highway”. You can even find a monument to the dictator in La Junta.

The Carretera Austral is also part of the brand new Ruta de los Parques , an initiative stretching 2,735 kilometres from Puerto Montt to the very tip of Patagonia at Cape Horn that aims to join up 17 Chilean national parks.

Although international press has reported it as such , this is not a contiguous hiking route. Instead, the Route of the Parks is a marketing exercise to showcase the wealth of nature that Chilean Patagonia contains.

Planning Your Trip to Patagonia?

Save time, stress & money with a customized travel itinerary planned for you by a Patagonia expert

If you want to explore it, the Carretera Austral is an excellent place to start: 10 of the 17 national parks are located here and the majority are accessible by car or bus with day and multi-day hikes awaiting.

Know-before-you-go facts about the Carretera Austral

• How long is the Carretera Austral? It’s 1,240km (770-miles).
• How long does it take to drive from Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins? Between 29-35 hours, depending on road works.
• What are the main towns along the Carretera Austral? Chaitén, Puerto Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile Chico, Cochrane.
• Where are supermarkets located? Coyhaique (UNIMARC).
• Where are ATMs located along the Carretera Austral? Chaitén, Futaleufú, Coyhaique, Chile Chico, Cochrane, Villa Cerro Castillo.
• Where are gas stations located? Hornopirén, Chaitén, Futaleufú, La Junta, Puyuhuapi (diesel only), Puerto Cisnes, Mañihuales, Puerto Aysén, Puerto Chacabuco, Coyhaique, Puerto Río Tranquilo, Chile Chico, Cochrane, Villa O’Higgins, Villa Cerro Castillo.
• Where can I rent camping equipment? Coyhaique ( Rent a Tent Chile ).

Listen to me talking about the Carretera Austral

In September 2020, I joined Chris from The Amateur Traveler discussing my favourite itineraries and destinations along the Carretera Austral. You can listen to the episode here:

How to explore the Carretera Austral: a Patagonian road trip, bus-to-bus or hitchhiking

The Carretera Austral is the perfect place for a journey and there are plenty of different ways to approach this road.

For those with larger budgets, a rental car is the ideal means; for those on smaller budgets, buses can help you hop between the different towns. Hitchhiking – if you’ve got plenty of time and patience – is another rewarding choice.

You can get plenty more information in my guide to car hire for the Carretera Austral and Patagonia .

Where to hire a rental car in Patagonia

As a prime spot for a Patagonia road trip, the Carretera Austral is approached by many via car, as you can traverse the whole route at a leisurely pace and enjoy its various ferry crossings.

In the north: Aeropuerto Internaciónal El Tepual , the airport just outside of Puerto Montt , has some of the cheapest car rentals I’ve found in Chile, with rental rates starting from $30,500 CLP ($37 USD) per day. You can book through Rental Cars , a comparison and booking site I’ve used on numerous occasions, however, some of the companies do not allow you to drive on the Carretera Austral or take ferries with your vehicle. Therefore, either check the terms and conditions of the booking thoroughly or book through Econorent , who definitely do allow you to take a vehicle on the Carretera Austral.

Along the Carretera Austral: Another option is from Aerodromo Balmaceda. Prices are much higher than in Puerto Montt and you can expect to pay at least $560,000 CLP ($768 USD) for a week’s rental. You can check up-to-date prices with Rental Cars , the company I use when hiring cars in Chile.

However, RecaSur often has availability and doesn’t necessarily show in Rental Cars’ database, so check there, too.

In the south: The cheapest place to pick up a rental vehicle is in Punta Arenas, although there are also rental companies in Puerto Natales.

From my experience, prices are cheaper if you rent from the Chilean side rather than the Argentine side of Patagonia, but it’s worth shopping around.

Know-before-you-go: Hiring a car for the Carretera Austral

Where to hire a campervan for the carretera austral.

Hiring a campervan for the Carretera Austral is also very popular – particularly as it allows you to stop as and when you wish along your journey.

In the north: The best place to pick up your new wheels is from Puerto Varas (a 30-minute drive northeast of Puerto Montt) with Ruka Motors or Wicked Campers .

Expect to pay $483,000 CLP ($662 USD) for a one-week rental. Prices will be significantly higher if you rent from one destination and return to another.

Along the Carretera Austral: You can also pick one up in Coyhaique from Recasur . Prices will likely be higher here because of lack of competition, however, if you’re struggling to find a hire car on Rental Cars, RecaSur often have vehicles to rent.

In the south: Punta Arenas has a number of rental agencies; Andes Campers , Wicked Campers and Holiday Rent have depos here. Expect to pay $480,000 CLP ($658 USD) for a one-week rental.

Top tips for a road trip along the Carretera Austral

The Carretera Austral is widely considered Patagonia’s finest road trip. Part of the appeal is how beautiful the landscapes are and the fact that, with your own transport, you can stop practically anywhere you wish for a photograph, for a picnic, or even to camp overnight.

Struggling to plan your Carretera Austral road trip?

Get the expert (me!) to plan out the perfect route down this famed road. I’ll give you all the logistical information, accommodation and tour recommendations, and local knowledge you need to have an unforgettable trip.

Learn more about my trip planning here .

Want someone to do all the legwork? EcoChile Travel, one of my recommended partners in the area, offers an incredible 19-day self-drive tour of the Carretera Austral . Combining a range of guided and self-guided excursions, it’s perfect if you want someone else to deal with the logistics of your tip!

Get a 5% discount on this trip by mentioning Worldly Adventurer when you book .

As a route in constant construction and facing less-than-predictable weather, it’s essential to be well-prepared before you set off:

• Allow yourself a flexible itinerary . In Patagonia, things don’t always go quite to plan.
• Two weeks is enough time to drive, and enjoy, most of the Carretera Austral; three weeks is even better . However, because of the prohibitively high costs of one-way rentals, it makes financial sense to hire and drop off your vehicle in the same place. As a result, you could start in Puerto Montt and head south to Puerto Río Tranquilo, before turning around and driving back to Puerto Montt. Alternatively, fly into Balmaceda (where you can rent a car using Rental Cars ) and head north to Puyuhuapi, south back down to Caleta Tortel, with plenty of time to explore the attractions en route, before returning to Balmaceda to drop the car. If you’re keen on seeing those within striking distance of Coyhaique, a week is enough to drive up north to and from Puyuhuapi and south to and from Cochrane, both of which are a day’s drive.
• A 4WD vehicle is not essential but a high-clearance vehicle and patience are indispensable.
• Around 90% of the road from Puerto Montt to Puyuhuapi is now paved. South of Puyuhuapi, you’ll encounter gravel roads and plenty of construction projects This portion is less pleasant to drive, but the scenery and the feeling of remoteness are incomparable. Road construction on the stretches directly south of Puyuhuapi, Coyhaique, and Villa Cerro Castillo, can add up to an hour of driving time and 1pm through 5pm is peak time for road closures. You can check for this information in the tourist information offices in Puerto Montt (Oficina de Turismo, San Martín 80) or Coyhaique (SERNATUR, Bulnes 35).
• You can find updates on the state of the roads here (English).
• This site (English) gives you information about the different border crossings along the Carretera Austral.
• Avoid driving faster than 60 kilometers per hour. Possible hazards include tire punctures, chips to the windscreen from gravel, and unexpected wildlife on the road. Pack food, water, and a sleeping bag in case of breakdowns. When picking up your vehicle, double-check it has its spare tire – you may well want it!
• Pack food, water, and a sleeping bag in case of breakdowns. When picking up your vehicle, double-check it has its spare tire – you may well want it!
• Fill up with fuel every time you see a gas station. While there are now plenty of gas stations along the Carretera Austral, the rule of thumb is to fill up whenever you see one.
• Pick up a copy of the COPEC Rutas de Chile map . This map of all of Chile and Argentine Patagonia is indispensable for anyone driving in Patagonia. You can theoretically pick it up from any COPEC gas station for around $3,000 CLP ($4 USD) – in practice, many places don’t stock it, so you may need to visit a couple. It has all COPEC gas stations marked on it; as the most frequent of all the companies selling fuel in Chile, this is useful stuff. They don’t have Argentine fuel stations marked, however.
• Download Maps.me before you set off. This free app allows you to download maps of the Carretera Austral to your phone (do this while you still have a wifi connection!) that can then be used offline. Their maps use OpenStreetMap data so generally have accurate hiking trails marked on them.
• Download the ioverlander app. This free app is a crowd-sourced guide to road conditions and campsites as compiled by overlanders (people who travel overland). It is an indispensable resource for helping you to find good wild camping spots, as well as up-to-date information about the state of the Carretera Austral. You do need internet to be able to access the maps in the app. 
• Wild camping is generally permissible. In most cases, you can pitch up practically where ever you want along the Carretera Austral, although ioverlander should give you a good sense of where you can’t and where it’s recommendable to stay. Practice leaving no trace principles and make sure that whatever rubbish you bring in you take out with you. If the land is clearly privately owned and there’s a dwelling nearby, be sure to pop in and ask for permission before settling down for the night.
• That said, there are some lovely hotels along the route. I’ve pulled together my favorite places to stay along the Carretera Austral and Chile more generally – it’s worth a read!
• Make sure your normal sim card works or pick up a local pay-as-you-go sim card . If you plan on booking accommodations and doing other logistical stuff en-route, don’t expect to be able to rely on the internet along the Carretera Austral. The internet reception through my phone is invariably faster than what you can pick up through WIFI at most hotels and hostels, so do yourself a favour and sort this before you get to Patagonia. Along the Carretera Austral, Entel has the most coverage (Claro comes in second) and can be picked up from booths manned by these companies in big shopping malls in cities such as Santiago or even in some corner shops. You top it up in pharmacies (don’t ask me why!).
• The Carretera Austral is still in the process of being asphalted . The best and most up-to-date list of road conditions that I’ve found is available here (and it’s in English!). Note that road works can cause sections of the road to be closed, normally between 2pm and 5pm during the day. This information is best found by consulting the tourism office of the town you’re in and then planning accordingly.
• Consider picking up hitchhikers . The vast majority are your fellow travellers just looking for a kind stranger to give them a ride. They’ll be ever so grateful if you do!
• Get additional insurance if you’re crossing into Argentina at any point. See the rental car section in this article for further information.
• Make sure your car insurance covers transit along the Carretera Austral. I had a company in Coyhaique who tried to rent me a vehicle but said it wasn’t covered for the road. Go figure.

Top tips for taking the buses along the Carretera Austral

As it’s regularly cited as one of Patagonia’s finest road trips, it certainly feels like a bit of a shame not to drive the Carretera Austral. However, if you have a limited budget, this may well not be a possibility.

Luckily, the bus system has become far more robust and reliable over the past few years and you can generally find daily departures for most destinations along the Carretera Austral.

I’ve included bus timetables throughout this article. Further tips are:

• Always book your bus at least a day in advance. If travelling the longer, less frequent routes such as Chaitén to Coyhaique, book as soon as you get to whichever of the towns you’ll be departing from. Tickets can run out, particularly in January and February.
• Take snacks and plenty of water. Distances are far and journeys can take a long time. Unlike most of South America where you can expect to be offered food from vendors by the side of roads on a regular basis, places where you can pick up food and few and far between along the Carretera Austral.
• Don’t expect luxury – or toilets. For longer-distance rides (such as Coyhaique to Chaitén), the bus will stop for lunch and a toilet stop halfway along the journey. For middle-distance rides (such as Coyhaique to Cochrane), you may get a toilet break in Puerto Río Tranquilo, but otherwise you’re in it for the long haul and there aren’t toilets on the buses.

Top tips for hitchhiking along the Carretera Austral

Hitchhiking or going a dedo is a popular way for backpackers to travel along the Carretera Austral.

Not only is it cheaper (local buses can be expensive) but it’s a great way of meeting some of the local people, who are generally very open to giving a lift to friendly travellers.

I’ve personally hitchhiked a couple of stretches of the Carretera Austral (including from Coyhaique to Puyuhapi, which we managed by sheer serendipity ) and would recommend the following:  

• Competition for rides is fierce, particularly in January and February. You can expect to spend hours waiting for a lift – so start early to get out onto the road before other hitchhikers. Be persistent and someone will pick you up.
• Couples and individuals are significantly more likely to get picked up than larger groups.
• A lift for a short distance is far easier than for a longer one. This should hopefully be obvious, but finding a vehicle that’s going from Coyhaique all the way through to Chaitén is highly unlikely. Expect to travel to the next town or two with each ride.
• Hitchhiking solo is safe. Or at least has been in my own experience. Use your judgement and your gut feeling and read these tips for staying safe hitchhiking in South America . 
• Drivers don’t expect payment but they do expect conversation. If you get picked up, the deal is you chat to the driver. If you don’t speak any Spanish, learn some – it’ll enrich your experience and be a welcome reprieve from the quietness of the drive for the driver.
• Taking a tent and plenty of food with you is a sensible idea when you hitchhike. As you never quite know where you’ll end up, it’s a good idea to have your own accommodation at hand in case you do end up stranded in the middle of nowhere.

For more information about the different means of getting into Patagonia (think plane, bus, car and ferry), read this logistical dream of an article: Getting to Chilean and Argentine Patagonia (both north and south) .

Equipment to take for a Patagonia road trip along the Carretera Austral

The Carretera Austral is known for its five-star hiking, including the breathtakingly wild landscapes of the dozen-or-so national parks found within its environs. Because of this, you’ll want hiking clothing and equipment to keep you both comfortable and safe on the trail.

In general, you’ll want to pack:

• Sturdy hiking shoes: I love my Salomons (for women: REI | Backcountry | Amazon / for men: REI | Backcountry | Amazon )
• A waterproof raincoat: II love the Patagonia Storm10 Jacket as it’s an ultralight, easy to pack but fully waterproof (for women: Patagonia / for men: ( REI | Backcountry | Patagonia ); the North Face Alta Vista (for women: Amazon | REI / for men: Amazon| REI ) is a good shout for a more affordable choice. I’ve also heard great things about Arc’teryx ( REI | Amazon ) too.
• Warm outer layers for the night: A warm fleece (for women: REI | Backcountry | Amazon / for men: REI | Backcountry | Amazon ) or a down jacket are versatile items that should keep you cozy and warm. I love my new Jack Wolfskin down jacket ( Amazon ). The North Face has some good synthetic down jackets ( REI | Backcountry | Amazon ), while Mountain Hardwear has some water-resistant down jackets ( REI | Backcountry | Amazon )
• Clothing that can be layered: Items that can be layered up in cold weather and stripped down in warm weather are versatile for any temperature.
• A water bottle and water filter: Water is potable in Patagonia, however, if you have a sensitive stomach, it’s best to err on the side of caution. A Grayl Geopress ( REI | Backcountry | Amazon ) or Steripen ( REI | Amazon ) are my recommendations (read why they’re my favorite portable water filters ), while a Nalgene water bottle ( REI | Backcountry | Amazon ) is a great addition to your bag.
• A power pack: Essential for charging up your cell phone if you’re out hiking and using GPS all day or on a multi-day trek (check them out on Amazon ).
• A copy of Moon Chile , my brand-new guidebook that covers the Carretera Austral in extensive detail (even more so than this article!).
• Toilet paper: Public toilets are few and far between! Be sure to come prepared instead.
• A local sim card: This is mostly helpful if you’re planning on driving and need to be able to make emergency phone calls. Entel provides the best coverage along the Carretera Austral.

If you plan on camping in any of the national parks or want to wild camp as part of your road trip, I would strongly recommend packing a good quality and light backpacking tent (read this review to find out why I recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 tent ), along with other camping equipment.

In every town and village along the Carretera Austral, you can find a range of accommodations, from camping through hostels and more luxurious options, so this is only for the most adventurous. 

• A tent:  I strongly recommend  the lightweight Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 tent  (buy it on REI | Backcountry | Amazon ), the North Face Stormbreak 2 (buy it on REI | Backcountry | Amazon  or, for a little more space, the North Face Stormbreak 3 (buy it on REI ), which has a little more space as it’s a 3-man rather than 2-man tent.
• A sleeping bag:  Bear in mind that regardless of the month, it can get very cold in Patagonia at night time. The Nemo Disco 15 sleeping bag  is a great choice that’s comfortable down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4°C) and a good choice for travelling in Patagonia during spring, summer, and even the shoulder seasons. Buy it for women: REI and for men REI , all of which should be comfortable down to around 35-40 ° F (2-4 ° C).
• A sleeping pad:  Get a cheap foam pad ( REI | Backcountry | Amazon  ) or a more comfortable Therm-a-rest Prolite (buy it on REI Backcountry | Amazon ).
• A cooking stove and gas:  The affordable MSR Pocket Rocket 2 (buy it on REI | Backcountry | Amazon ) is great value for those on a budget and is super-lightweight.
• Cooking pots:  I recommend the MSR pots set (buy them on Backcountry | Amazon ).
• Plates, a mug, and cutlery : A collapsible bowl is a great space saver (check out the Sea to Summit on REI | Backcountry | Amazon ); I recommend a cheap, plastic mug (buy it on REI | Backcountry | Amazon  ) and for cutlery, a multipurpose spork is a good choice (check them out on REI | Backcountry | Amazon ).
• A headlamp : Useful for midnight toilet visits and early morning starts (buy one on  REI | Backcountry | Black Diamond ).

I’ve written about everything that I took when I visited Patagonia in 2017 and 2018, so check out this guide to packing for Patagonia to make sure you don’t forget any essential gear.

When is the best time to visit the Carretera Austral ?

One of the first things you must learn about Patagonia is how unpredictable the weather always is. The locals joke that there’s really no point in looking at the weather forecast – it’ll like not be accurate.

However, saying that, the best time to visit the Carretera Austral is between November and April. This period covers the very end of spring, all of summer, and the beginnings of fall. It’s when you can expect (but not guarantee!) the driest and warmest weather (between 10˚C (50˚F) and 20˚C (68˚F during January and February) and for all tourist facilities to be open.

However, January and February are the peak months for visitors exploring the Carretera Austral and hotels – and mountains – can be packed as a result.

I would therefore recommend visiting either in November or March/April (the shoulder seasons) for reduced tourist numbers and still mostly good weather.

Note that May through October sees practically all hotels and tour agencies and many restaurants closed for the season, while roads can become impassable due to rain and even snow and ice.  

Other planning recommendations for the Carretera Austral

• If you plan on self-catering, it’s worth stocking up with food in Coyhaique. All of the other towns only sell the very basics – you will particularly struggle to find fresh food. Prices are also significantly elevated outside of Coyhaique.
• Take cash out of any ATM that you come across. ATMs can and do run dry along the Carretera Austral and you may well find that they don’t accept your card. I would stock up with Chilean pesos before reaching the Carretera Austral and also bring plenty of US dollars with you. US dollars are generally accepted throughout Patagonia and will often grant you a tax discount on hotel accommodation and tours if you pay with them. They’re also the easiest currency to exchange at exchange houses. ATMs are currently available in: Chaitén, Futaleufú, Coyhaique, Chile Chico, and Cochrane.
• Take a phrasebook or learn some Spanish before traveling . An increasing number of people speak English; however, not only is it significantly easier to get around if you have some Spanish available, but you’ll get so much more of a warm welcome if you do. Chileans are incredibly friendly and seem to understand traveling much more than other countries I’ve been to, making them even keener to talk to you about your adventures or share their own. Lonely Planet has a great phrasebook specific to Latin American Spanish (which, yes is very different to Spanish from Spain!).

Unmissable sights along the Carretera Austral, Chile

When I first arrived in Chile in 2016, I didn’t make it all the way down to Villa O’Higgins. From Puerto Montt, I took the Navimag Ferry to Puerto Chacabuco and headed directly to Coyhaique ( unfortunately this ferry no longer operates ), from where I boarded a bus to Rio Tranquilo further south to begin my trip.

Since then I’ve been back to explore the full length of the Carretera Austral, starting in Caleta Tortel and Villa O’Higgins in the south and gradually making my way up north to Puerto Montt. Altogether, I’ve spent at least two or three months in the region (most recently for my research for the Moon Chile guidebook ).

From these glorious days of road-tripping, hitchhiking, camping, walking, and taking a boat and bus or two along this stretch, I’ve put together this list of the absolutely unmissable places to visit along the Carretera Austral.

Anything missing? Let me know in the comments below about your suggestions for where to travel in Chile and Patagonia and check out my fully comprehensive guide to planning your trip to Patagonia for information about the rest of the region.

Puerto Montt

Puerto Montt lies around two-thirds of the way down Chile’s epic 4,270 km coastline. It isn’t officially along the Carretera Austral, but it does mark the very northern tip of the road. As such, many travelers – whether they’re hoping to explore the full length or only a portion – begin their journeys here.

This port city in itself is a little rough around the edges and with little to appreciate beyond the views of Volcán Osorno and Volcán Calbuco (which lie northeast) that you experience on a clear day.

However, it is home to an array of ferry boat journeys into Patagonia and beyond and is the main departure point for buses heading south.

Puerto Montt has the largest airport along the Carretera Austral.  Aeropuerto Internaciónal El Tepual  (also known as  Aeropuerto de Puerto Montt ; PMC) is located a one-hour 40-minute flight from Santiago, with flights departing more or less hourly from the capital and costing from $15,000 CLP ($23 USD) one-way.

Jet Smart , Chile’s budget airline has the cheapest fares;  Sky Airline  and  LATAM  also operate along this route.

For the cheapest fares,  I always check  Skyscanner  and then book directly through the airline.

Chaitén and Parque Nacional Pumalín Douglas Tompkins

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 240 kilometers
• Distance north of Coyhaique: 421 kilometers

The largest town in the far north of the Carretera Austral is Chaitén. A dusty, five-street place of ramshackle wooden houses huddled inland from a wide bay, it’s the gateway to one of Patagonia’s finest national parks: Pumalín Douglas Tompkins.

One of two in the region that were set up by the late Doug Tompkins, founder of the adventure brand North Face, Pumalín National Park (free) is exactly what you pictured when you thought about hiking in Patagonia.

Here a multitude of picturesque campgrounds and trails have been established, the latter passing through lush Valdivian temperate rainforest to reach spellbinding lakes and waterfalls and towering, millennia-old Alerce trees.

My personal favorite hike is the one leading up to the crater of Volcán Chaitén , a volcano that erupted in 2008 and laid waste to practically the entire town of Chaitén.

The views from the top, of both the surrounding countryside and the still-steaming peak and ragged crater, are equally incredible.

Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park is a fantastic spot to spend a few days, particularly if you’ve got your own camping gear, although you can stay in Chaitén and hitch a ride out to the park each day if you don’t.

Another option is in the pretty – but very expensive – cabins located in the very north of the national park.

Access from Chaitén is possible by hitching a ride, although bear in mind that some of the trailheads are a distance from one another (if you’re lucky, you should be able to catch another hitch to get between them).

You can also visit as part of a day trip (where you’ll hike to a number of the trails) with tour agencies based in Chaitén; I recommend local expert Nicolás La Penna of Chaitur Excursiones (expect to pay from $10,000 CLP pp ($14 USD)).

You can also get full information about the different trails and lodgings from Pumalín’s official website (English).

Where to stay in Chaitén

Few lodgings are on sites such as Booking.com, so you’ll need to call or just turn up (and hope for the best!).

Where to stay in Chaitén: Hotel Mi Casa ($57,500 CLP ($79 USD) double) sits on a low hill above the town with beautiful views of the bay from the breakfast rooms – but none from the guest rooms. Rooms are a mishmash of modern decor but double-glazed windows and central heating ensure the hotel is welcomingly warm.

Where to stay on a budget in Chaitén: Hospedaje Don Carlos ($30,000 CLP ($41 USD) double) is a great choice. Their 23 rooms vary significantly in size; opt for the newer wing on the west of the house for substantially larger and superior rooms, all with private bathrooms and central heating. Rooms are plain but spotless, but wooden floors do mean you can sometimes hear your neighbors.

Getting to Chaitén

From Puerto Montt to Chaitén:  From Puerto Montt, the Carretera Austral officially starts on its eastern edge, heading southeast as it clings to the coastline. You have a 46-kilometer (one-hour) drive before you reach  Caleta Arena , the first of three ferry journeys along the northern Carretera Austral – and part of the run of this road.

Transportes del Estuario  charge $10,900 CLP ($13USD) per vehicle for the 45-minute ferry crossing in their 20-vehicle car and passenger ferry. The boat depart roughly every 45 minutes for the ferry landing at Caleta Puelche. Booking ahead is not possible; the service operates on a first-come first-served basis, so you can expect delays in high season.

• Price:  $10,900 CLP ($13 USD)
• Journey time:  45 mins plus a one-hour journey from Puerto Montt to Caleta Arena
• Website with up-to-date information:  For the Transportes Del Estuario ferry  here

From Caleta Puelche, continue to  Hornopirén  (55 km, one hour), a village with a handful of lodgings and a national park. From here, you need to take the SOMARCO ferry across to Leptepu (3.5 hours), drive for around 10 minutes, and then take the second ferry from Fiordo Largo to Caleta Gonzalo (45 minutes), from where it’s a further 1.5 hours to reach Chaitén.

Before booking, see the information on the more direct route below.

• Price:  $39,400 CLP ($48 USD) per vehicle (includes driver), plus $5,700 CLP ($7 USD) per additional passenger*
• Journey time:  Seven hours
• Website with up-to-date information:  Here  for the SOMARCO ferry and buy tickets  here

*This is a subsidized fare but can be purchased by foreign visitors

A more direct route:  As of 2020, they now have direct boats from Hornopirén to Caleta Gonzalo, without the stop at Leptepu and Fiordo Largo. These only operate in November and December (at 11.59pm from Hornopirén) and January and February (7am and 11.30pm from Hornopirén).

Information about these boats is only available in the Spanish language version of the SOMARCO website.

• Price:  $48,000 CLP ($61 USD) per vehicle, plus $9,000 CLP ($11 USD) per passenger
• Journey time:  Five hours plus 1.5 hours to Chaiten
• Website with up-to-date information:  In Spanish only for the SOMARCO ferry  here  and buy tickets  here

From Puerto Montt:  It’s possible to take a bus all the way to Chaitén.  Kemelbus  leave daily at 7am from the bus terminal in Puerto Montt. It’s a scenic journey, with four hours of your time spent on the ferry boat that connects Hornopirén with Caleta Gonzalo (just north of Chaitén), during which you can stretch your legs and appreciate the view as the ferry plies the fjords of northern Patagonia.

• Price:  $20,000 CLP ($29 USD) – includes ferry ticket
• Journey time:  10 hours
• Website with up-to-date information:  Here

From Puerto Montt:  Taking roughly the same amount of time as driving from Puerto Montt to Chaitén, but leaving at the less-than-friendly time of 11pm (except on Mondays, when it leaves at 12pm), the  ferry from Puerto Montt to Chaitén  is favorable in that it allows you to stretch your legs – but you won’t get a chance to appreciate the scenery (unless you take it in the opposite direction, which departs at 11am (except Monday, when it leaves at 1am and 11pm)).

This vehicle and passenger ferry is operated by Naviera Austral and leaves at 11pm Mondays through Saturdays from Puerto Montt. You get a reclining seat in an open area, with access to a cafeteria (but the quality is questionable, so bring your own food). You dock on the outskirts of Chaitén (around a kilometer’s drive) around 8am the next morning. Book tickets online  or in their Puerto Montt office (Angelmó 1673) and aim to make reservations at least a few weeks in advance in January and February.

• Price:  $33,000 CLP ($40 USD) foot passengers, $160,000 CLP ($193 USD) vehicles Journey time:  6.5 hours Website with up-to-date information:  Here

From Castro:  From Puerto Montt, it’s possible to drive (3.5 hours) or catch a bus to Castro, around midway down Chiloé Island. From here, you can catch  the Naviera Austral passenger and vehicle ferry across to Chaitén .This ferry leaves from Castro on Mondays (11pm), Wednesdays (11pm), and Sundays (6pm). You can  buy tickets online  or in their Puerto Montt office (Angelmó 1673). Again, there are no cabins on this ferry, instead you purchase a chair, and you’ll need to bring your own food or make the most of the (limited) on-board cafeteria.

• Price:  $25,000 CLP ($30 USD) foot passengers, $140,000 CLP ($170 USD) vehicles Journey time:  6 hours Website with up-to-date information:  Here

From Quellón:  From Puerto Montt, it’s possible to drive (five hours) or catch a bus to Quellón, in the far south of Chiloé Island. From here, you can catch  the Naviera Austral passenger and vehicle ferry south to Chaitén. This ferry leaves from Quellón on Mondays (8am), Wednesdays (8am), Thursdays (8am), Saturday (8am), and Sundays (6pm). You can  buy tickets online  or in their Puerto Montt office (Angelmó 1673). Again, there are no cabins on this ferry, instead you purchase a chair, and you’ll need to bring your own food or make the most of the (limited) on-board cafeteria.

• Price:  $25,000 CLP ($30 USD) foot passengers, $140,000 CLP ($170 USD) vehicles Journey time:  12 hours Website with up-to-date information:  Here

From Coyhaique to Chaitén (stopping at Puyuhuapi and La Junta):   Buses Becker  operate this route weekly, leaving Coyhaique on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8am.

• Price:  $24,000 CLP ($33 USD)
• Journey time:  Nine hours

From Puyuhuapi to Chaitén (via La Junta):  Terraustral  leave Puyuhuapi (from outside the Nido de Puyes minimarket) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6am.

• Price:  $6,000 CLP ($8 USD)
• Journey time:  Three hours
• Website with up-to-date information:   Here

Taking the SOMARCO ferry from Hornopirén to Caleta Gonzalo: Both the first ferry from Hornopirén to Leptepu and from Fiordo Largo to Caleta Gonzalo is included in your ticket, which costs $34,300 CLP ($43 USD) per vehicle (includes drive) plus $5,700 CLP ($7 USD) per additional passenger. The boat leaves twice daily in summer but be sure to check their website for prices, and itineraries and to buy your tickets. In January and February make your vehicle bookings at least three weeks in advance. The first ferry (Hornopirén to Leptepu) has a cafeteria and seating area on board. You need to be at the terminal between two and three hours before departure, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time for the drive from Puerto Montt (including the first ferry). As of 2020, there is a new, direct ferry from Hornopirén to Caleta Gonazalo for dates in November through February only; full info in the drop-down above.

Futaleufú

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 391 kilometers
• Distance north of Coyhaique: 422 kilometers

While not officially on the Carretera Austral, Futaleufú (aka Futa to the locals) is a charming town that merits a few days of detour.

Here you can pass hours hiking along trails for sublime mountain and lake views, partaking in world-class rafting or kayaking, or simply enjoying the peaceful ambiance of the laid-back town

Expert-level rafting on the Rio Futaleufú brings the crowds here during the summer, particularly as this is considered one of the best places in the world for this water sport. Kayaking along tributaries of the Futa river can also be arranged.

Plenty of companies lead tours; I would recommend either Patagonia Elements or Bochinche Expediciones . You’ll pay around $60,000 CLP ($82 USD) for a half-day tour.  

Hiking trails are also numerous. One I did was the route up to Piedra LaAguila (Eagle Rock), where, via a series of rather steep but ultimately worthwhile switchbacks, the path reaches the spire-like rock and sensational views across the valley to boot.

You can do all of the trails without a guide, but I recommend checking out the information  here or staying with and chatting with local hiking (and kayaking) experts, Hostal Las Natalias .

Where to stay in Futaleufú

Where to stay in Futaleufú: Hostal La Gringa Carioca ($89,000 CLP ($123 USD) double) sits within lovely gardens that overlook the Río Espolón. The owner, Adriana, knows plenty about the region and also provides guests with a superb breakfast to keep them going for a busy and active day.

Where to stay in Futaleufú on a budget: I fell in love with Hostal Las Natalias ($52,892 CLP ($64 USD) double, $15,000 CLP  ($21 USD) dorm room) on my first visit to Futa. Run by a US couple, they’re superbly knowledgeable about the area and can advise on hiking and other activities. The hostel has a fantastic communal space (with a roaring fire for cold nights), very comfortable beds, and probably some of the most incredible mountain views I’ve experienced from a hostel (perfect for sunrise in summer I’ve been told).

Getting to Futaleufú

From Chaitén, head south along the Carretera Austral, until you reach the town of Villa Santa Lucia (which was practically flattened beneath a mudslide in 2017). Here you come off the Carretera Austral to take Ruta 235 and then Ruta 231 heading east.

• Distance:  150 kilometers
• Journey time:  3.5 hours
• Gas station access:  In Chaitén and Futaleufú

By bus from Chaitén to Futaleufú:  Buses Cárdenas leave Chaitén at 5pm daily. They leave Futaleufú at 11am daily from their stop outside Supermercado Flores (Prat s/n) on the western side of the Plaza de Armas. Buses  DyR  leave from Chaitén at noon and from Futaleufú (Hermanos Carrera 280) at 6am daily.

• Price:  $2,500 CLP ($3 USD)
• Website with up-to-date information:  Here  (Spanish)

By bus from Coyhaique to Futaleufú (stopping at Puyuhuapi and La Junta):  There is no direct bus service between the two; instead, you’ll need to take the bus from Coyhaique to Chaitén, get off at Villa Santa Lucia and wait for the Buses Cardenes bus to pass.

• Price:  $20,500 CLP ($28 USD)
• Journey time:  10 hours.

Paso Futaleufú:  The second most important border crossing along the Carretera Austral is  Paso Futaleufú . This connects the Argentine town of Esquel (around 284 km south of Bariloche) with Futaleufú, in the north of the Carretera Austral. The border lies 10 kilometers east of Futaleufú.

By car:  The border is open from 8am until 9pm daily and border formalities should be fairly quick, although you might find yourself stuck behind other travelers in January and February.

By bus:  You can hop on a bus in Esquel to take you across the border (where you’ll be swapped onto a Chilean bus) and onwards to Fuatleufú. Note that these buses don’t necessarily leave every day, but you can find this information out from  the tourism office in Esquel .

• Price:  $2,500 CLP ($3.5 USD)
• Journey Time:  Two hours
• Website with up-to-date information:  None

Top tip: Outside of Chaitur Excursiones in Chaitén is the makeshift bus terminal for Chaitén. This tour agency is a font of knowledge about bus timetables and transport.

Puyuhuapi and Parque Nacional Queulat: Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier)

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 428 kilometers
• Distance north of Coyhaique: 233 kilometers

One of the highlights of the northern Carretera Austral is Puyuhuapi. This fjord side town, normally shrouded in equal parts mist and wood smoke from the burners that heat the locals’ homes, feels as remote and Patagonian as they come.

What you’ll quickly notice, however, is both German architecture and language here – a legacy of the German settlers who colonized the area back in the 1930s.

If hanging glaciers and splendid lagoons are your thing, then Queulat National Park ($8,500 CLP ($10 USD)) deserves a day of your time. Within striking distance of the town, this national park is crowned by the Ventisquero Colgante (the Queulat Hanging Glacier).

It’s best appreciated from a spectacular viewpoint, reached by the short path (6.5 km round-trip, 2.5 hours, medium) that begins at the park entrance.

Although it’s a good distance from the glacier, the platform at the end of the 30-minute climb (which is mostly ascent but still a fairly comfortable walk) does have excellent views. Watch the ice calving from the glacier and the two glacier-fed waterfalls which drop 600 meters onto the rocks below, before washing into the lagoon.

The other walks around the park aren’t much to write home about, so a day here is sufficient. You can camp in the official park campsite ($10.000 CLP ($12,10 USD) pp), which is run by Turismo Experiencia Austral and from where all trailheads begin.*

Hitchhiking to the park from Puyuhuapi is a possibility and a minibus (also operated by Turismo Experiencia Austral) leaves Puyuhuapi at 8.30am daily and returns from the park at 6.30pm.**dcfb v

Where to stay in Puyuhuapi

Where to treat yourself in Puyuhuapi: For a treat and the opportunity to soak weary limbs, take a few days to spend in the astonishingly beautiful Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa ($202,000 CLP-$538,000 CLP ($278 USD-$740 USD) double).

Where to stay on a budget in Puyuhuapi: For those self-catering, Hostal Aonikenk ($44,000 CLP ($61 USD) double) is a great option, thanks to a communal kitchen. The best rooms here are the newest ones, which are spacious and have electric, rather than paraffin, heaters.

It’s accessible only by speedboat and it’s likely you’ll spot a dolphin from your bedroom window. The star attractions are the three outdoor thermal pools, which have stunning views across the fjords toward the national park.

Getting to Puyuhuapi

From Chaitén you head practically due south along the Carretera Austra, passing La Junta after 150 km (two hours) before you continue south to Puyuhuapi.

• Distance:  195 kilometers
• Driving time:  Three hours
• Gas stations:  In La Junta and Puyuhuapi

From Chaitén to Puyuhuapi (via La Junta):  Terraustral  leave Chaitén at 4pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They leave Puyuhuapi (from outside the Nido de Puyes minimarket) on the same days at 6am.

From Coyhaique to Puyuhuapi:  Terraustral  leave Coyhaique daily at 8am and 3pm. Outside of January and February, bus frequencies drop to one daily.

• Price:  $9,000 CLP ($12 USD)
• Journey time:  Five hours
• Website with up-to-date information : Here
• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 661 kilometers

The best place to stock up on food along the Carretera Austral (as most of the other towns and villages, only offer the very basics), Coyhaique is a charming but smoky Patagonian town – which regularly tops the pollution index for Chile.

With free wifi in the main square, and delicious restaurants such as  Mama Gaucha , it’s easy to understand why I always end up spending longer here than planned.

Aside from the relative comfort of its facilities, there’s not an awful lot to do here. It’s the main transport hub, connecting destinations in the north and south and most will pass through after landing at nearby Aerodromo Balmaceda or sailing into port at Puerto Chacabuco, while it’s an inevitable stop if you’re covering at least half of the Carretera Austral.

If you do end up spending a day or three here, I would recommend a day trip out to Coyhaique National Reserve (Reserva Nacional Coyhaique; $3,000 CLP ($4 USD)), which lies five kilometers north of the town.

Well-marked trails (ranging from an hour’s hiking up to seven) and glorious views of Coyhaique and the deep valley in which it sits make the reserve a fantastic destination.

Full information about the trails and a map of the park is available at the entrance (or to download here ). You can get here by hiking (it’s steep!), taxi, or hitchhiking (although the latter is hard to do because the entrance is up a side road.  

Where to stay in Coyhaique

Where to stay in Coyhaique: You won’t get more attentive service than at the modern Raices Bed and Breakfast ($82,000-92,000 CLP ($113-$127 USD) double), where 12 large bedrooms have access to cozy communal areas and an outdoor terrace. Bilingual owner Cecilia is on hand to offer information and can organize regional tours.

Where to stay in Coyhaique on a budget: I really liked my stay at Aumkenk Aike ($25,000 CLP ($34 USD) double). Rooms are dated and it’s a 10-minute walk to the Plaza de Armas, but the English-speaking owner is very knowledgeable about the local area and is super friendly – as is the resident cat. There is laundry service, a bar and games area, and kitchen access.

Getting to Coyhaique

From Santiago to Balmaceda:  From Santiago, you can fly directly to Balmaceda, the largest airport along the Carretera Austral.  Aerodromo Balmaceda  (BBA) is a 2.5-hour flight from Santiago; it has two direct flights daily from Santiago. Situated an hour’s drive south of Coyhaique, a city around halfway down the Carretera Austral.  Jet Smart  has offered flights here for as low as $7,000 CLP ($11 USD)) but only fly here November through February; prices normally cost anywhere between $22,000 CLP ($35 USD) and $66,000 CLP ($104 USD) one-way.

From Puerto Montt to Balmaceda:  You can also land here from Puerto Montt, with three direct daily flights (1 hour), operated by Sky Airline and LATAM. Prices cost anywhere between $13,000 CLP ($18 USD) and $36,000 CLP ($50 USD) one-way.

By bus or transfer from Balmaceda:  To get from the airport to Coyhaique (one hour), from where regional buses depart, you can take  Buses Suray  (Arturo Prat 265, Coyhaique), who leave twice daily Tuesday through Sunday – although I’m not exactly sure what time.  Transfer T&T  (Cruz 63, Coyhaique) and  Transfer Velasquez  (Lautaro 145, Coyhaique) also have direct hotel transfers from outside the arrivals hall of the airport. If heading back to the airport, book the day before.

From Puerto Montt:  I took  the ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Chacabuco  a few years back, with no idea what to expect. Unfortunately, this ferry route is no longer operating.

From Quellón:  From Puerto Montt, it’s possible to drive (five hours) or catch a bus to Quellón, in the far south of Chiloé Island. From here, you can catch  the Naviera Austral passenger and vehicle ferry south to Puerto Cisnes.

This ferry leaves from Quellón on Tuesdays (6pm), Thursdays (6pm) and Saturdays (5pm). You can  buy tickets online  or in their Puerto Montt office (Angelmó 1673). There are no cabins on this ferry, instead you purchase a chair, and you’ll need to bring your own food or make the most of the (limited) on-board cafeteria.

• Price:  $50,000 CLP ($61 USD) foot passengers, $209,000 CLP ($253 USD) vehicles
• Journey time:  12 hours

From Quellón:  From Puerto Montt, it’s possible to drive (five hours) or catch a bus to Quellón, in the far south of Chiloé Island. From here, you can catch  the Naviera Austral passenger and vehicle ferry south to Puerto Chacabuco.

This ferry leaves from Quellón on Thursdays and Sundays at 1am. You can  buy tickets online  or in their Puerto Montt office (Angelmó 1673). There are no cabins on this ferry, instead you purchase a chair, and you’ll need to bring your own food or make the most of the (limited) on-board cafeteria.

• Price:  $45,000 CLP ($55 USD) foot passengers, $290,000 CLP ($351 USD) vehicles
• Journey time:  31 hours

Bus from Puerto Aysén to Coyhaique:  Buses Ali  (Aldea 1143, Puerto Aysén) and Buses Suray (Ibar 630, Puerto Aysén) have hourly departures (between 7am and 8pm) between Puerto Aysén and Coyhaique. To get to Puerto Aysén from Puerto Chacabuco and the Navimag or Naviera Austral dock, there should be taxis waiting to pick you up.

• Price:  $2,200 CLP ($3 USD)
• Journey time:  1.5 hours

From Puyuhuapi, take the Carretera Austral heading south. It climbs into the mountains before dropping back down to sea level near Puerto Cisnes. Just after the town of Mañihuales, continue towards Puerto Aysén and then take Ruta 240 towards Coyhaique. It rejoins the Carretera Austral (which isn’t paved for the stretch described above) just before you reach Coyhaique.

• Distance:  235 kilometers Journey time:  4.5 hours Gas station:  In Puyuhuapi and Mañihuales

From Chaitén to Coyhaique (stopping at La Junta and Puyuhuapi):  Buses Becker  operate this route weekly, leaving Chaitén on Wednesdays and Sundays at 11.30am and leaving Coyhaique Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8am.

• Price:  $24,000 CLP ($33 USD)

From Chaitén to Coyhaique (stopping at La Junta and Puyuhuapi):   Buses Becker  operate this route weekly, leaving Chaitén on Wednesdays and Sundays at 11.30am and leaving Coyhaique Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8am.

From Futaleufú to Coyhaique:  There is no direct bus service between the two; instead, you need to take one of the services to Coyhaique and get off at Villa Santa Lucia (where the road for Futaleufú and the Carretera Austral meet) and catch the 1pm bus south to Coyhaique, which leaves on Wednesdays and Sundays.

• Journey time:  10 hours

By bus from Puyuhuapi to Coyhaique:  Terraustral  leave Puyuhuapi (outside the Nido de Puyes minimarket) at 6.20am and 1pm daily.

• Price:  $9,000 CLP ($12 USD)

From Puyuhuapi to Coyhaique:  Terraustral  leave Puyuhuapi (outside the Nido de Puyes minimarket) at 6.20am and 1pm daily.

From Cochrane to Coyhaique (via Puerto Río Tranquilo and Villa Cerro Castillo):  Buses Acuario 13 for Coyhaique at 6.30am Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.  Buses Sao Paulo  leave for Coyhaique at 6.30am daily.  Buses Aguilas Patagonicas  leave for Coyhaique at 7am daily. Buses Don Carlos leave for Coyhaique at 9am Monday through Saturday.

• Price:  $14,000 CLP ($19 USD)
• Journey time:  Six hours
• Website with up-to-date information:  None

From Chile Chico to Coyhaique:  Minibuses are timed to connect with the arrival of the ferry that plies Lago General Carrera and connects Chile Chico with Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez. Waiting at the latter to pick you up will be Buses Alejandro (tel. 9/7652 9546),  Miguel Acuña  (tel. 67/2411 804),  Buses Carolina  (Diego de Almagro 1633, Coyhaique, tel. 67/2219 009) and Transporte Lukas (tel. 9/89568 6587,  [email protected] ) who offer transfers from Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez and on to Coyhaique.

You can purchase your ticket for the ferry on the ferry company  RVC’s website . They have a number of different numbers through which you can contact them via Whatsapp if you have issues: Coyhaique:  +56 9 57001518 ; Chile Chico:  +56 9 5700 0700 ; Puerto Ibañez:  +56 9 5700 1949 . They will also respond to (but typically more slowly) emails sent to  [email protected] .

• Price:  $6,000 CLP ($8 USD) +$2,250 CLP ($3 USD) ferry ticket
• Journey time:  Four hours (two hours boat from Chile Chico to Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez; two hours on minibus to Coyhaique)
• Website with up-to-date information:  Here  for buses (includes boat information) and  here  for the boat

Villa Cerro Castillo and Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 757 kilometres
• Distance south of Coyhaique: 98 kilometres

Lying between Puerto Río Tranquilo and Coyhaique, Villa Cerro Castillo is home to its namesake national park, Cerro Castillo ($4,000-$10,000 CLP ($6-$14 USD) depending on the section of the park). Before I visited, I’d heard many rave about this park, ranking it among their favourite places in all of Patagonia.

The main attraction is Cerro Castillo, which, thanks to its three pronged-peak has been compared to Torres del Paine in Southern Patagonia. I’ll admit that this mountain isn’t quite as picturesque, but it’s certainly a spectacular national park and – best of all – frequented by far fewer visitors.

Hiking here is also fantastic for spotting huemules (the endangered south Andean deer) and other native wildlife.

There are two main trails: The most popular is the steep, 14-kilometre, six-eight-hour hike up the Sendero Mirador Laguna Cerro Castillo to Lago Cerro Castillo (which sits beneath the peak). The trail head is a kilometre northwest of the village.

The second is the four/five-day, 51-kilometre hiking circuit known as the Cerro Castillo Traverse or the Travesía Las Horquetas. The latter is a challenging trek through a series exposed of exposed mountain passes with panoramic views of glacier-studded peaks.

Only those with trekking experience and camping equipment suitable for cold and wet weather should attempt this alone and poor weather can close the trails – you can check conditions using Mountain Forecast . November through April are the best months for hiking; outside of these months, you’re required to request permission from CONAF before attempting any of the treks.

The best website for English-language information about this longer circuit is this one , written and updated by Villa Cerro Castillo locals. There are also park maps to download here .

Where to stay in Villa Cerro Castillo

Where to stay in Villa Cerro Castillo: Set down a track on the southeastern edge of the village, La Araucaria ($4,000 CLP ($6 USD) camping, $10,000 CLP ($14 USD), $50,000 CLP ($70 USD) 4-person cabin or 2-person dome) has everything from a large, grassy camping area to domes with dormitory beds (but no heating), a two-bed dome with private bathroom and gas heater, and four self-sufficient cabins for four people, with kitchens.

Where to stay in Villa Cerro Castillo on a budget: Accommodation is very, very basic at mountain refuge-style Senderos Patagonia ($5,000 ($7 USD) camping, $10,000 CLP ($14 USD) dorm). It attracts backpackers and hikers, making it a good place to swap notes on local trails with fellow travelers, particularly in the expansive kitchen. The dorms are large and bed linen is charged at an additional $2,000 CLP ($3 USD. The Spanish- and English-speaking owners run high-end horse riding and trekking excursions in the national park and farther afield.

Getting to Villa Cerro Castillo

All buses heading north and south pass through Villa Cerro Castillo; the bus stop is on the main road that slices through the village.

From Coyhaique, take the Carretera Austral heading due south to reach Villa Cerro Castillo.

• Distance:  100 kilometers
• Journey time:  1.5 hours
• Gas station:  In Coyhaique

From Coyhaique to Villa Cerro Castillo:  They should pass through Villa Cerro Castillo two hours after they depart from Coyhaique.

• Price:  $5,000 CLP ($7 USD)
• Journey time:  Two hours

By bus from Cochrane to Villa Cerro Castillo:  They should pass through Villa Cerro Castillo four hours after they depart from Cochrane.

• Price:  $10,000 CLP ($14 USD)
• Journey time:  Four hours

Puerto Río Tranquilo and Las Cavernas Marmoles

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 877 kilometers
• Distance south of Coyhaique: 216 kilometers

When I first visited the Carretera Austral, the destination top of on my itinerary was Puerto Río Tranquilo. There are few other places quite like it in Patagonia: the incredible Marble Caves , whose swirling patterns of blue, grey, and black marble against the glacial blue of Lago General Carrera must be seen to be believed.

What’s more, the journey along the shoreline of the lake to reach Puerto Río Tranquilo is truly fantastical.

Luckily, it’s easy enough to visit. You can book a speedboat tour (1.5 hours) from the harbor in Puerto Río Tranquilo for just $15,000 CLP ($18 USD). Aim to take a tour in the early morning for the best lighting – although this isn’t as easy as you might think, as departures depend on weather conditions and the waves in the lake can be fierce.

For an additional $15,000 CLP ($18 USD), you can extend your tour to become a three-hour trip that goes across the lake to Puerto Sánchez, where there are further spectacular caves that are even more accessible by boat and fewer tourists.

If you’re feeling more energetic, you can also kayak to the caves for $45,000 CLP ($55 USD), although only when the water is calm. Local outfits such as 99% Aventura will give you a discount if you do both the kayaking tour and the ice trekking on Glaciar Exploradores (see below).

Tourists willing to part with a lot of money can also visit the nearby 30-meter-high Ventisquero San Rafael (San Rafael Hanging Glacier) , in San Rafael National Park. Retreating at an alarming rate , it’s worth a visit to watch the ice calving off the glacier and into the sea, particularly seeing as scientists warn it could disappear by 2030.

99% Aventura in the village can set you up on a one- or two-day tour (starting from $150,000 CLP ($206 USD)) on a small vessel, including a drink of whisky with shaved glacial ice. Cheers!

Another option is ice trekking on Glaciar Exploradores . Not only are the tours cheaper than those on the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina , but you’ll likely be surrounded by fewer other trekkers as you climb over deep crevasses and into the profound blue depths of the glacier.

Tours start $99,000 CLP ($120 USD) and local outfits such as 99% Aventura will give you a discount if you do both the kayaking tour and the ice trekking.

Where to stay in Puerto Río Tranquilo

As a one-horse town that occupies a small stretch of land along the skirts of Lago General Carrera, there isn’t a tonne of options when it comes to accommodation.

Where to stay in Puerto Río Tranquilo: My favorite option, but only for those with their own wheels as the lodge is 48 kilometers south of Puerto Río Tranquilo (an hour-or-so drive), is to stay at lovely Mallin Colorado Ecolodge ($101,000 CLP ($139 USD) double, $158,000 CLP ($216 USD) two-person cabin). All of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with striking views across Lago General Carrera. Meals are available on request, as are horseback riding tours and hikes around their extensive grounds, while the staff and owners are wonderful. You can read all about my stay at Mallin Colorado Ecolodge .

Where to stay in Puerto Río Tranquilo on a budget: Hospedaje y Camping Bellavista ($5,000 CLP ($7 USD) camping, $12,000 CLP ($16.5 USD) dorm, $25,000 CLP ($34 USD) double) is both comfortable and friendly, with private bedrooms in their chipboard guesthouse and a huge field for campers. Kitchen access and hot showers are included.

Getting to Puerto Río Tranquillo

From Villa Cerro Castillo, take the Carretera Austral as it continues west and then as it curves south along the shores of Lago General Carrera to reach Puerto Río Tranquilo.

• Distance:  120 kilometers
• Journey time:  Three hours
• Gas station:  In Puerto Río Tranquilo

From Coyhaique to Puerto Río Tranquilo (via Villa Cerro Castillo):  Terraustral  leave Coyhaique at 8am and Puerto Río Tranquilo at 4pm daily.

• Price:  $10,000 CLP ($14 USD)

From Cochrane to Puerto Río Tranquilo:  All buses traveling this route north should pass through Puerto Río Tranquilo 1.5 hours after they leave Cochrane. 

• Price:  $7,000 CLP ($10 USD)

Chile Chico and Parque Nacional Patagonia

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 814 kilometres
• Distance south of Coyhaique: 154 kilometres

Lying on the southeastern shore of the ultramarine Lago General Carrera, Chile Chico bathes in an unusually sunny and dry microclimate. Bizarrely, this part of the Carretera Austral cultivates cherries and is home to five endemic species of cactus – the latter of which are considered the southernmost in the country .

But besides the town’s favorable weather, Chile Chico is mostly a transition point for travelers either leaving the Carretera Austral for Argentina or for those coming in the opposite direction.

Beyond this, it’s the gateway to the barely-visited Sector Jeinimeni ($3,000 CLP ($4 USD)) of Patagonia National Park , about which little has been written.

I’ve personally never been, but I’ve heard that there is some pretty hiking through a privileged landscape of milky-hued lakes, glacial-scoured mountain peaks, and rolling expanses of the rough-edged Patagonian steppe.

The best place to find information about this sector of the park is via the Ruta de los Parques official website , which has hiking trail and camping information.

You’ll need to scroll down past the trails in the Valle Chacabuco section of the national park to reach those pertaining to Jeinimeni, which start from “Piedra Clavada, Cuevas de las Manos, Valle Lunar Trail”). You can also download a map of the park here .

There’s more information about what you can do in and around Chile Chico here (Spanish only).

Where to stay in Chile Chico

Where to stay in Chile Chico: My favourite accommodation in town is the intimate and charming Hostería de la Patagonia ($5,000 CLP $7 USD) camping, $74,380 CLP ($90 USD) double), situated on the far eastern edge of the town, close to the Argentine border. Their most unique lodgings are their boat room – literally a converted boat that used to sail on the lake.

Where to stay in Chile Chico: An affordable option is the B&B Brisas del Lago ($30,000 CLP ($41 USD) double, $45,000 CLP ($62 USD) two-person cabin), which has the novelty of central heating for its seven bedrooms, plus a couple of cabins in the back.

Where to stay in Chile Chico on a budget: When I stayed in Chile Chico it was at backpacker hangout Campamento Nandú ($14,000 CLP ($20 USD) dorm, $40,000 CLP ($55 USD) double), which is reasonably central (it’s about a ten-minute walk to the ferry terminal) and a toasty communal area with a wood fire, plus a large kitchen. It’s a great place to meet other travelers.  

Getting to Chile Chico

From Coyhaique:  From the north, the quickest route to Chile Chico is aboard the ferry boat that used to be operated by Naviera Austral, but has since been taken over by Tehuelche Operaciones. It leaves Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez once daily and you disembark at the ferry ramp on the northwestern edge of Chile Chico.

Ferry schedules change occasionally, so it’s best to refer to the website for up-to-date information and to book tickets. Between November and March, make vehicle and passenger reservations at least one week in advance.

• Price:  $19,500 CLP ($26 USD) vehicles
• Journey time:  2 hours

By bus from Coyhaique to Chile Chico:  Minibuses are timed to leave from Coyhaique at least 2.5/three hours before the departure of the ferry that plies Lago General Carrera, between Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez and Chile Chico. This used to be operated by Naviera Austral, but has since been taken over by Tehuelche Operaciones.

Buses Alejandro (tel. 9/7652 9546),  Miguel Acuña  (tel. 67/2411 804),  Buses Carolina  (Diego de Almagro 1633, Coyhaique, tel. 67/2219 009), and Transporte Lukas (tel. 9/89568 6587,  [email protected] ) offer transfers to Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez, from where you walk onto the ferry; the terminal in Chile Chico is a two-minute walk into the center of town.

• Journey time:  Four hours (two hours minibus to Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez; two hours boat to Chile Chico)
• Website with up-to-date information:   Here  for buses (includes boat information) and  here  for the boat

From Puerto Río Tranquilo to Chile Chico:  Martín Pescador  leaves from opposite the COPEC gas station, at 3.30pm.

• Price:  $15,000 CLP($21 USD)

From Cochrane to Chile Chico:  Buses Marfer  leave Cochrane at 8am Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The schedule sometimes changes to Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; confirm at the bus terminal.

The busiest crossing along the Carretera Austral is at Paso Río Jeinimeni, 4.5 kilometers east of Chile Chico, about two-thirds of the way down the Carretera Austral. This connects you to Los Antiguos in Argentina.

By car:  This border is open 8am until 10pm daily and you can expect it to be busy during January and February, so be prepared to wait.

By bus:  Chilean company  Martín Pescador  have minivans that leave the Terminal de Ómnibus (Av. Tehuelche 157) in Los Antiguos at 8.30am, 1pm and 6pm daily November through March (frequencies drop outside of these months), while Argentine company  TAQSA Marga  do the same, leaving at 9am, noon and 5pm Monday to Friday (9am and 12.15pm Sat.).

• Price:  $3,500 CLP ($5 USD)
• Journey time:  One hour
• Website with up-to-date information : None

Cochrane and Parque Nacional Patagonia

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 991 kilometres
• Distance south of Coyhaique: 330 kilometres

An hour’s drive south of Lago General Carrera, Cochrane is Patagonia’s next big adventure destination. It makes me think of what El Chaltén must have been like before the tourists arrived, with its laid-back vibe and wealth of adventure pursuits literally at your fingertips.

The finest is undoubtedly Patagonia National Park , the second of Doug Tompkins’ great legacies to the Carretera Austral.

The southern two sectors of the park, Valle Chacabuco (free) and Tamango ($5,000 CLP ($7 USD)) are home to varied ecosystems, from arid steppe to low mountains populated with southern beech forests. Beyond this truly spellbinding scenery is a wealth of excellent and well-marked hiking trails.

In Valle Chacabuco, my personal favorite was the Lagunas Altas trail (23-km loop, 6-8 hours, medium), which climbs up into the mountains for viewpoints across pristine lagoons and the valley that contains much of the park.

There are a handful of other short day hikes but you really need a car to get here (hitchhiking is possible – I did it – but can take a long time) and also for driving between the trailheads, which are spread out across a large area.

You can camp in the pretty Los West Winds Campground (at the trailhead for Lagunas Altas) or at one of the other campgrounds; information about all of the hikes is on the Ruta de los Parques website (English). You should also be able to pick up maps from the visitors’ center when you arrive at the park. There’s also an excellent guide to hiking in the park here .

A far more accessible part of the national park is Sector Tamango , which is situated just a few kilometers northeast of Cochrane.

There are around ten trails here, ranging from one-hour through ten and the most picturesque parts of the national park are those lining the pristine waters of Lago Cochrane, while the forests are inhabited by a small population of the critically endangered huemul.

You can find a map of the trails in this section of the park here .

Where to stay in Cochrane

Where to stay in Cochrane: A little smarter and larger than most options in town is Lejana Patagonia ($30,000 CLP ($41 USD) double), with decent-sized bedrooms and kitchen access, although the whole building is made of wood so noise between the rooms can be an issue.

Where to stay in Cochrane: The most hotel-esq is the utilitarian in style Ultimo Paraiso ($86,000 CLP double). Rooms feel a bit gloomy, but have large, modern bathroom suits and wood burners to keep them warm and do represent a cut above the other options in Cochrane. They can organize day tours to fly fish on local rivers and lakes.

Where to stay in Cochrane on a budget: When I visited, I stayed in the oh-so-homely Hostal Beraca ($25,000 CLP $34 USD) double), a very basic B&B fronted by the wonderful Marlen, whose family home she has converted. She makes probably the best breakfast along the Carretera Austral and is just a joy to be around – although she only speaks Spanish but will do her best to communicate if you don’t!

Getting to Cochrane

From Puerto Río Tranquilo, take the Carretera Austral heading south to reach Cochrane.

• Distance:  115 km
• Journey time:  2.5 hours
• Gas station:  In Puerto Río Tranquilo and Cochrane

From Coyhaique to Cochrane (via Villa Cerro Castillo and Puerto Río Tranquillo):  Buses Acuario 13 leave for Cochrane at 8.30am Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.  Buses Sao Paulo  leave for Cochrane at 9am daily.  Buses Aguilas Patagonicas  leave for Cochrane at 9.30am. Buses Don Carlos leave for Cochrane at 9am Monday through Saturday.

• Price:  $14,000 CLP ($19 USD)
• Website with up-to-date information:   Here  (only for low season currently)

From Chile Chico to Cochrane:   Buses Marfer  leave Chile Chico daily at 4pm, stopping to pick up from Puerto Guadal an hour and 45 mins later. They return to Chile Chico at 8am daily from Cochrane.

• Price:  $13,000 CLP ($18 USD)

From Caleta Tortel to Cochrane:  Aldea Caleta Tortel at 3pm Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday and at 6pm on Friday. Buses Cordillera Tortel leave Caleta Tortel at 8am Monday and Thursday and 1.30pm Saturday. Buses Katalina leave Caleta Tortel at 8pm Tuesday through Sunday. Pachamama (Merino 499, Cochrane) leave Caleta Tortel at 8am and 9pm Monday, 10am Wednesday and 3pm Saturday.

• Price:  $7,000 CLP ($10 USD)
• Journey time:  Three hours.

From Villa O’Higgins to Cochrane:   Buses Aguilas Patagonicas  leave Villa O’Higgins at 8.30am Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

• Price:  $12,000 CLP ($16.5 USD)
• Journey time:  5.5 hours

Caleta Tortel

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 1,116 kilometres
• Distance south of Coyhaique: 455 kilometres

Nothing really prepares you for the sight of Caleta Tortel, officially the Carretera Austral’s most quirky town. Clinging to the forested edges of a small hill and overlooking the milk-blue waters of the sound below, this settlement is unique in that it contains not a single road.

Instead, wooden boardwalks provide access from one side to the other. It’s truly magnificent in the sunshine when the sun casts the place into relief and you can wander along the pathways practically hovering above the water.

Beyond its picturesque aspect, the town also has access to a handful of glaciers, Ventisquero Steffens and Jorge Montt .

You can visit by boat tour with one of the local people – expect to pay from $70,000 CLP ($96 USD) and tours only leave when there are eight passengers, so it can be difficult to organize one outside of January and February.

You can also arrange kayak excursions or take a short boat tour out to the bleak Isla de los Muertos , an island shrouded in infamy. It’s where the 33 pioneering settlers of Caleta Tortel were buried – having been poisoned by their employer, or so the locals claim. The trip costs $40,000 CLP ($55 USD) per boat, with space for four passengers.

Where to stay in Caleta Tortel

Caleta Tortel is larger than it looks and it can take a long time to walk from its northern to its southern edges. All buses heading out of the town leave from the Estacionamiento (the parking lot) where all vehicles must be parked.

Where to stay in Caleta Tortel: Caleta Tortel’s most comfortable option is Entrehielos Lodge ($103,000 ($142 USD) double). It has five modern bedrooms, central heating, a pretty sitting room with views across the fjords and a dining room where you can request delicious Chilean meals. They also can sort you out with tours of the glaciers and the surrounding area.

Where to stay in Caleta Tortel on a Budget: Situated very close to this is Hostal Nunatak (Sector Rincón Bajo, tel. 9/8113 452, $35,000 CLP ($48 USD) double) is a basic, family-run guesthouse with unsightly chipboard walls, but is kept warm by a wood stove and the owners are very friendly.

Getting to Caleta Tortel

From Cochrane, take the Carretera Austral heading southwest. After almost three hours, take the signed turning along the X-904 to reach Caleta Tortel

• Distance:  125 km
• Gas station:  In Cochrane

From Cochrane to Caleta Tortel:  Aldea leave at 9.30am Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday and at 2pm Friday. Buses Cordillera Tortel leave from Cochrane at 6pm on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Buses Katalina depart from Cochrane at 5.30pm Tuesday through Sunday. Pachamama (Merino 499, Cochrane) leave for Caleta Tortel at 6pm Sunday and Monday and 10am Wednesday and Saturday.

From Villa O’Higgins to Caleta Tortel:  Vultur Patagonia (Lago Cisnes 215) offers minivans that leave Caleta Tortel at 4.30pm; services reduce to once weekly between May and October. In high season, book a day or two in advance.

• Price:  $4,000 CLP ($5.5 USD)

By ferry from Puerto Natales:  The easiest way to get between Southern Patagonia and Northern Patagonia is by taking the ferry that connects the two:  the TABSA boat between Puerto Natales in southern Chilean Patagonia and Caleta Tortel/Puerto Yungay.

This ferry has only been operating since 2016 and so few tourists yet know about it, but I traveled this route back in 2018 and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The ferry leaves weekly from Puerto Natales at 5am, although all passengers and those with vehicles are required to board the previous night. If you’re traveling between December and February, book your seat or vehicle reservation in October.

Outside of these months, it’s often possible to get a seat and even a space for your car a week or two in advance.

This boat actually takes some of the same route as the four-day Navimag ferry from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt, before entering some blissfully remote parts of the Chilean fjords.

It’s a 41-hour journey on what is effectively a cargo boat with space for passengers in  semi-cama  bus-style seating (seats that recline to 160˚), with blankets provided (but bring an eye mask, ear plugs, and plenty of layers). Three meals a day are included, although portion size isn’t extensive, so bring snacks.

The arrival time of the ferry depends entirely on weather conditions and it’s not uncommon for the boat to land at Caleta Tortel in the middle of the night. Confirm with your hotel that they will come and pick you up from the harbor at Caleta Tortel, as the town can be very disorienting at night time.

For those with vehicles, the ferry continues a little further to reach Puerto Yungay, a short distance east, where cars are unloaded. From here, you can drive back towards Caleta Tortel or continue north up the Carretera Austra.

Book online  or at their office in Puerto Natales (Av. Pedro Montt 605).

• Price:  $94,380 CLP ($174 USD) for foot passengers and vehicles are charged by weight (this used to be around $120,000 CLP ($167 USD) for vehicles including the fare for the driver)

Villa O’Higgins

• Distance south of Puerto Montt: 1,224 kilometres
• Distance south of Coyhaique: 563 kilometres

The time you reach Villa O’Higgins, you truly begin to appreciate quite how wild this corner of Patagonia really is. There’s a reason that this tiny town didn’t have road access until 1999 – and it doesn’t really feel any more accessible now that it does.

Ringed by dramatic mountains on two sides and set on a flat plain in the valley floor, Villa O’Higgins still feels owned by the landscapes onto which man has encroached. It’s also the official end of the Carretera Austral.

The biggest draw here is the access to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field , which lies south of the town. The most accessible glacier in this range is Glacier O’Higgins, whose cobalt face of ice can be watched crashing into the gleaming waters of its namesake lake from aboard a sailboat.

These excursions used to be operated by a local tour company, Turismo Ruedas de la Patagonia, who I think is now back in business (email them here . You can find other excursions and tour operators who run them here .

Where to stay in Villa O’Higgins

Where to stay in Villa O’Higgins: For cozy cabins and comfortable yurts with their own private hot tubs, check out Entre Patagones ($40,000 CLP ($55 USD)- $50,000 CLP ($67 USD) 2-person cabin, $65,000 CLP ($90 USD) yurt). Their two modern yurts are the most comfortable, hidden away in the forest, and they have a fully equipped kitchen.

Where to stay in Villa O’Higgins: The most luxurious choice in town is Rumbo Sur ($166,000 CLP ($228 USD) double). Stylish bedrooms, access to hot tubs looking west across the mountains, and a beautiful clubhouse heated by a welcoming wood-burning stove make this the ultimate place to relax in Villa O’Higgins. I thoroughly enjoyed staying here and the staff have excellent knowledge of the region and its activities.

Where to stay in Villa O’Higgins on a budget: A meeting place for backpackers, cyclists, and road trippers, El Mosco ($6,000 CLP ($8 USD) camping, $12,000 CLP ($17 USD) dorm, $45,000 CLP ($62 USD) cabin or double) is basic but affordable and very sociable. Dorms and private doubles have access to a large kitchen with attached living area on the ground floor; for more space, opt for a cabin, which has its own private kitchen and bathroom. The staff are very knowledgeable about activities in the region and the border crossing to El Chaltén.

Getting to Villa O’Higgins

From Caleta Tortel, return to the Carretera Austral and continue southeast along this highway until you reach Puerto Yungay one hour later. From here, there is a free vehicle and passenger ferry which crosses the fjord across to Río Bravo, from where the road continues southward to Villa O’Higgins.

Barcaza Padre Antonio Ronchi  (tel. 9/6586 6626) operates the route, with space for 15 vehicles. Between November and March, ferries cross four times daily in each direction (free, 45 minutes); outside of these months, the boat operates Monday through Saturday, at noon and 3pm (towards Río Bravo) and 1pm and 4pm (towards Puerto Yungay).

• Distance:  150 km Journey time:  Six hours Gas station:  In Villa O’Higgins

From Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins:  Buses Aguilas Patagonicas  leave Cochrane at 8.30am Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

• Price:  $12,000 CLP ($16.5 USD) Journey time:  5.5 hours Website with up-to-date information:   Here  (only for low season currently)

From Caleta Tortel to Villa O’Higgins:  Vultur Patagonia (Lago Cisnes 215, tel. 9/9350 8156) offers minivans that Villa O’Higgins at 8.30am Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Services reduce to once weekly between May and October. In high season, book a day or two in advance.

• Price:  $4,000 CLP ($5.5 USD) Journey time:  3.5 hours Website with up-to-date information:   Here  (only for low season currently)

On foot:  Despite being just 100 kilometers south of Villa O’Higgins as the crow flies, El Chaltén, across the Argentine border, is further away than you would think. This is namely due to the fact that, by vehicle, there is no direct route; the insurmountable barrier of the Northern Patagonian Ice Field puts paid to any attempts at crossing.

It  is  possible, however, on foot. It’s a two-day, one-night journey, although it’s not for those with strict time limits as weather can cause serious delays to ferry crossings on the Chilean side.

It combines a minibus, boat, and hiking to cross Lago del Desierto on the Argentinean side and Lago O’Higgins in Chilean territory via the border crossing Portezuelo de la Divisoria.

Note that this crossing is only possible November through April.

• Price:  $106,000 CLP ($146 USD)
• Journey time:  Two days (more if weather is poor as this can delay the boat across Lago O’Higgins).
• Website with up-to-date information:   This website  used to have boat timetables and updated prices, but doesn’t look like it has been updated since the pandemic.  This website  allows you to reserve in advance different sections of the trek (I’ve never used this, so I don’t know how well it works; and again, it’s not been updated since the pandemic). Plenty of hikers do turn and book the different parts of your journey as they do them, however.

FAQS about visiting the Carretera Austral

Where does the carretera austral start and finish.

The Carretera Austral starts in Puerto Montt, a coastal town in the Lakes Region and a two-hour flight south of the Chilean capital, Santiago.  From Puerto Montt, Ruta 7 – aka the Carretera Austral or Southern Highway – heads south, sandwiched between Reloncaví Bay in the west and the foothills of the Andes Mountains in the east. 

The Carretera Austral covers 1,240 kilometers (770 miles) from Puerto Montt at its northernmost tip to Villa O’Higgins at its southernmost. It is broken twice by the terrain of the fjords, which means you’re required to take a ferry instead. The first time is at Hornopirén, 106 kilometers (66 miles) south of Puerto Montt and the second is at Caleta Yungay to cross the Río Bravo, 98 kilometers (62 miles) north of Villa O’Higgins.

How much time do you need to travel around the Carretera Austral?

Two weeks is enough time to drive, and enjoy, most of the Carretera Austral; three weeks is even better . However, bear in mind that, because one-way rentals cost so much, it makes much more sense to pick up and drop off your rental car from the same place. 

With a week or ten days, you can hire a car in Puerto Montt and then head south all the way to Puerto Río Tranquilo (875 kilometers (543 miles) south, before turning around and driving back to Puerto Montt or taking a ferry back from Puerto Chacabuco or Puerto Cisnes to Chiloé Island drive back to Puerto Montt from there.

Alternatively, if you’re keen on seeing destinations within striking distance of Coyhaique, a week is enough to drive up north to and from Puyuhuapi and south to and from Cochrane, both of which are a day’s drive.  

Alternatively, with 10 days, two weeks. or more, you can fly into Balmaceda, drive north to Puyuhuapi (289 kilometers (180 miles) and then head back on yourself and continue south all the way to Caleta Tortel (418 kilometers (260 miles) south of Balamceda). Finally, you would drive back to Balmaceda to return your vehicle.

What’s the most beautiful part of the Carretera Austral?

It’s hard to pick the most beautiful part of the Carretera Austral! For me, there are a couple of places: the Queulat Hanging Glacier is perhaps one of the most famous sights along the Carretera Austral and known for its egg-blue hues and the way it seems to cling to the side of the mountain. 

Parque Nacional Pumalin Douglas Tomkins, which is home to towering forests and a still-smoking volcano, is high on the list, as is Parque Nacional Patagonia, where you’ll find a variety of hiking trails in a deep, wildlife-rich valley surrounded by snowy peaks. The marble caves are also another beautiful part of the Carretera Austral, with the pastel shades woven through the rock in contrast with the electric blue of Lago General Carrera. 

Finally, the cypress walkways that cover the roadless fjord side settlement of Caleta Tortel are also beautiful and truly remarkable, too.

Which places can you visit along the Carretera Austral?

There are numerous places to visit along the Carretera Austral, including a host of brilliant national parks replete with hiking trails, the best of which include Parque Nacional Pumalin Douglas Tomkins, Parque Nacional Patagonia, and Parque Nacional Villa Cerro Castillo.

There are also plenty of glaciers you can see and even hike on, beautiful lakes to explore by boat, hot springs for swimming, world-class waters for rafting and kayaking, as well as remote stretches of forest, fjord, and valleys filled with endemic species of deer and birds, herds of guanaco, and even pumas.

Wednesday 21st of February 2024

Fantastic guide, thank you! We are travelling to the CA for just over two weeks in mid/end March (not long now…). We decided to go to this road trip based on your episode on Amateur Traveler :)

We are wondering about what gear to pack. Re outerwear, we are wondering if it might even be cold enough to bring the jackets we use for skiing (Napapijri Skidoo), or if this would be overkill? They are very waterproof and warm.

We were also thinking to bring a sleeping bag each, in case we camp anywhere (but unsure if we actually will). Would you recommend camping? Lastly, is it possible to go swimming anywhere or just too cold?

Thanks so much,

Sunday 25th of February 2024

@Steph Dyson, Re the tent hire – it looks like Rent a Tent Chile went out of business in January 2023, so wondering if you know of any good alternatives somewhere in the region? Thanks.

@Steph Dyson, Thanks for the reply - noted about the jackets.

We won't have a tent so probably won't be doing any wild camping, but wondering if you know of any places places you can rent a tent, or a refuge/hut for one night, somewhere? A hike with an overnight camp somewhere, and then back, would be ideal – somewhere in Parque Nacional Patagonia perhaps?

One final question about itinerary if you're happy to advise... we will be picking up the car at Balmaceda airport and returning it 15 days later – we realise this wouldn't be long enough to visit all the highlights on your list, but wondering if you think this would be enough time to comfortably make it up to Quelat NP and a far south as Villa O'Higgins? If not, would you recommend omitting Quelat, or Vo'H (going only as far as Tortel), from the itinerary?

Thanks again,

Steph Dyson

Hi Nick, those coats will definitely be overkill! I would bring layers (fleece, puffer and waterproof) so you can layer up and down. Camping is good - you can basically wild camp most places and if you download iOverlander it'll show you where others have wild camped! And swimming, it will be coldish but probably not too cold for a (refreshing!) swim! Steph

Thursday 28th of September 2023

Steph, Thanks so much for all this info!

I am traveling to Chile in February. We are packing a lot in...is it insane/impossible to go from puerto Montt to Puyuhuapi in one day?! We have limited time and want to drive as far down as we can, see the hanging glacier and explore for a day, then travel back to puerto Montt. Thoughts??

Thursday 23rd of November 2023

Hi Julie, yes - it's impossible unless you have a helicopter! Steph

Monday 16th of January 2023

We recently came back from a road trip to Carretera Austral and it was incredible! Your blog and book were super helpful in our planning - thank you for putting this all together !

I just wanted to mention that there is now a COPEC station at Rio Tranquillo which we found to be super convenient and useful. In fact on our way back, we refilled at Rio Tranquillo and returned directly to Balmaceda Airport rather than driving all the way to up to Coyhaique to fill up gas before returning our rental car.

In our stretch, here were the gas stations: La Junta - Villa Manihuales - Coyhaique - Rio Tranquillo - Cochrane.

Hope this is helpful for other!

Thursday 4th of January 2024

@Steph Dyson, So much great info. For the next update, only diesel available in puyuhuapi (not a short term change either).

Thursday 19th of January 2023

Thanks Manu - this is really useful information! Steph

Wednesday 30th of November 2022

I truly appreciate this updated blog as I am driving Ruta 7 this Christmas. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have known to reserve a spot at Queulat National Park in advance, thank you very much!

We will be spending 3 nights in Villa O'Higgins and I am very keen to take a flight seeing tour and see that the Wings website is still down. When I try to type in the whatsapp number, I'm not sure if I need to use the Chile country code of +56 before the numbers you included (9/9162 5137 or 9/9357 8196)? Somehow I've traveled to many continents without having to use Whatsapp.

Thank you in advance!

Thursday 15th of December 2022

Hi Stacey, yes you need to add +56 and then the number! Steph

Sunday 14th of August 2022

Hi Steph, thanks for the great article and information on your episode with The Amateur Traveler. Do you if it's possible to get from Puerto Natales to Villa O’Higgins without a car? I’m planning to do the O Trek next year, and slowly make my way back up to Puerto Montt. It would be good to be able to head in the one direction from Puerto Natales to O’Higgins, then up along the Carretera Austral. Many thanks in advance, Vicky

Sunday 21st of August 2022

Hi Vicky, yes there is a border crossing between El Chalten and Villa O'Higgins (info here) or the ferry from Puerto Natales to Caleta Tortel (info here). Steph

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

Take the perfect road trip at the bottom of the world

Glacial waterfalls, tropical plants, dolphins, marble caves: Patagonia’s remote Carretera Austral is an explorer’s paradise.

Waterfalls cascade from a hanging glacier in Quelat National Park, a spectacular stop along Chile’s Route 7—also called the “Carretera Austral”—which winds through Patagonia.

Chilean Patagonia is a rugged region—isolated, wild, and ecologically diverse. Where else could you stand next to human-size rhubarb leaves, watching dolphins play in a fjord while impressive waterfalls cascade from the glaciers behind you?

To see it all would take years. But on a road trip down Chile’s Route 7—also called the Carretera Austral—you can pack the Patagonian adventures of a lifetime into a two-week journey. Here are our tips for the perfect road trip at the bottom of the world.

Before you go

Much of the 770-mile, north-to-south route connecting Puerto Montt and Villa O’Higgins is unpaved, so prepare for a bumpy drive. Though it’s possible to navigate the Carretera via public transportation or mountain bike, it’s best to rent a car and drive yourself during the summer (November to March), when more accommodations are available and it’s less likely that extreme weather will affect the roads.

Brush up on your Spanish skills (or download a translation app) and pack your bags with gear suited for Patagonia’s notoriously windy days. Then head to Puerto Montt to stock up on food, repellent for mosquitoes and horseflies, sunscreen, and plenty of cash. While it’s possible to find groceries and ATMs along the way, you won’t meet another big town until 16 hours south in Coyhaique.

The first leg: volcanoes and rainforests

From Puerto Montt, drive eight hours south to Chaitén , a volcano dormant for 9,000 years until a recent eruption in 2008 buried the nearby town in ash. The townspeople of Chaitén have since reconstructed part of the town and opened a three-mile, round-trip hike where visitors can overlook the volcano’s steaming dome and witness firsthand the death and rebirth of a forest ecosystem.

After Chaitén, head to Pumalín National Park , an area connecting the Andes with the fjords of the Pacific, to wander trails through the ancient Valdivian temperate rainforest.

A Chilean gaucho rides above Lago General Carrera, near Puerto Río Tranquilo.

The second leg: enchanted forests and hanging glaciers

Three hours south of Chaitén lies Queulat National Park , famous for its jagged rock walls, hanging glacier, and glacial waterfall. After admiring the scenery from the shores of the lagoon, explore the mossy (and often muddy) bosque encantado , or enchanted forest.

For lodging and restaurants, make your way 25 minutes south to Puyuhuapi, a small fishing village tucked in a fjord alongside dense forests, misty mountains, and thermal springs. Enjoy a break with yerba mate, a traditional tea sipped from a gourd through a metal straw with a strainer at one end.

From Puyuhuapi, drive five hours to Coyhaique , where accommodation can be booked online ahead of time. Try pisco, a brandy made from fermented grape juice, before resting up overnight for the next day’s drive through arid and colorful mountains to Parque Cerro Castillo , a national reserve.

Tackle a strenuous hike through forests of Antarctic beech and lenga trees to reach the turquoise lagoon at the base of Cerro Castillo’s jagged peaks. Stay in the small, pioneer town of Villa Cerro Castillo or continue three hours to Puerto Río Tranquilo.

The last leg: ancient marble caves and glacier trekking

Puerto Río Tranquilo earns at least two days of your trip. Kayak through the General Carrera Lake’s Marble Chapels , a network of glacial caves veined with blue striations carved from calcium carbonate by over 6,000 years of water pressure. Or unpack your crampons to explore vibrant glacial caves on the Exploradores Glacier , one of the more affordable glacier hikes in Patagonia and only recently opened to the public.

Drive 2.5 hours further south to find Valle Chacabuco. Use Valle Chacabuco as a rest stop—or hike the 14-mile Lagunas Altas Trail to spot guanacos and condors among the alpine lakes.

Finish the trek with an 8.5-hour drive to the isolated Villa O’Higgins, which marks the end of the Carretera Austral. Hop on a boat to cross Lake O’Higgins for impressive views of the O’Higgins Glacier, where you can sip a glass of whiskey chilled with ice from the glacier itself.

Travelers who chose to drive must turn around and retrace the road north. But those who journeyed by bike or public transportation have a couple options: Cross the lake into Argentina , hike to Laguna del Desierto, and grab a bus to the base of towering Monte Fitz Roy, or head south by boat to explore the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the largest temperate ice sheet in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

FREE BONUS ISSUE

Related topics, you may also like.

An epic rainforest road trip along North Queensland's Cassowary Coast

How to take the ultimate Florida road trip

How to plan the ultimate road trip adventure in Canada

10 best things to do in Maine

How to plan a road trip along Ireland's Ceide Coast

• History & Culture
• Photography
• Environment
• Paid Content

History & Culture

• History Magazine
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Recorramos Chile – ¡La mejor forma de conocer tu país!

Carretera austral sur.

$595,000 $935,000 Ahorras 36% ( $340,000 )

Adultos Pago

CARRETERA AUSTRAL SUR 6 DÍAS – 5 NOCHES    

DISFRUTA DE LOS MEJORES DESTINOS ESTE VERANO ❤️ ¡APROVECHA! CHILE TE ESPERA!✈️🇨🇱

Viaja junto a nosotros en avión desde Santiago hasta la región de Aysén y acompáñanos a recorrer el tramo sur de la Carretera Austral.

Seis días en la Patagonia chilena, donde conoceremos atractivos como las Catedrales de Mármol, Caleta Tortel, el Lago General Carrera, el Río Baker, Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo, Coyhaique, Chile Chico, Puerto Ibáñez y mucho más!

✅  Salidas desde Santiago   ✈️. ✅ Tour apto para todas las edades. ✅ “Programa Completo”: vuelos, alojamiento, alimentación, actividades incluidas.

Plan de Pago: reserva con $ 100.000 y paga el saldo en cuotas. ✅ Extra Flexibilidad para tu reserva (cambia de fecha sin costos). ✅ Viaje Grupal con guía turístico en todo momento.

EL PROGRAMA INCLUYE:

• Bienvenida en aeropuerto de Santiago y asistencia en el ingreso al vuelo.
• Pasajes aéreos Santiago – Balmaceda – Santiago, con bolso de mano y equipaje de bodega.
• 6 días y 5 noches de estadía en la Carretera Austral, Patagonia chilena.
• 2 noches de alojamiento en Puerto Tranquilo.
• 2 noche de alojamiento en Cochrane o Puerto Bertrand.
• 1 noche de alojamiento en Coyhaique.
• Alojamiento en hotel con habitación en base doble.
• Alimentación: media pensión (5 desayunos y 5 almuerzos o cenas).
• Navegación a Catedrales de Mármol.
• Visita guiada a Confluencia Baker y Neff.
• Visita a Caleta Tortel, Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo, Cochrane, Puerto Bertrand.
• Traslados terrestres en bus privado.
• Guía certificado durante todo el recorrido.
• Actividades opcionales:
• Rafting Río Baker.
• Navegación Lago Bertrand hasta Lago El Plomo.
• Navegación a Cuevas de Mármol en Puerto Sánchez.
• Consulta por tarifas y detalles con tu ejecutivo/a de ventas.

¡REVISA TODOS LOS DETALLES AQUÍ!

* TOUR APTO PARA TODAS LAS EDADES, EL FORMATO ES GRUPAL Y ESTÁ COORDINADO DE PRINCIPIO A FIN.GUÍA A CARGO EN TODO MOMENTO.

⏰❤️ ¡¡RESERVA AHORA A PRECIO REMATE SÓLO POR POCOS DÍAS!! ⛴️ 🇨🇱  

CARRETERA AUSTRAL SUR 6 días  / 5 noches. 📆11 de febrero : $595.000.- 📆12 de febrero : $655.000.- 📆14 de febrero : $695.000.- 📆18 de febrero : $795.000.- 📆25 de febrero : $795.000.- 📆11 de marzo : $695.000.- 📆18 de marzo : $695.000.- 📆22 de marzo : $695.000.- 📆01 de abril : $595.000.- 📆13 de abril : $595.000.- 📆20 de abril : $595.000.- 📆08 de mayo: $595.000.- Reserva con $ 100.000 y paga el saldo en cuotas.  📢  ✈

VIAJA SEGURO Precios por persona en habitación doble. * Niños entre 2 y 6 años tienen 20% de descuento. * Niños entre 0 y 2 años tienen 90% de descuento. ** Habitación single tiene un recargo de $ 180.000.- También se ofrece opción de compartir habitación entre pasajero / as que viajan solo / as.

POLITICAS DE ANULACIÓN

Tiempos de COVID, en caso que el pasajero decida desistir de su viaje, las condiciones de anulación son las siguientes:

  Caso 1:  En caso que el pasajero anule su viaje con 46 o más días de anticipación en relación a la fecha de salida del tour, Recorramos Chile ofrece la devolución del total de lo pagado  menos una retención de $100.000 por persona,  o la reprogramación del viaje sin multas, sólo pagando la diferencia de tarifa si la hubiere.

Caso 2:  Si el pasajero realiza la anulación de su programa con 45 o menos días de anticipación, Recorramos Chile no ofrece devolución alguna el dinero pagado o abonado, pero se otorga posibilidades de reprogramación:

– 45 a 35 días:  reprogramaciones fuera de plazo se permitirán con pago de diferencia de tarifa. Además, se exigirá el pago completo del tour en caso que exista deuda.

– 34 o menos días:  No se permiten reprogramaciones ni se realizan devoluciones de dinero, salvo casos médicos.

Conoce más sobre nuestra política de reembolso en nuestra sección  “Términos y Condiciones”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Tours en COYHAIQUE  Carretera Austral

Bienvenidos a Cantaria Austral, Tours en Coyhaique, donde la aventura se entrelaza con la preservación y la maravilla de la naturaleza. En el corazón del sur de Chile, a lo largo de la impresionante Carretera Austral, nos dedicamos a ofrecer experiencias únicas y memorables que capturan la esencia indómita y la belleza deslumbrante de esta región.

Nos enorgullecemos de guiar a viajeros intrépidos en una travesía por un paraíso natural incomparable. Nuestro punto de partida es Coyhaique, desde donde comienza un recorrido que se transforma en una odisea visual, donde cada curva revela un paisaje cautivador: bosques exuberantes que susurran secretos ancestrales, lagos cristalinos que reflejan el cielo y majestuosas montañas que se alzan imponentes en el horizonte.

¡Bienvenidos a Cantaria Austral, donde cada paso es una melodía en la sinfonía de la naturaleza! Recuerda Realizar tus reservas en nuestro numero de contacto, formulario o mediante Whats app. Cantaria Austral Tours desde Coyhaique.

CANTARIA TOURS

Capillas de Marmol

En un recorrido por la Carretera Austral de 450km (ida y regreso Coyhaique – Puerto Tranquilo), lograremos contemplar maravillosos paisajes, los cuales se disfrutan tanto en el trayecto como en cada parada fotográfica que contextualizamos con un completo relato de su entorno. VER MÁS

LAGUNA SAN RAFAEL

El tour a Laguna San Rafael comienza en Puerto Chacabuco, donde nos embarcaremos para navegar por los canales y fiordos de la Patagonia, descubriremos paisajes muy poco explorados, montañas cubiertas por bosques prístinos que al tocar el mar crean un espectáculo increíble. VER MÁS

PARQUE NAcional QUEULAT

El Parque Nacional Queulat se encuentra a 210km al Norte de la ciudad de Coyhaique, este tramo de la Carretera Austral lo recorreremos en aproximadamente 4 horas, realizando diferentes detenciones en lugares icónicos al costado del camino. VER MÁS

TERMAS EL VENTISQUERO

Las Termas del Ventisquero se encuentran a 220km al norte de la ciudad de Coyhaique. Este tramo de la Carretera Austral lo recorreremos en aproximadamente 4 horas, realizando diferentes detenciones en lugares icónicos al costado del camino. VER MÁS

TERMAS ENSENADA PÉREZ

Se encuentran ubicadas a los pies del Volcán Macá en el Fiordo Aysén, donde podrás disfrutar de un maravilloso entorno de montañas cubiertas por el frondoso Bosque Siempre Verde, característico de la zona. VER MÁS

TOUR RUTA DEl AGUA

La Ruta del Agua, es un recorrido por diferentes afluentes de la gran cuenca hídrica del Río Aysén, donde conoceremos diversidad de cascadas, ríos y miradores. Nos detendremos en la Cascada de la Virgen, entre otros atractivos. VER MÁS

LAGUNA CERRO CASTILLO

Comenzaremos nuestro recorrido en Coyhaique para dirigirnos rumbo Villa Cerro Castillo, 100km hacia el Sur por la Carretera Austral. Entre medio de este tramo tendremos una buena posibilidad de avistamientos de huemules desde la Carretera Austral. VER MÁS

PARQUE Nacional QUEULAT + TERMAS del ventisquero

CABALGATA VILLA ORTEGA

Excelente panorama de medio día a sólo 32km de la ciudad de Coyhaique. Una tranquila cabalgata junto a hermosas vistas de los ríos, bosques y montañas que rodean la bella localidad de Villa Ortega.. VER MÁS

tour ruta tehuelche

En un recorrido por la Carretera Austral hacia el Sur de Coyhaique, nos dirigiremos hacia el Paredón de las Manos, sector cercano a la Villa Cerro Castillo que cuenta con variadas pinturas rupestres, vestigios de los antepasados que habitaban estas zonas, la cultura Tehuelche o Aonikenk de huemules desde la Carretera Austral. VER MÁS

QUIENES SOMOS 

Misión y valores.

El sur de Chile, especialmente a lo largo de la Carretera Austral, es un verdadero paraíso natural. El recorrido desde Coyhaique es simplemente espectacular. La agencia Cantaria Austral ofrece una experiencia única para adentrarse en la belleza indómita de esta región.

Cantaria Austral se esfuerza por ofrecer experiencias turísticas que conecten a las personas con la naturaleza única y salvaje del sur de Chile. Su objetivo principal es proporcionar viajes transformadores que permitan a los viajeros sumergirse en la belleza natural de la Carretera Austral y sus alrededores, promoviendo el respeto y la conservación del entorno.

Estos valores y la misión reflejan el compromiso de Cantaria Austral de ofrecer experiencias turísticas significativas y respetuosas, que no solo brindan un viaje memorable, sino que también fomentan la preservación del entorno y el enriquecimiento personal de los viajeros.

Compromiso con la naturaleza

Cantaria Austral valora y respeta la belleza natural del sur de Chile, buscando promover su conservación y preservación a través de experiencias turísticas sostenibles.

Autenticidad y conexión local

Valoramos la autenticidad de los pueblos a lo largo de la Carretera Austral, promoviendo interacciones genuinas con las comunidades locales para enriquecer la experiencia del viajero.

Experiencias transformadoras

Experiencia y aventura.

Imagina iniciar el tour en coyhaique rodeado por la majestuosidad de la Cordillera de los Andes y los imponentes glaciares que se asoman en el horizonte. A medida que avanzas, te encuentras con paisajes que te dejan sin aliento: lagos de un azul profundo, bosques exuberantes y cascadas que parecen provenir de un cuento de hadas.

La Carretera Austral en sí misma es una aventura, serpenteando a través de valles, montañas y bosques vírgenes. Los pueblos a lo largo del camino ofrecen una autenticidad encantadora, donde puedes sumergirte en la cultura local y disfrutar de la calidez de su gente.

RESERVA Y CONTACTO

Dirección de correo electrónico

Servicio Servicio Capilla de Mármol Laguna Cerro Castillo Ruta del Agua Parque Queualt + Termas Termas Ventisquero Laguna San Rafael Parque Nacional Queualt

Cantidad de Personas

Rango de Fechas

ENCONTRÉMONOS

+56940716188 [email protected] [email protected]

Número de registro 63553

Edible Adventure Travel

A food based travel blog | tasting the world less travelled, comprehensive guide to the carretera austral – patagonia’s #1 road trip.

• by jasonmullin
• Posted on January 19, 2023 January 19, 2023

Patagonia calls to the adventure seeker, but the Carretera Austral seldom gets the answer. A lesser known treasure and the greatest road trip in South America, it extends from Chile’s Lake District to the unpassable Southern Patagonia Ice Field. Unspoiled, pristine nature runs for these 1240 kilometers through Chile’s wildest region. Through dense Valdivian rain forest and evergreen woodlands. Passed ancient glaciers, craggy mountains and snow capped volcanoes. Across glacial fjords and turquoise lakes. By misty hot springs, high speed rivers, marble caves and isolated communities. There is something for every adventurer and here is the guide to it all. My Ultimate Guide to the Carretera Austral.

Comprehensive Guide to the Carretera Austral

A little history on the carretera austral.

The construction began way back in 1976 under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. The idea was sparked when a territorial dispute began with Argentina and the goal was to connect remote southern communities of Chile by road. This made them more accessible relying less on Argentina as well as connecting others previously accessed solely by boat or plane.

In 1988, most of the roads opened and by 1996, the road reached Puerto Yungay. The last stretch to Villa O’Higgins was completed in 2000. The side road X-904 to Caleta Tortel was finished in 2003.

Planning Guide to the Carretera Austral

Patagonia is a place that doesn’t necessarily require a fully thought out plan, but a basic outline at the least sure goes a long way. While planning wasn’t always my forte, to do a largely self-sufficient road trip for a few weeks requires some. Aa basic outline was laid out and the next thing I knew, we were at Santiago airport and renting a Hyundai Creta. Could we have been prepared? Definitely, but no matter the plan, the Carretera Austral will probably throw a few kinks in the road. Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins, here is my Master Planning Guide to the Carretera Austral.

High season generally runs November through February. The South American summer, these months provide warmer temperatures and less rainfall. March is where things begin to taper off. Less cars on the road for hitchhiking and buses run less frequently.

Method of Travel

The limit on the Carretera Austral is really your own sense of adventure. The way in which you travel it depends entirely on the adventure you want (or can afford 😉 ). With more than one way to tackle this beast of beauty, not one of them is wrong.

Road trips in my opinion are the best way to travel. While generally more expensive, the freedom it presents is unparalleled. So for myself, it is clear. Car Rental. Econorent was the choice we made, but do your research when it comes to this. There are numerous companies so search around for deals or promotions. While we rented in Santiago, this is not the norm. The majority of travellers will rent in Puerto Montt, at the north end of the Carretera Austral.

Cost: Approximately 1500 USD with insurance for 1 month

Wicked Campers is a very popular choice as well. Known in multiple countries, they provide a range of options, most notably the camper vans with the unique murals painted on them.

For two wheels instead of four, but still with an engine, motorcyclists braving the loose gravel road were quite common as well.

Buses are a popular way to get down the Carretera Austral, but can be sporadic and not necessarily reliable. Some buses run once daily or possibly weekly. In high season this can result in full buses leaving no room for passengers at later stops especially with gear.

A good option, but I would keep hitchhiking as a plan B.

If you’re a passionate cyclist, this road would be a dream and challenge to face head on. If you don’t travel with a bike, there are rentals in Puerto Montt and ferries returning from Puerto Chacabuco.

Hitchhiking

The Carretera Austral isn’t exactly considered cheap and only gets more expensive the further south. That being said, budget travel makes hitchhiking quite prevalent here and it is a very safe area. Many people will pick up travellers for the simple payment of conversation.

Not that I’m an expert on the topic, but a few tips.

•  don’t expect this to be a speedy endeavor and get discouraged
•  make a clear sign for your destination
• solo travellers and pairs/couples are much more likely to be picked up. Pairs or groups of men may have a more difficult time
• chat among travellers at campsites and you might just score a ride

Organization is a virtue when traversing the Carretera Austral regardless of how you choose to travel. While it’s nearly impossible to think of everything needed for such an excursion, here is a packing list that that will surely help. Apart from personal bags the gear consisted of:

Tent – This isn’t vital while road tripping as there are hostels along the way. This largely was for budget as accommodation isn’t cheap and for the experience wanted. If you’re not driving and there is no guarantee you will make the next town, a tent will be key.

Sleeping Bags  – Lightweight, but be sure it is suitable for temperatures in Patagonia.

Mats – My preferred choice here is a thin inflatable “mattress” that weighs next to nothing and takes minimum space, but another option is thin, roll up sleeping pads.

Pillow – Another couple options here, there is small inflatable pillows matching the advantages of the mat. Personally, I use a plane pillow that comes nearly everywhere with me.

* A head lamp will be vital for those late night washroom breaks.

Hiking Boots – A good quality pair of hiking boots should be common sense. If you’re on the Carretera Austral, I only assume that being outdoors and hiking are a passion.

Rain Gear – This is an absolute must. Without a horse shoe shoved somewhere, there is no way rain will not be a part of this trip.

Clothing – Patagonia being known for it’s temperamental weather means you need to be prepared for anything. This stretches from a warm jacket to a swim suit. Pack quality hiking socks.

*Baby powder can be a hikers best friend for those who chafe.

*Don’t forget a small amount of environmental laundry soap for hand washing.

(first aid/ toiletry items)

While these can be bought as a kit, I’ve always built a compact kit with a minimalist in mind.

• Antiseptic wipes/cream (PolySporin)
• Non-adhesive sterile pads
• Blister Pads
• Tensor Bandage

Being overprepared can be a blessing in disguise, but also sometimes a nuisance. These items may just pull you out of an even stickier situation.

• Tow rope – for yourself or helping another or a clothes line at the least.
• Roadside tire repair kit – almost guaranteed to come in handy
• Small jerry can

‘Kitchen’ Supplies

Quite a bit can be done with the bare minimum of cooking equipment.

• Pocket rocket burner (x2)
• Camping fuel, lighter
• Small pot and omelette pan
• Paring or pocket knife
• Small plastic cutting boar
• 1 plate, bowl, fork and spoon

*Don’t forget a small amount of eco-friendly dish soap in a travel shampoo container. A dish cloth is a nice addition.

For more on simple, but good camp cooking, check out my post Camp Cooking 101 .

Groceries and Restaurants

There are a few factors at play here and it depends largely on the your plan and method of transportation. Is cooking even part of the plan? If not, there are plenty of restaurants, roadside empanada sellers and shops for on-the-go snacks. These do get increasingly more expensive and by no means does quality go up.

If the plan is camping, what equipment do you have and how much can you carry? Hitch hikers presumably have the bare minimum equipment and space. Another reason to road trip. Space in the vehicle allows for more flexibility to add a splash of “luxury” to the trip.

Groceries along with the restaurants get more expensive the farther south. Dry goods shouldn’t be a problem along the length of the Carretera, but fresh produce leaves much to be desired in many shops. Coyhaique is a great place to restock. Not only is it the biggest city on route, but is approximately half way to Villa O’Higgins.

*Another perk of a road trip – driving through Chilean wine country on the way to Puerto Montt and picking up a case… or two.

Patagonian weather is a fickle beast. It is a place where 4 seasons can be seen in a single day changing in a heartbeat. Winds can be strong and rain fierce so be prepared for anything. Volcanoes are ever-present and landslides are a possibility. All these can cause delay, detour and the closing of certain areas. Keep up to date with the weather and natural disasters as best as possible, but know that you are at their mercy.

Road Conditions

Driving the length of Carretera Austral twice, I was truly amazed by the road conditions. I really didn’t know what to expect, but definitely imagined more gravel at a barely manageable roughness. There were patches, but overall was quite impressed.

Construction is a constant along Ruta 7, so be prepared for delays and detours.

Ultimately though, be sure to drive with caution. This is an isolated area and no one wants to ruin their trip or endanger lives.

**Consistently be checking road conditions.** We stopped checking about a month prior to our departure. In that time a catastrophic landslide destroyed a large section of road south of Chaiten. This caused a bit of a rerouting issue and could have been avoided had we kept informed and booked the detour ferry ahead.

COPEC is the main gas station this far south although there is a couple others at random. Fuel is far from cheap and as with everything, only gets more expensive the further south. Filling up whenever possible is a great tip. This may seem excessive at first, but skip a gas station in the south and you may not make it to the next.

*Purchase a Ruta 7 map pamphlet at COPEC. This will indicate gas stations and be reliable when the almighty phone is not.

Accommodation

Each town along the way has hotel/guesthouse options. These can be fairly expensive for a basic room. Many accommodations can’t be booked until arriving in town, so do not fear if you can’t get a place to stay in advance.

Camping is the cheapest (and best) solution to accommodation. Campsites vary greatly in price from 4000 pesos per person to 15,000 per tent. All the campsites I stayed in seemed well maintained and made the Carretera Austral experience what it was.

*Keep an eye out for wild camping as free is very cost effective.

Money, money, money… CLP!

Currency is obviously a necessary evil of any trip and here in Chile, it is the Chilean Peso or CLP.

Unfortunately, ATMs can not be found in every town along the way and cash will be a requirement more often than not. A lot of shops and tour operators take card, but do not count on this. Be sure to withdraw a sufficient amount when possible.

Speaking Spanish

Espagnol is the language here and a hard dialect to understand from what I’m told even by native Spanish speakers. Considered by some, it is almost a different language. Either way, having some level of fluency in Spanish will make your time in Chile and Latin America much smoother.

From speaking with locals and developing a more meaningful connection to the area and it’s people to simply getting around and asking questions. Speaking or attempting a foreign language is one of the joys of travel so have fun with it.

The two most popular companies for a SIM card are Movistar and Entel. I went with Movistar which proved useful to a certain point. From the advice of Chilean travelers, Entel is the right choice with service in the more remote areas. Recharging minutes or data is a simple process and can be done at numerous convenience shops.

Wi-Fi can be found at some cafes and restaurants, but in general is unreliable. Service for data is satisfactory in most towns, but gets spotty the further south you travel.

There are multiple hiking apps out there so do your research and find one that suits you.

Maps.me is an offline map that I have found very useful in multiple situations and countries. Download before heading off as much of the trip will be spent offline. I can’t recommend this one enough.

Google Earth, Gaia GPS, iOverlander and AllTrails are a few other suggestions. With no light pollution, a star map would be fun.

Flora/Fauna

Wildlife in the wild is often hard to spot, but it is abundant. It is good to know that the largest predator is the Puma. That being said, pumas are shy and sightings are rare. If you find yourself facing one, be sure not to turn your back. Shout loudly and make yourself seem bigger.

Patagonia is home to the world’s smallest deer, the Pudu deer, as well as numerous species of birds.

Between Valdivian rainforest and evergreen woodlands, the landscape changes dramatically from Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins. While absolutely stunning, it is also host to numerous wild edibles along the way which shouldn’t be missed. El Calafate and Chaura berries to name a couple.

Check out my post ­ Foraging Patagonia for more wild foods.

The Carretera Austral

Puerto montt to hornopiren.

2.5 – 3 hrs/106 km

Car, bike or bag packed, it’s time to hit the road. Heading for the waterfront, the number 7 highway awaits. While this is technically where the Carretera Austral begins, I personally consider it the introduction of what is to come.

Before reaching the isolation of the mountains, civilization is still ever-present. Small coastal villages round the waters edge. The atmosphere reminds me of what I would expect when I see old European travel ads about the Mediterranean. Busy, overcrowded and umbrellas everywhere. Vehicles spilled out onto the road as people battled for spots. Luckily, I was just passing through, as the world was left behind.

About 20 minutes after the town of Lenca is the first ferry. Short and sweet, but an idea of what to get used to in the coming days. Once across the Reloncavi Estuary it is another short 10 minutes or so to Contao. It is here the highway turns inland toward Hornopiren.

What to do in Hornopiren

Shortly before arriving in town there is Pichicolo Thermal Baths. Have a nice soak to loosen up before this journey truly gets underway.

Hornopiren town has small hotels, restaurants and grocery. Camping is an option with plenty of choices around. The small town is otherwise known for Hornopiren National Park. The area boasts many trails through the forest under the watchful eye of the nearby volcano.

While hopefully nothing is wrong with the vehicle yet, it’s a good time to get in the habit of checking tires and filling up on gas. The next gas station is in Chaiten.

Hornopiren to Chaiten

4 – 5 hrs/135 km

To continue south head towards the ferry port. The boats leave at 10:30 am daily and requires advanced booking. Also, be sure to print those tickets as they must be presented for boarding approximately 2 hours prior. The first ferry will take 3 hrs.

From Leptepu it’s a short 25 minute drive between transit stations to Fiordo Largo. The next ferry takes about 50 minutes straight to Caleta Gonzalo.

The prices varies depending on your mode of transport. The cost of a vehicle with 2 passengers will be approximately 40, 000 CLP.

For more information, up to date prices, times, delays and purchasing be sure to check out Somarco .

Caleta Gonzalo to Chaiten

Drive off the ferry and into Parque Pumalin. This National Park is not only a stunningly beautiful area of land, but it has a special story as well. Created by the vision of Douglas Tompkins with his conservational ethics and love of Patagonia, Parque Pumalin is now a nature sanctuary with over 400, 000 hectares.

This hour long stretch of road was my first true taste of the Carretera Austral as I ferried over from Quellon, Chiloe to Chaiten. In the process of being paved, the majority was loose gravel with pot holes galore lending that more authentic back country vibe. (You will appreciate paved road when you are done here.)

Climbing the once considered dormant Volcan Chaiten is the main draw here, but there are numerous other trails, waterfalls, hot springs and lakeside camping.

For a much more in depth look into the area, check out my post What to do in Chaiten , which covers where to stay and eat as well.

Chaiten to Futaleufu

3 – 4 hrs/151 km

Split into two parts, Futaleufu requires a bit of a detour heading towards Argentina. Villa Santa Lucia is the junction to turn off the Carretera Austral and head east oh Highway 235.

Chaiten to Villa Santa Lucia

The southern entrance or exit in this case to Parque Pumalin is about 20 minutes out of town. There is a small junction leading to a sparsely used hot spring. Treat yourself and stop in at Termas el Amarillo after hiking Volcan Chaiten. It’s perfect for a morning soak with cabanas for lunch before carrying on.

Parque Pumalin behind, the road is beautifully paved and leads into a valley with a devastating recent history. In December of 2017, a massive landslide destroyed much of Villa Santa Lucia along with 2 km of road and left 16 casualties in its wake.

At this time there was an emergency ferry from Chaiten to Port Raul Marin Balmaceda. This was a 7 hour ferry with an additional 3 hours of rough road to get back on track to the Carretera Austral. While the road is reopened, there may still be some gravel and construction.

The company that provided the free emergency ferry was Naviera Austral .

While this particular road block is no longer an issue, I thought I’d mention it as Patagonia can be unpredictable with natural disasters. If planning a trip, be sure to constantly check up on road conditions and issues throughout the area. It will no doubt help make a smoother journey.

Villa Saint Lucia to Futaleufu

2 – 3 hrs/76 km

Turning towards the Argentinian border, the next couple hours consist of true back country roads. Winding through the forested mountainside on pot hole ridden gravel doesn’t make for the smoothest drive, but the scenery makes up for what the road is lacking. The thunderous roar of the Futaleufu River can be heard from the road as the final warning for those about to raft it.

What to Do in Futaleufu

Sitting on the edge of Laguna Espejo, the streets run in a simple grid pattern making it easy to navigate. The town proper has the setting of a quaint European ski village tucked into the mountains. The main difference other than this is South America is that the main attraction here is rafting.

Known as one of the best places in the world to white water raft, Futaleufu boasts a growing adventure tourism industry. This includes fishing, hiking trails, mountain biking and cayoning making it a perfect spot for the adrenaline junkie as well as those who want to relax in pristine nature.

For rafting on the mighty Futaleufu River and more, check out Patagonia Elements .

*Before making the journey, be sure to keep up to date with river conditions. Higher than average water levels caused many cancellations throughout the season.

Recommended Campsite – Camping El Amigo Patagon

Futaleufu to Queulat Nacional Parque

4 – 5 hrs/212km

Futaleufu to Puyuhuapi

3.5 – 4 hrs/189 km

Backtrack to Villa Santa Lucia and turn left back onto the Carretera Austral, heading further south. The road here will be a reprieve as it has been paved in recent years. In less than a hour, the valley widens just before coming to La Junta.

La Junta is a small town largely based around ranching, there is little to stop for other than necessities.

(La Junta was more of a landmark for myself, as the turning point to Port Raul Marin Balmaceda was here for the emergency ferry. This was only necessary due to the road closures as stated above, but the side road, X-12, was an incredibly beautiful drive.)

45 minutes further south along the edge of Lago Risopatron, Puyuhuapi appears. This is a common stop for the hitchhikers of the Carretera Austral with plenty of lodging and food in town. The  Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa is another common pit stop for some. Isolated on the northern end of the fjord, it is only a short boat ride from town. If you are looking for some R&R before hitting the trails further, this is the place to do it.

Puyuhuapi to Queulat National Park

30 min/24 km

Who isn’t always amazed the size, age and lifelike qualities of glaciers. Especially when they are gravity defying, hanging glaciers. The hike into Queulat National Park is one that simply can’t be missed and is directly on route, not too mention a great spot to camp for the night.

Alternatively, return to Puyuhuapi for the night or make a late drive towards Coyhaique (not recommended).

Queulat National Park

There are a few short trails through the park but the main and longest is Sendero Ventisquero Colgante. The park closes at 5pm so depending on your arrival is whether or not hiking the same day is an option.

Distance: Roundtrip, the 3.3 km trail takes approximately 2.5 – 3 hours plus time spent gazing at the glacier. Another option is a 30 minute boat ride towards the glacier costing 6000 CLP.

Entrance Fee: 8000 CLP

Camping: 5000 CLP

*all fees are per person

Queulat to Coyhaique

4 – 4.5 hrs/214 km

Queulat – Villa Amengual

2 hrs/69 km

Leaving the hanging glacier behind, it isn’t long before the beautiful paved road is left behind as well for a little while. This next section is one of those more precarious bits. Tracing the edge of the fjordal inlet, to the mouth of the Rio Queulat, the road quickly takes its steepest incline with a total of 21 switchbacks.

The Queulat Pass is one of the toughest sections of the drive and I can only imagine for the cyclists. The mountain road is steep, covered in loose gravel with ample pot holes. The corners are blind and the locals, the world over, tend to drive a little wild in their own backyard. That said, simply be cautious.

Descending from the height of the pass, take a break and reward yourself with a hike into the Enchanted Forest. A short 3.5 km trail through an evergreen forest leading to a viewpoint with unobstructed views of the glacier and small lake that it feeds.

Another handful of kilometers and the smoothness of pavement returns at the fork in the road. Keep left unless Puerto Cisnes (32 km) is on the agenda. The Rio Cisnes leads the majority of the way until reaching Villa Amengual.

Villa Amengual – Coyhaique

2 – 2.5 hrs/145 km

This section of road all the way to Cerro Castillo is probably my favourite on the whole route. I say probably, because ultimately, it is hard to choose.

Immediately after leaving Villa Amengual, there is yet another fork. Keep right this time, as left leads to the Argentinian border. Inside the untouched and pristine Lago Las Torres National Reserve, there is minimal to no infrastructure here. The route cuts through a short section on the west side of the reserve while closely flirting with the edge of Lago de Las Torres itself.

About twenty minutes before reaching Villa Maniguales, the road exits the rainforest into a semi-cultivated valley of fields, pasture and patches of forest. It is here that the landscape begins to change dramatically. The transition is quite vast in a short 200 km, where northern Patagonia becomes southern.

From here until Coyhaique, the landscape bounces back and forth between agriculture amidst the most amazing spiked backdrop and patches of lush forest. Before reaching Coyhaique though, there is a choice to be made. Eleven minutes south of Villa Maniguales another fork awaits. Left or right?

Right is the suggested route veering away from ruta 7 and onto X-50. This route is a touch longer by distance, but the paved road provides a faster travel time. Keeping on the Carretera Austral is the path less travelled, but this whole road trip is kind of just that!

What was once a small agricultural town, has now grown to be the largest city in the south of Chile. Nestled in between the Rio Simpson and Rio Coyhaique, there isn’t much to do here necessarily within the city. It seemed more of a hub for nearby adventure travel. Tours launch from here whether it be day hikes, trekking, world class fly fishing or horse back riding.

For the roadtripper, Coyhaique is the ideal place to restock on supplies. Groceries, gear and in my case, tire repairs. Take advantage of the amenities and treat yourself after roughing it. There are plenty of hotel and Airbnb options for a proper rest and restaurant choices for a good meal. In the morning get breakfast at a café and stop by the handicraft market across from the Plaza de Armas.

Coyhaique to Villa Cerro Castillo

1.5 hrs/96 km

Leaving Coyhaique, the first half of the drive is through the fertile Simpson Valley. Turning right at the junction shortly after El Blanco, Cerro Castillo National Park awaits.

The hills roll into mountains and snow capped peaks loom to either side of the pass. Exiting the park, Cerro Castillo stands tall to the right, while ahead the road snakes into a series of switchbacks. The view is worth staring at briefly before continuing the last 10 minutes to town.

The trail head closes at 1 pm, so if you get a late start out of Coyhaique, hiking the same day may not be an option. That said, set up camp, relax and prepare for an early morning climb.

Recommended Campsite: Camping La Araucaria

This campground has a few options from pitch your own tent to private bunk houses. Shared washrooms and a large indoor dining area, they also offer horseback riding with the many animals on property. Villa Cerro Castillo is small and easy to walk around with a handful of dinner options.

Hiking Cerro Castillo

Directly across from the junction of Ruta 7 and O’Higgins is a small gravel road that leads across the river to the trailhead parking and toll booth. This was my personal favourite hike I got to do during my time in Patagonia.

Length: Approximately 5 km one way *primarily uphill*

Time: 5.5 hour + time spent at the laguna/viewpoints

Cost: 10, 000 CLP

Check out my post on the Cerro Castillo Day Hike for a more in depth look.

Cerro Castillo to Puerto Rio Tranquilo

2.5 – 3 hrs/121 km

I hope you enjoyed that last stretch of very smooth asphalt leading into Villa Cerro Castillo. Now forget it. The rest of the way is gravel and this next section in particular was especially sh!#@y. The gravel is loose and the pot holes are constant. If it’s dry, dust clouds fill the air and if it’s wet, mud swamps the tires.

Once you can see the glacial blue of Lago General Carrera, there will be a sign for the lake and small area to pull over. A beautiful view and well deserved break. 30 minutes following the lake and you’ll be on the main strip of Puerto Rio Tranquilo.

Puerto Rio Tranquilo

A seasonal lakeside town, Puerto Rio Tranquilo largely closes it’s doors in the off season. On the flipside as the base for the famous Catedral de Marmol, it can become quite flooded with tourists in high season. There are camping and hotel options, but it may require some looking around or advanced booking.

For a pint and plate of amazing chorrillanas, pop into the Cerveceria Rio Tranquilo.

Marble Caves

Directly across from the COPEC gas station, there are a couple buildings selling tours to the Marble Caves. There are both boat and kayak options. The benefit of the kayak is being able to explore up close where as the boats are more limited.

Alternatively, drive 10 minutes south of town to Puerto Marmol, Bahia Mansa. Tours can also be booked here and is closer to the Marble Caves. I heard that they are cheaper from here, but cannot vouch for that myself.

Laguna San Rafael National Park

Getting to the glacier is a journey in itself. Down a long rugged road and accessible only by boat, it is said to be one of the most impressive glaciers to watch.

There is also a day hike to Glacier Exploradores that can be arranged in town. The route takes you to the receding edge of the glacier where with crampons you can experience walking on the ice and newly formed ice caves.

Puerto Rio Tranquilo to Caleta Tortel

5 – 5.5 hrs/239 km

Puerto Rio Tranquilo to Cochrane

2.5 hr/114 km

Wrapping around the south western edge of Lago General Carrera, the road forks. Turn right to remain on the #7. The turquoise glacial water of the Rio Baker will show you the way to the cow town of Cochrane and ultimately Caleta Tortel. Left at the junction traces the southern edge of the lake leading to Chile Chico. (discussed in Alternate Routes)

The roads are loose gravel of mediocre quality, but this is an upgrade from the previous section. The vistas are extraordinary while the landscape is clearly more stunted of growth with barren peaks more dramatic on the horizon.

There is little to do in Cochrane other than visiting Tamango National Reserve. The trails and scenery can be worth the stop. Alternatively, it acts as a sufficient pit stop for gas and lunch.

Cochrane to Caleta Tortel

2.5 – 3 hrs/125 km

Settling into the gravel roads, a few drops of rain was actually a reprieve, helping to keep the dust down. The roads are a touch narrow, but the traffic is nearly nonexistent at this point. For a short time, the road leaves the Rio Baker. Shortly after being reunited with the countries largest river, turn onto road X-904. In 45 minutes of tracing the last length of the Rio Baker to its estuary where it meets the Pacific, the road comes to a dead end parking lot. From this point it may look deceiving, like a simple roadside attraction, but don’t be fooled. This is the entrance to Caleta Tortel.

Caleta Tortel

Welcome to the boardwalk empire of Caleta Tortel. Looking over the stilted town, I thought I’d discovered a hidden cove, the headquarters of the underbelly for the pirate world. I swear it came out of a movie like Pirates of the Caribbean.

Accessed only by boat up until 2003 with the completion of the Carretera Austral and X-904, this fishing village is still new to the tourism world. Parking at the top of town, one must meander their way down the wooden staircases to the bay and into town. The pathways stretch for kilometers snaking along the steep rock walls this town is built on.

Accommodation is minimal as tourism is just picking up steam. There are a handful of little restaurants and homestays as well as camping options. Tours are offered in the area such as a boat trip to the mysterious Isla de los Muertos or to the Patagonian ice fields with a handful of hiking trails in the area as well.

Caleta Tortel to Villa O’Higgins

6 – 7 hrs/154 km

Caleta Tortel to Puerto Yungay

1.5 hrs/43 km

Retracing the Rio Baker back to the #7, turn right and continue south. This is the final section of the mighty Carretera Austral. In 20 kilometers, Puerto Yungay appears with a small section of pavement.

The short 1 hour ferry across the fjord runs a few times daily and is free to board on foot or wheels. This is probably the biggest concentration of vehicles you will see until reaching Villa O’Higgins. Be sure to check the ferry schedule to avoid wait times.

Embarcadero Barcaza Rio Bravo – Villa O’Higgins

3 – 4 hrs/102 km

This is one of the longest sections with almost nothing in between. If you didn’t get gas in Caleta Tortel, be sure to at the gas station just off the ferry. Literally carved from the mountains, the road is narrow and rough with embedded rocks that could fall anytime. Drive with caution.

Waterfalls sporadically burst from the craggy rock face as the road hugs the mountains to the right. Reaching Lago Cisnes means the end is near. Rounding the western and southern side of the lake with stunning views the road crosses the Rio Mayer and loops back into Villa O’Higgins.

Villa O’Higgins

You made it!!! The Carretera Austral, one of the world’s best road trips is complete… Well technically, the road finishes about 7 kilometers south of town ;). It may not be the end of the world, but it sure gives off that vibe.

Now you are here and what to do? Relax for a day and soak up the snow capped surroundings and wander around the town. You deserve it. As always through these mountains there are numerous hiking trails in the area as well as the option to get on the water in a kayak.

The biggest attraction is Glacier O’Higgins. Unfortunately, when I arrived in Villa O’Higgins there were no tours available. This was due to maintenance on the boat, but weather can play a factor as well. The full day tour takes about 12 hours stopping at Candelario Mancilla both to and from Glacier O’Higgins. Robinson Crusoe and Villa O’Higgins Expediciones are the only two operating.

For current information on delays, schedules, prices and booking check out these two links.

• Robinson Crusoe
• Villa O’Higgins Expediciones

Recommened Camping: Camping Los Nires: 5000 CLP per person. On the righthand side of the main road shortly after entering town.

Spacious tent area with ample trees (Look carefully. You might find a rare wild mushroom!). The lounge indoor fire and cooking facilities are perfect for relaxing and warming the bones.

Alternate/Onward Routes

Quellon to chaiten.

This is actually the route I took deciding to explore Chiloe Island. There is a ferry just outside of Puerto Montt to the northern tip of the Chiloe. Heading to the Carretera Austral, there is ferries from both Castro and Quellon to Chaiten. For more information on Chiloe, check out my itinerary post, 3 Days on Chiloe .

Ferry Price: 95, 000 CLP per vehicle, 17, 000 CLP per person (available 3 days a week)

Check out the website Naviera Austral to book this ferry.

Bariloche to Futaleufu

5 – 6 hrs/358 km

If travelling down the Argentinian side, perhaps from Mendoza to Bariloche and onward to some of the Carretera Austral, then this is your border crossing. Futaleufu sits only 15 minutes (10 km) from the border and starts Chile off with a rush of white water rafting.

There is also a border crossing north of Bariloche. This will lead to Osorno, Chile, north of Puerto Montt.

Puerto Rio Tranquilo to Chile Chico

3 – 4 hrs/164 km

Many people with vehicles and bikes often go this route. Instead of finishing the Carretera Austral in its entirity, trace the south side of Lago General Carrera leading to Chile Chico. This crosses into Argentina approximately 10 hours north of El Chalten.

Villa O’Higgins to El Chalten

This route is popular among hitch hikers and trekkers. Following through to the end of the Carretera Austral leaves you seemingly stuck in Villa O’Higgins. Instead of backtracking, board the boat across Lago O’Higgins to Candelario Mancilla Border Crossing. Here, there is camping and the immigration into Argentina.

There is also camping on the Argentinian side at Lago del Desierto Punta Norte. The option here is to get another ferry across the lake to the bus that leaves for El Chalten or save money and hike around the lake to the bus departure point.

The border is open from November 1st to April 30th, and boats may not always be on schedule due to weather or repairs.

Carretera Austral Conclusion

The moment the mountains disappear becoming a flat horizon is the very moment the longing for Patagonia begins. This is a symptom of visiting one of the most outrageously beautiful regions in the world. Wild and raw is a description that resonates with few locations, but the Carretera Austral owns it. It is one of the great road trips of the continent, if not the world and paves itself into your mind and soul. Don’t miss out on the adventure of a lifetime that leaves you exhausted and refreshed.

I’ve played in to the myth that if you eat an El Calafate berry that you will inevitably return to Patagonia and I’ve been slowly driving my way back since the day I left.

I hope this Guide to the Carretera Austral helps you in the most epic road trip. Let me know any thoughts on the Carretera Austral in the comments below.

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from edible adventure travel.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• Huasco Valley
• San Pedro de Atacama
• Elqui Valley
• Antofagasta
• Limarí – Fray Jorge National Park
• Bahía Inglesa
• Alto El Loa
• La Serena and Coquimbo
• Copiapó Valley
• Tagua Tagua – Almahue Valley
• Alto Colchagua Universidad Glacier 
• Cachapoal Valley
• Portillo Ski Resort
• Pirque and Maipo Valley
• Aconcagua Valley
• Valle Nevado Ski Resort
• El Colorado Ski Resort
• Curicó Valley
• Maule Valley
• San Antonio/Leyda Valley
• Colchagua Valley and Santa Cruz
• Casablanca Valley
• Viña del Mar
• Cajón del Maipo
• Robinson Crusoe Island
• Rancagua and Sewell
• La Parva Ski Resort
• Rano Raraku
• Llanquihue Lake
• Chillan Ski Resort
• Puerto Montt
• Osorno and Puyehue
• Valdivia and Corral
• Pucón and Villarrica
• Panguipulli
• Temuco and Lago Budi
• Arauco Territory
• Puerto Varas
• Chilean Antarctic Destination
• General Carrera Lake
• Tierra del Fuego
• Coyhaique and Puerto Aysén

Carretera Austral

• Torres del Paine
• Puerto Natales
• Punta Arenas
• Family recreation
• Coastal beaches
• Lakeside Beaches
• Hot Springs
• Spa and relaxation
• Patagonian cruises
• Lake sailing
• International cruises
• Visits to observatories
• Astronomical facilities
• Indigenous Peoples and Ethnotourism
• World Heritage Sites
• Archaeology
• Paleontology
• Poetry and Literature
• Typical gastronomy
• Gastronomy of the world
• Hiking y trekking
• Skiing and snowboarding
• Mountainbike
• Horseback Riding
• Mountain and rock climbing
• Sport fishing
• Kitesurfing and water sports
• Ice walking
• Overland 4×4
• Paragliding and aerial sports
• Wildlife watching
• Landscape photography
• National Parks
• Bird Watching

More than 1,200 kilometers of natural beauty await you on this scenic Patagonian Route, unique in the world. The Austral Highway enchants all those who visit it by car or bicycle with pristine landscapes and an air that only those lucky enough to know this route can breathe. Possessing an enormous diversity of landscapes, it is ideal to enjoy adventure sports. Go rafting on the Futaleufú River or get to know the corners of this place touched by a magic wand with one of the many trekking routes that exist in this Green Patagonia. Combine your trip with a visit to the glaciers that enhance one of the last corners of the world and be amazed by Caleta Tortel, a town with characteristic cypress walkways. On the Carretera Austral, get to know a piece of paradise.

Find information on how to get to this destination

Explore the charms Carretera Austral

Almost untouched by man, these warm rainforest lands were declared a Nature Sanctuary. Walk along its paths designed for long journeys, go trekking and canyoning on its fjords and camp at the foot of isolated secret waterfalls.

Visit the Michimauda Volcano on horseback and go deeper into its lush larch forests through the paths and wooden bridges scattered around this magical place. Keep your eyes peeled, because the park is home to a large number of birds, from herons and flamingos to mighty condors.

Enjoy a day at the Puyuhuapi hot springs and enjoy how your body feels young again. With this new energy, explore the exotic forests of the area on horseback, or by trekking or even sailing along its pristine rivers.

With German influenced architecture, walk along its streets and see the wooden buildings which give the town a unique touch. Known for its handmade weaving work, don’t forget to get a souvenir made with local materials.

A place where the trees seem to submerge between fjords and channels, where the so-called evergreen forest is born. That is Queulat National Park. Let yourself be enchanted by the perfection of the Hanging Glacier, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls that seduce and provide a space of contemplation to enjoy the calm of these landscapes. If adventure is your thing, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy water sports such as kayaking and rafting and then relax in the area’s warm hot springs!

Located in the middle of the Andes, Futaleufú, in Mapuche, means “big river”. A true paradise for extreme sports, this river is considered among the three best rivers for kayaking and rafting in the world. Are you up to the challenge?

If you want more relaxed activities, you can walk or bike around the paths of the Futaleufu National Reserve, which protects two incredibly important species of the area: the Andean Cypress and the shy huemul, an endemic deer which is also Chile’s national animal.

Navigable from mountain to sea, it is the perfect place for sport fishing. Get on a cataraft or a jet boat and go see the huge Chinook salmon, each one of these living trophies can weigh more than 15 kilos.

Walk along its long beaches and sail to the Las Hermanas islets. You’ll be amazed by the large number of sea lions and birds that nest in this place. Peale’s dolphins, which follow the boats, jumping around and showing off, will charm you. Also, take a good look at the virgin forests along its shores.

A lakeside route with amazing landscapes, the mountains that surround the lakes are reflected in the water providing unforgettable sights. Pack your fishing rod because these waters are known for being a fly-fishing and wade-fishing paradise.

Home to evergreen forests, their shores are great for walks, horseback riding tours and camping in the woods. If comfort is what you are after, you’ll be amazed by the kindness of its people and the delicious local food served directly in their homes.

Known as the city of walkways, Tortel invites you to walk the seven and a half kilometers of platforms, bridges, and stairs built in cypress wood that interconnect the different areas of this picturesque place, declared a Typical Zone for its architecture and lifestyle. Also visit Villa O’Higgins, the last town on the Carretera Austral and an attractive place to rest. Enjoy fly fishing, mountain climbing or simply be enchanted by the ranch life. After a few days of leisure, you will not want to return to the big urban centers.

Destinations > South America > Argentina

Cycling Chile’s Carretera Austral: Guide to the Wild Southern Half

The Carretera Austral, an evocative Spanish translation of “Southern Highway,” is a staggeringly beautiful adventure through rural Patagonia in southern Chile. The full route stretches roughly 770 miles (1240 km) from Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins, growing wilder and more remote as it plunges southward. It’s THE premier Patagonia cycling route, and for good reason.

Though popular with roadtripping overlanders and hitchhiking backpackers, the Carretera Austral has much to offer intrepid cyclists as well. You’ll wild camp beside rushing rivers, marvel at one glacier-capped peak after another, and soak up views of lakes so bright blue they can hardly be real. There were times I cycled around a bend in the road and literally just stopped in my tracks to gawk.

You’ll also – unless you’re a true beast on two wheels – push your bike up some steep hills. You’ll fall down in loose gravel and struggle against the occasional wicked headwind. More cars than you’d like will pass you closer than you’d prefer, at least in the high season. You’ll be dusty, wet, hot, cold, and tired, sometimes all in the same day. But as you leave the Carretera behind, feeling strong and rugged and a bit feral, you’ll look back and see nothing but epic adventure.

At least that’s how it was for me.

What’s in this guide

This is a brain dump of everything I learned about the Carretera Austral that might help someone else plan their trip, or decide whether this route is right for them. When my friend and I needed to plan carefully to make sure the route fit our timeline, we found relatively few resources online to help. So I’m going to add another in hopes of helping other travelers in the future.

It’s a massive post, but I’ve tried to organize it into sections for everything from food and camping to bike setups to ferries. At the end there’s a day-by-day itinerary to help anyone still trying to get a sense of the daily experience, but note that we skipped 200 km, so don’t plan to do the whole route based on our timeline!

Route overview

Heading south, the southern half of the Carretera Austral starts in Coyhaique, a convenient town with everything you need. The route begins with a misleadingly smooth 100 km of pavement (albeit with plenty of climbing). The mood changes drastically a few km south of the small town of Villa Cerro Castillo, where the road turns to ripio (Spanish for gravel) and doesn’t turn back until the end of the route. The views are amazing and only keep getting better as the road winds through river valleys and forests. The gravel at times is quite bad but it will get better.

Near the towns of Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Cochrane there are gorgeous, huge, bright blue lakes. Stop in Cochrane and stock up on food, it’ll be several days before you see a town again. South of Cochrane the traffic becomes lighter and the terrain is initially dry. The scenery continues to astound, eventually transitioning to lush forest and more rivers.

Plenty of climbing and descending brings you to the first of three boat crossings at Puerto Yungay. From here it’s a day or two with some formidable climbs to Villa O’Higgins, the official end of the Carretera Austral. However, most cyclists continue for another 2-4 days across two lakes, beautiful and quieter roads, and an epic section of no-mans-land into Argentina to finish at the hiking mecca of El Chaltén.

Good company and a tight schedule

I cycled the southern half of the Carretera with a friend in February 2019. After so much solo travel I was excited to finally have a badass female friend to go with. We started in Coyhaique, Chile and rode south, finishing in El Chalten , Argentina . Technically the Carretera Austral ends at the ferry crossing at Lago O’Higgins, but like many cyclists we added the exciting extension of the border crossing into Argentina.

My friend was on a tight schedule so we compressed this trip – which would ideally take around 3 weeks, more if you want to do some sidetrips – into only ten riding days in order to make her flight. I don’t exactly recommend this… But it’s possible, and was totally worth it. We managed this only by skipping 200 km using vehicles and some very precise planning, which I’ll explain below.

My schedule wasn’t quite as constrained as my friend’s, so after she went home I continued riding solo south to Ushuaia . What a contrast!

Why the southern half

Given our tight timeline, we obviously only had time for one half or the other. We chose the southern half, despite its complexity and challenges, for its rugged and remote reputation. A good portion of the northern half has been paved which makes for smooth riding, but hundreds of kilometers of gravel on the southern half beckoned to our inner adventurers. We ended up getting what we came for, both the good and the challenging.

What type of bike tour is the Carretera Austral?

My only other long bicycle tour prior to this was in Southeast Asia, and cycling in Patagonia turned out to be pretty much the exact opposite.

Southeast Asia was full of curious people, confusing interactions, cultural differences, language barriers, cheap guesthouses, noodle soup in shabby roadside stalls… In other words, that delightful overwhelm and confusion that many of us associate with travel in developing countries.

Patagonia was more about camping, dealing with weather, and enjoying the beautiful wild outdoors in relative peace and quiet. It felt kind of like a hiking trip on wheels.

Patagonia’s biggest highlights for me:

• Amazing scenery
• Remote and wild feeling
• Peaceful, no big towns or cities to navigate

Patagonia’s biggest challenges:

• More traffic than expected
• Sections of bad gravel road
• Fast-changing and sometimes extreme weather (heat, cold, rain, wind)

Which direction to ride the Carretera Austral?

A majority of cyclists ride the Carretera Austral north to south. Why?

• Wind. Supposedly the wind more commonly blows toward the south. Especially for cyclists on a more extended trip including the windy Argentine plains, that makes a difference.
• Increasing remoteness: It makes a nice progression to start on busier paved roads and finish by dragging your bicycle through forest singletrack. The increasing remoteness when heading southward feels very satisfying and adventurous.
• Ferries: heading south, the ferries come at the end of the route. I don’t know for sure but I think it’s probably easier to book them coming from Villa O’Higgins than from El Chalten. We met one woman who had been stranded on the southern end of Lago O’Higgins for five days eating mostly bread and jam due to bad weather and cancelled ferries. Backtracking would have been arduous. But coming from the north you are in the town of Villa O’Higgins where it would be much more pleasant to wait for a ferry.

That said, we passed many hardy northbound cyclists, most headed for points much farther north in South America. It definitely can be done.

Weather and best time to go

I suppose it’s possible any time of year with the right gear and mindset, but most people visit Patagonia in the southern hemisphere summer: mid-November to late-March.

It’s certainly possible to go earlier (in spring) or later (in fall), but be prepared for nights that dip below freezing and days that top out in the fifties (Fahrenheit). The ferries and buses run less frequently, so you’ll need a flexible schedule or careful planning. On the bright side, prices may be lower, lodging in town easier to find, and there will be fewer cars and people around.

Even in summer, Patagonia is not exactly a hot place. Some sunny afternoons are hot enough for a t-shirt and shorts, but all it takes is some cloud cover or a bit of wind and you’ll be reaching for a jacket and long pants. I spent a lot of time feeling cold on the second half despite having good gear (though I naturally run colder than most people).

The one consistent thing about weather in Patagonia is that it’s never consistent. Expect several season’s worth of weather in a single day, and dress in convenient layers. Our rain gear and warm layers were often bungeed to our rear racks for easy access, and we made a lot of stops for putting on and removing layers. With the changeable weather and short hills, it often felt like all day was spent alternating between too hot and too cold.

Getting to and from the start and finish

Coyhaique (balmaceda airport).

For some reason this place was the hardest to pronounce of anywhere on the trip. It’s not “coy-haw-kway” like we thought. It’s more like “coy- yay -kay.”

The small airport here is in Balmaceda, 56 km from Coyhaique. There are several flights each day from Santiago, not too expensive. From the airport you can get a shuttle that will drop you and your bike box at a specific address for 5000-10000 pesos. Apparently you can also walk outside and find a much cheaper bus, but it drops off at a bus station so you may then need a taxi. Cycling from the airport would certainly be possible if you have the energy, but I was tired from 24 hours of air travel.

Related : How to Fly With Your Bicycle

Coyhaique seems a bit scruffy on the outskirts but has a surprisingly polished and touristy center. You can get everything you need in the few blocks near the main square: food (Unimarc supermarket is popular), SIM cards for all major carriers, fuel canisters for camp stoves, ATMs and foreign exchange houses, and even a selection of basic bicycle parts. We ran all our errands in just a few hours.

Do you need to go to Coyhaique? Being short on time, we debated this, since Coyhaique is 40 km in the wrong direction from the junction with the Carretera. Could we just head south to Villa Cerro Castillo and make do there? In hindsight, I’m glad we both went to Coyhaique as it was a nice place to begin the trip and it was so easy to get everything we needed there. It’s also the best place to fix anything that may have gone wrong with your bike during transit. Villa Cerro Castillo is tiny by comparison, with no bike shops. It does have a small grocery shop and I think I saw fuel canisters there, but the selection is certainly limited and it’s doubtful they have SIM cards or money exchange / ATMs.

• Villa O’Higgins

If you choose to finish your ride in Villa O’Higgins at the official end of the Careterra Austral, I believe there are buses that return north to Coyhaique. We didn’t inquire since we were continuing to El Chaltén, but I remember reading online that they may not run every day and may get fully booked in high season. This option might work best if you have a couple days to sort it out once you arrive in town.

El Chaltén (El Calafate airport)

Most cyclists continue across the border to Argentina and finish in El Chaltén. I certainly recommend it, as it’s the most remote stretch of the route and one of the most beautiful. It does require some careful ferry coordination and a bigger budget, which I’ll get into below.

The nearest airport to El Chaltén is 215 km away in El Calafate, from which there are regular flights to Buenos Aires.

When we were in El Chaltén in February there seemed to be multiple buses to El Calafate each day, throughout the day. My friend ended up taking a very early one, 6am I believe, with her boxed bike. She also got really lucky asking at the bus station about where she could find a bike box; they had one there! Apparently they keep the ones discarded by cyclists who arrive on the bus, so definitely ask at the bus terminal if you need a bike box in El Chaltén.

If you would like to bike to or from El Calafate airport and prefer dirt to fast traffic, check out this inconspicuous off-pavement route sent by reader Can. Note that there are a few barbed wire fences to cross, and the route is unpaved, much like an old 4×4 track.

Transportation along the Carretera Austral

If you want/need to skip a section of the route (like we did for timing reasons), is it possible? The answer is yes, but you probably can’t plan it in advance and hopefully you speak a little Spanish.

There are buses that head south along the Carretera, but it’s hard to find schedules online. We still don’t know the full story, but here’s what we noticed:

• From Coyhaique, several buses head south in the morning each day but they were all booked by the afternoon prior
• From Puerto Rio Tranquilo, a couple buses per day head south, leaving between noon – 2pm.

I would guess Cochrane and Villa Cerro Castillo are other possible places to catch buses, but we didn’t investigate.

It was easy enough to get the bikes into the bus luggage hold, but we did have to politely insist (driver first said there wasn’t room) and remove front wheels. Expect to pay extra for bikes, potentially as much as half the price of your ticket. It’s your job to help load them and pad the important parts to ensure everything still works after hours of bumpy roads.

If the bus doesn’t work out for you, it’s pretty common to hitchhike along the Careterra, but not as easy as just sticking your thumb out to the first car that passes. You may have to be very patient, very lucky, or have a very obvious mechanical problem in order to get picked up.

Another option, if your budget allows, is to pay a local for a ride. Most people in this region have big cars or pickup trucks. If you’re in a transportation-related bind try asking owners of hostels, campgrounds, or restaurants if they know anyone interested in driving you for a fee.

Road Conditions

The Spanish word for gravel is “ripio” and you will come to know it well. As of early 2019 the first ripio on the southern half began 13km south of Villa Cerro Castillo, and they were extending it southward literally as we rode by the roadwork crew. That means your first 108 km or more from Coyhaique will be on smooth paved road, which is very misleading. Looking back, that first day and half feels almost like a totally different trip.

The first day of ripio was actually the worst, with deep rocky gravel and a killer headwind. Things were not looking promising. But after a while conditions improved and we had some stretches of good smooth-ish hardpack, especially south of Cochrane.

In general the road conditions varied a lot with bad stretches including deep gravel, soft dirt, and bone-rattling corrugation. They are constantly working on the road so I imagine the location and severity of these sections changes over time. Expect some rough sections, but don’t expect them to last forever.

There was more traffic than we expected. On the paved section at the beginning the cars would pass respectfully, moving into the other lane as long as there was room.

On the narrower gravel roads it became trickier. Many drivers traveled way faster than I would have expected given the road conditions, kicking up huge clouds of dust and making us skittish. Often we pulled off and stopped because we didn’t feel confident controlling our bikes in the loose gravel on the edge while vehicles passed so closely.

We did pass one accident, which seemed to have caused no serious injuries, but a car had skidded off the road and partway down a hillside.

The worst section was the northern part of the southern half (from Coyhaique to Cochrane). We were there in mid-February, which is still high season, and many of these cars were travelers from South America and further abroad.

Things got better south of Cochrane, and once into the far south between ferry crossings we had a few blissful days with almost no cars. On the sections between ferries it’s nice because the traffic mostly comes in waves a few times a day, and you can simply pull off and wait for them to all pass at once.

Difficulty and average daily distance

Simply put, we overestimated the distance we could cover on the Carretera. I’m decently fit and had done a few months of bike touring in Southeast Asia, where I regularly put in 60-80 mile days even with stretches of rough road. My friend is strong, trained hard, and has been a recreational road cyclist for a lot longer than I’ve been bike touring. I thought we could manage at least 40 miles per day on the Carretera, no problem.

Instead, most days we did closer to 30 miles. This was due to several factors:

• Slow pace on the gravel where it was loose, bumpy, or deep
• Rare but formidable headwinds
• Plenty of climbs, though none are very long, but you can’t always make up time on the downhill when the gravel is rough
• Changing weather and the need for lots of layering stops
• Jaw dropping scenery and the need for lots of photo stops
• The need to time ferry crossings
• The commitment to relax and have fun on what was supposed to be our “vacation” instead of a slog

So how hard is the Carretera Austral? I would say moderately hard. We met cyclists who had biked the length of South America and they described the Carretera as some of the hardest road they’d ridden on the continent. We certainly met cyclists moving faster than us, but we also met plenty who were struggling.

It’s tough, physical riding, especially for cyclists used to pavement. The struggle to keep loaded bikes upright in loose gravel and push them up occasional steep hills makes it a full-body effort. Summer days are long in Patagonia and the sun sets late, but we ended up with far more daylight than we wanted to ride for. Even though we could have gone farther, we simply didn’t want to. Most days we left camp by 9 or 9:30am, stopped for about an hour at lunch, and arrived at camp between 4-6pm.

Here’s my personal assessment: For casual riders wanting an enjoyable trip, 30-40 miles per day seems about right depending on training and fitness. I think averaging more than 40-45 miles per day would take a lot of training, physical strength, mental strength, or at least two of the three. I’m sure it’s possible for some riders to do 50+ but I think you’d miss out on a lot of enjoyable experiences.

Related : Bike Seat Pain For Women – Tips and Solutions

Navigation and planning resources

For on-the-ground navigation, route planning, and basic elevation profiles, I strongly recommend the Maps.me app . For finding campsites and services, the iOverlander app was amazing. We used both frequently and felt no need for paper maps.

The route in general is straightforward; there aren’t many junctions and often they are signed. It’s helpful to know that Carretera Austral is a fancy name for Chile’s Ruta 7. This popular route is also pretty obvious from the clusters of campsites marked on iOverlander.

The timing of the last few days, into El Chaltén, is tricky because of the three ferries. You can’t simply plan to ride as many kilometers as you want; you need to time your riding with ferry schedules. If you have a flight to catch at the end of your trip I highly recommend researching the distances and ferry times for the last few days and then working backwards from the end to make a plan. I’ve included more details on ferries in another section below, and distances between them are listed in the day by day itinerary at the bottom.

The best guide I’ve seen for the Carretera (and other cycling in the region) is not easily found on Google, at least back when I was researching. The folks at bicyclepatagonia.com have done a lovely job and I highly recommend reading their guides and downloading the relevant sections to your phone.

We also appreciated the following posts about others’ Carretera Austral journeys while we were planning ours:

• The Wild Road: Cycling Patagonia on the Carretera Austral ( southern half)
• Bikemap , route and elevation profile (full route)
• Blog and guide with summaries of each section (full route)
• Wikivoyage overview (full route)
• Nice overview (southern half)
• Summary with lots of nice pictures ( northern half and southern half )

For bike travelers looking for more background on the region in general, resources about backpacking in Patagonia are a good place to look for details like budget, food, and activities along the way that will be of interest to both cyclists and backpackers alike.

Sleeping and Camping

Here’s how we spent our 14 nights:

• wild / free camping: 8
• paid camping: 2 nights (one in Cochrane, 1 rural)
• hostel or small apartment: 4 nights (1 in Coyhaique, 3 in El Chaltén)

Wild Camping: This worked out great! Not only did it save us a ton of money, it was always lovely. Either the sites were secluded and peaceful, or great places to meet like-minded adventurers. By carefully reading descriptions on iOverlander we almost always found sites hidden from the road where we felt very comfortable. It was easy to find sites with water too. Highly recommended, but do pay attention to iOverlander or be very flexible, as there are large sections of fenced land where it’s tricky to find a good spot.

Paid camping: The towns all had paid campgrounds, which are a good way to save money compared to hostels, but certainly nothing like camping outside of towns. Typically in high season they are crowded tent cities; bring your earplugs. On the bright side they’re a great way to meet other cyclists, overlanders and backpackers. Hot showers, wifi and electricity are common in towns but not necessarily outside. Outside of towns we only stayed at one paid campground and it was very nice, but descriptions on iOverlander seem mixed. Price is usually around 5000-6000 pesos per person, which was about $7-9 USD in early 2019.

Hostels, hotels, apartments : Price and quality vary hugely. We paid about $30 USD per person for an apartment in Coyhaique with plenty of space to assemble our bikes. In El Chaltén we shared a room with two other cyclists and paid $15 per person per night for our 4 person dorm. It can be hard to find available rooms if you show up in town late in the afternoon in high season; be prepared to ask around at several places before finding space. “Hay espacio?” is a good way to ask if they have rooms available.

If you are hoping to spend every night under a roof, I would say the Carretera is not for you. I’m not even sure it’s possible, especially on the most remote section from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins, at least without some long days and meticulous planning. It would also be quite expensive. For us, beautiful campsites were one of the biggest joys of the Carretera and I would highly recommend enjoying them to the fullest.

You’ll be carrying a few days of food between towns. The most we ever carried was five days’ worth, between Cochrane and Villa O’Higgins, which included a bit extra in case our ferry was delayed due to weather. We could have potentially carried a bit less and resupplied at Puerto Yungay, but the selection was pretty dismal and I’m glad we didn’t need to.

In general the small towns along the way have at least a small grocery store, but selection is better in the bigger towns. Here’s a list of the places we saw food for sale:

• Villa Cerro Castillo
• Puerto Rio Tranquilo
• Puerto Yungay ferry terminal (very limited selection, mostly cookies and some pasta if you’re lucky)

Fuel canisters for camp stoves were definitely available in the bigger towns: Coyhaique, Cochrane, El Chaltén. It’s possible you can find them in Villa Cerro Castillo and Villa O’Higgins but I wouldn’t count on it. For us one normal canister (not the tall double size) lasted about a week, maybe a little more, using it for morning coffee, breakfast and dinner each day.

Food is surprisingly expensive in Patagonia. It seemed like every time we stepped into a grocery store to resupply for the next 2-3 days we spent around $40 for two people. We didn’t try to pinch pennies on food – it’s a bicycle tour after all – but we did avoid super expensive imported stuff.

We met other cyclists cooking healthier food (canned lentils, fresh veggies, meat on evenings after a town stop). On a longer trip this would have been worth it, but we mostly stuck to lighter-weight options like pasta and rice. Here’s an overview of what we ate:

• Breakfast: oatmeal or granola with powdered milk, raisins and peanuts, and sometimes a bit of chocolate melted in. Instant coffee. Yogurt and banana when fresh from town.
• Lunch: salami, cheese, bread or crackers
• Dinner: pasta with tomato sauce and shredded parmesan cheese (surprisingly easy to find almost everywhere), rice with canned/boxed lentils or beans and seasoning packets. For more substance and protein some of my favorite finds were: meat ravioli, canned beans/lentils, creamy soup powders, frozen burger patties and vegetables (on town days) and lots and lots of parmesan.
• Snacks: cookies cookies cookies. If you can find peanuts, stock up.

Note that Chile has some very strict customs regulations about what food you can bring into the country. This will be an issue for those traveling north from El Chaltén, who will cross into Chile early in a stretch with no grocery stores and need to eat basic food for a few days until Villa O’Higgins. It’s also enforced at airports. Generally speaking they care most about fresh fruits and vegetables, unpackaged meat, and sometimes dairy. Packaged foods are supposedly fine. It’s wise to always declare what you have in order to avoid a fine. I declared peanuts and raisins and was allowed to keep them, but I think they’re a lot stricter with the fresh stuff.

Water is pretty easy to find on the Carretera, and many of the excellent wild camp spots are on or very near lakes and rivers. Still, there are some dry wild campsites marked in iOverlander so read the descriptions to avoid a surprise.

Usually we started the day with enough water to last until camp (2 -3 liters each) but most days it would have been easy to stop and filter more along the way. There were a few hot dry stretches where this might have been harder, so check for rivers on your map and plan accordingly.

We carried my favorite water filter of all time, the Platypus 4 liter GravityWorks . It was perfect for two people and made our water treatment routine really efficient. The glacially fed streams and lakes can be silty so having a filter is nice.

Related : Water Purification for Bicycle Travelers

We also carried small bottles of Aquamira chlorine dioxide drops . These are quicker and easier than getting out the filter, and perfect for when you just want to quickly top up a bottle from a clear stream, or for treating tap water in a hostel.

I’m sure many of the natural water sources on the Carretera are pristine and don’t need treating or filtering, but we always did. Some travelers just use their judgment and drink untreated water when they deem it safe (little chance of contamination from animals or humans) and boil it when they don’t.

I believe tap water is technically safe to drink throughout the region, but this is a personal decision. I drank it in some places and treated it in others, depending on how reckless I was feeling. Even though it’s safe for the locals to drink, it can still sometimes cause stomach problems in travelers who aren’t used to it.

Money and Budget

You’ll need cash for everywhere except big establishments in major towns. Supermarkets in Coyahaique, Cochrane, and El Chaltén will take credit card, but a small family-run hostel may not. It’s a good idea to have plenty of cash with you and not rely on credit cards.

Personally I think the best strategy is to bring dollars (or Euros, but dollars are more useful in Argentina), change them to Chilean pesos in Coyhaique, and carry the biggest chunk in a money belt or pocket underwear. There are a few “casas de cambio” in Coyhaique with different rates, so shop around. Surprisingly the banks there didn’t seem to offer foreign exchange, at least the ones we asked.

In El Chaltén it was harder to get money; the ATM was empty over the weekend and there are apparently no banks or foreign exchange houses. Fortunately pretty much everyone there (and in other touristy places in Argentina) accepts US dollars at a decent exchange rate. I managed to collect a stash of Argentinian pesos for the next leg of my trip by paying for everything in dollars and asking for change in pesos.

ATMs: Coyhaique has several but you might need to try a few before finding one that works. Cochrane surely also has one or two. I’m not sure about other towns; best not to rely on them. ATMs also have high fees in this part of the world.

Budget for this trip will vary a lot depending on where you spend your nights and if you eat many meals out in towns. You can save a lot of money by wild camping and cooking your own food (see Sleeping and Food sections above), but it sure is tempting to splurge on a burger and beer in town every now and then. The two ferry transfers (Lago O’Higgins and Lago del Desierto) are expensive, running $20-$40, so factor that in if you plan to continue to El Chaltén.

I rode a Surly Long Haul Trucker and my friend rode a Surly Straggler. Both are great bikes and worked well enough on the Carretera, though I wouldn’t say they were ideal. Rigid touring bikes are common on the Carretera, in part because many people ride it as part of long-haul routes up and down South America, but many have some modifications like wider handlebars and lower gears that would definitely be useful. A mountain bike is not needed but would be a reasonable choice if that’s what you have, especially on the unpaved southern half.

Tires: I used 2 inch Marathon Mondial tires and loved them. My friend ran Surly Knard tires, a bit thinner than mine, I’d guess 1.5 or 1.75 inch. Sometimes she struggled in the deep gravel, possibly due to her lack of off-road riding experience (she was brave to jump right in with this trip!) and possibly her thinner tires. Neither one of us had any punctures!

Brakes: My Surly has rim brakes and they were sufficient, even in the rain (note that myself and my gear are on the lighter weight side though). There were only two places where I wished for more precise braking: a few dozen meters of steep downhill somewhere in the middle of the route, and trying to ride the final part of “the gauntlet” crossing to Argentina. No big deal, in both cases I just walked the bike. My friend had mechanical disc brakes and liked them.

Handlebars: We both had road-style drop handlebars. An ideal setup for the rugged gravel would probably be wider handlebars, allowing better control in rough gravel and strong wind. But, our drop bars were totally workable.

Gears: My Surly LHT is designed for heavy touring and has 3 rings in the front with low gearing. My friend’s Straggler has only 2 rings in front, and she would tap out on steep hills sooner. She definitely wished for lower gearing, but managed fine with what she had by simply pushing up the steepest parts of hills when needed. These stretches were never long and it wasn’t a major issue for us.

Shifters: My friend has integrated shifters near her brake levers and liked them a lot. I have bar end shifters which require moving my hands to the drops in order to shift, and sometimes I struggled when riding in wind and bad gravel. There were a few sections of short rolling hills combined with bad gravel that left me wishing for integrated brifters.

Pedals: Platform, most definitely recommended. Only a skilled off-road cyclist would want to ride the rough gravel sections while clipped in. I had Power Grips, great for the flat sections, but I often flipped the pedals and rode on the bottoms for the rough sections. In hindsight I would go without them.

Fenders: Both used them, much appreciated on rainy days.

As you can see, our bikes weren’t exactly optimized for this route but they got us through just fine. One great thing about Surly bikes is their durability, which was key in this remote region with no bike shops outside of Coyhaique and El Chaltén (and possibly Cochrane?).

Bike Parts and Tools

Here’s what we brought, in order of most useful to least:

• Multitool, 1 each (used a lot, mostly for tightening bolts, adjusting seats, etc)
• Blue thread lock, 1 small bottle (used a lot, bolts rattle loose on the rough roads)
• Chain lube and baby wipes (used regularly)
• Portable pump, 1 each (used occasionally)
• Patch kits (not used by us, but gifted to an unfortunate patch-less cyclist stopping every 10 minutes to pump his leaky tire)
• Electrical tape (used to repair my handlebar tape after crashing and ripping it on the gravel)
• Spare tubes, 1 each (not used)
• Chain quick links, 1 each (not used)
• Spare brake and shift cables, me only (not used)
• Zip ties, duct tape, and straps for emergency repair (not used!)

If you’re wondering what to pack in your repair kit for this ride or others, here’s a more detailed guide to bicycle touring tools and repair kits .

Touring Setup

We both used only a rear rack and rear panniers. I used the Ortlieb backroller classics and my friend used Arkels of similar size. We both bungeed a bag to the top of the rear rack: a 30 liter dry sack for me and a small backpack for her. We both used handlebar bags for our valuables and frequently used small items.

Most cyclists we met were using front racks and panniers as well, but many were also on longer multi-month tours. However, we probably could have done a longer tour with our setups as well. When fully loaded with days of food I was almost out of space, but it the rest of the time it was perfect.

I highly recommend a sturdy, steel rear rack plus blue threadlock on all your bolts. We met one and heard of other cyclists with snapped racks and broken bolts. My friend lost a bolt when it rattled loose and was lucky to meet another cyclist with a spare. The rough roads really put strain on racks and panniers and you’ll need to get creative with repairs if anything goes wrong on these remote roads.

Packing and gear notes

I’d like to make a separate post for the full packing list, since I think it would be applicable to many similar routes. But for now, here are some notes that stand out:

• Good waterproof jacket and pants: very important!
• Warm layers, also very important
• Full-finger cycling gloves: very important for me (Related: after this trip I was inspired to write these tips about dealing with cold hands outdoors )
• Waterproof shoe covers and gloves: wish I’d had them! Cold fingers and toes were a constant problem for me, especially in the rain.
• Small cable lock: helpful for overnights in towns, though in general the area is quite safe so no need for a super heavy duty lock.
• Small backpack: important if you want to enjoy some of the region’s spectacular hiking.
• Buff or other head/face covering for dust, cold, and sweat

Communication with locals

It’s very helpful to speak at least a little bit of Spanish. The more you speak, the more you can enjoy talking with locals and other South American travelers, and the easier it is to solve problems that arise along the way. It’s possible to muddle through with poor Spanish but it will take patience. Don’t expect anyone outside of tourist establishments in the bigger towns to speak English.

Connectivity

This part of the world is not as connected as Southeast Asia or even much of Sub-Saharan Africa (to draw on my previous travel experiences). If you buy a local SIM card, expect service in the towns and occasionally between, but don’t count on it. We read Entel was best for that region so that’s what we got, and it worked fine for our needs throughout the trip. I think Movistar and Claro also would have worked, in some places at least. You can buy all three in Coyhaique.

I had an Android phone and my friend had an iPhone, and we noticed sometimes one would have service but not the other. Probably a difference in supported frequency bands.

In towns many hostels and campgrounds will have wifi but it can be very slow. Sometimes libraries and tourist offices also provide free wifi. Internet cafes are not very common.

Other Cyclists

Traveling in high season we often met between 5 – 10 other cyclists each day! There were enough of us that sometimes we didn’t even stop to chat with each other. Many were on longer tours, and some were Chileans and Argentinians, and we liked meeting them all.

The only time things felt crowded was the one night we took shelter from a storm at a refugio with 10 other cyclists! The rest of the time we had no trouble finding unoccupied wild camp spots.

Female and Solo Cyclists

The Carretera Austral sees many solo cyclists, but unfortunately almost all are male. We met only one solo female cyclist, a couple other pairs of women, plenty of couples, and plenty of male groups. This is a shame, as the dangers to solo women seem no greater than the dangers to solo men in this part of the world.

To solo cyclists of any gender wondering about taking on the Carretera, I would say the number one issue is: are you confident enough in your gear and skills to ride and camp alone safely in a remote area with sometimes extreme weather? Can you keep yourself warm and dry, plan your water refills smartly, and ride within your abilities on rough roads? Can you fix a flat tire in a rainstorm with numb hands, or at least have a backup plan if you can’t? On the most remote part in the far south, it may be hours between vehicles, so while help is likely to arrive eventually you don’t want to count on it.

As for female-specific risks, which usually means harassment, increased risk of theft, or sexual assault, all are extremely rare in this part of the world. There are simply very few people, and therefore very few of this kind of threat. My friend and I were treated with respect by every male we encountered and never felt unsafe in this department. We did read a couple negative experiences on iOverlander, where female cyclists warned of sleazy campground owners, so I can’t say it doesn’t happen. But I think this part of the world is as hassle-free as it gets for solo female cyclists.

Ferries on the Carretera Austral

There are three ferries on the route if you go all the way to El Chaltén, and one if you stop at Villa O’Higgins. If going all the way to El Chaltén I strongly recommend researching ferry schedules and planning out your last few days ahead of time, unless you have time to spare at the end. Information is hard to find online, but I’ve done my best to collect what I know below.

Puerto Yungay – Rio Bravo Ferry

The first ferry, from Puerto Yungay to Rio Bravo, is free and takes 45 minutes. There is a small shop at Puerto Yungay selling empanadas and snacks. If you end your trip in Villa O’Higgins this is the only ferry you need to take. Times are (as of early 2019):

December to March: Puerto Yungay to Rio Bravo (south): 10am, 12 noon, 3pm, 6pm. Note the 3pm crossing is NOT on the road signs we saw along the way. Rio Bravo to Puerto Yungay (north): 11am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm April to November: 12 noon and 3pm going south, 1pm and 4pm going north

If the times change someone will likely mention it in iOverlander.

Lago O’Higgins Ferry

Less of a ferry, more of a tourist cruise, no motor vehicles allowed. Mostly used by tourists going to visit the nearby glacier and returning to Villa O’Higgins. Hikers and cyclists, however, are allowed to get off and on at Candelario Mancilla, near the Chilean border post and the start of the no-mans-land between Chile and Argentina on the way to El Chaltén. The duration from Villa O’Higgins to Candelario Mancilla without glacier excursion is 2-3 hours depending on the company, and the boats all seemed to leave at 8:30am. You can choose to add on the glacier excursion and then be dropped at Candelario Mancilla after, but plan to camp somewhere in no-mans-land since you’ll be getting a late start on the 20km of tough biking to the Argentine border.

Several boat companies run this crossing. They seem to each run roughly every other day; I don’t know if between them all there is a crossing each day or not. We went with Robinson Crusoe as they were the only ones who took advance bookings and had a clear schedule online, but they are the slowest and most expensive (about $55 USD). They ended up being fully booked for the morning we went, but we met other cyclists who successfully bought last-minute tickets the day before for the same crossing on other boats.

Here’s a helpful map, schedule and price info from Robinson Crusoe. You can also visit their office in Villa O’Higgins.

Here’s another boat company’s website; I don’t know how accurate it is.

Of the three ferries on the route, this one is the most frequently delayed due to weather. If going north, beware, it’s possible to be stranded for several days at a small campground at Candelario Mancilla. Supposedly they make everyone stay at the paid campground (no wild camping) and only sell bread and jam. We met a cyclist who had been stranded there for 5 days waiting for a ferry and she said many stuck travelers were running low on food and money. Bring plenty of both if heading north from El Chaltén to Villa O’Higgins!

Lago Del Desierto Ferry

Relatively straightforward compared to Lago O’Higgins, and much less frequently delayed. Also not really a ferry, no motor vehicles allowed. We booked and paid in Villa O’Higgins when we paid Robinson Crusoe for the Lago O’Higgins crossing. There was a small discount for advance booking (the cost was about $40 USD) and the ticket was good for two days.

Our boat left at 11am, so we had a leisurely morning at the lovely and popular free campsite on the north shore. There’s another southbound departure at 5pm, and the corresponding departures heading south to north leave one hour earlier (10am and 4pm). The crossing itself takes about an hour and is popular with cyclists and backpackers, as well as sightseers who come from El Chaltén for the round trip across the lake and back.

The Robinson Crusoe website also has prices and schedule for this crossing.

The Border Crossing And “Gauntlet”

If you choose to continue past the official end of the Careterra Austral and on to El Chaltén in Argentina, you’ll enjoy two gorgeous lake crossings, some brutal hike-a-bike, and the most remote and traffic-free roads of the whole trip. I highly recommend it, but it’s a bit complicated and will add at least two days depending on ferry schedules, your fitness, and the weather.

This section was tricky to understand in advance, so I want to clarify exactly what it entails. From getting off the boat at Candelario Mancilla at the shore of Lago O’Higgins, to the Argentine border post and free camping at the north shore of Lago Del Desierto, here’s what to expect:

• 1 km up steep hill to Chilean border post. Be sure to stop here and get stamped out! If you don’t, you won’t be allowed to enter Argentina, 19 difficult kilometers away and NOT a section you want to backtrack.
• About 5 km more of riding and sometimes pushing up steep gravel climb with beautiful views and no vehicles.
• About 10 km of lovely rolling dirt road through forest and meadow
• 5km of “the gauntlet,” mostly rolling with steep downhill at the end
• Argentine border post is right on the lake. The formalities are very easy and you can spend the night camped nearby if you arrive after they close, then be stamped in before the morning ferry.

So what about this “gauntlet?” This is a section of rough singletrack, basically a rough hiking trail or mountain bike trail, which you will need to push/pull/drag/carry your bike through. Challenges include prickly bushes, mud pits, rickety stream crossings on logs, plenty of rocks and roots, eroded narrow trenches, and a steep downhill at the end.

Some small stretches are rideable, but on a loaded touring bike even cyclists with trail biking experience will walk substantial sections. We’re both small women and were each able to handle our own bikes, but just barely, and it helped to have good full-body strength and relatively light gear. If you’re heavily loaded and/or haven’t done much strength training, you may need to shuttle bags over rough sections or use teamwork. Some cyclists remove a pedal so they can push more easily without bashing their shins and calves; I chose not to and ended up with marks to prove it.

We originally thought this section was far longer than 5km from reading about it – it’s probably the most photographed section of the whole route and we understood why when we hit it. It was an interesting challenge and we perversely enjoyed it, but were happy to see the end after a few hours of slow progress. Here’s a great YouTube video to give you a sense.

Our Itinerary

In case you could possibly be looking for more information after that massive dump above, here are the day-by-day notes from our trip.

Day 1: Coyhaique Picked up food, SIM cards, fuel, and assembled bikes.

Day 2: 42 miles / 67 km Coyhaique to riverside wild camp. All paved. Traffic got better after turnoff to airport at about 40 km. Two big climbs. First more rolling, second more sustained. After turnoff to airport, not much water or shade. There’s a paid campground around 36 miles for 6000 pesos per person. We were tempted to stop, but pushed on to the wild campsite and were glad we did.

Day 3: 35 miles / 56 km Wild camp by river to another (more crowded but nice) wild camp by a different river Beginning was nice, climb and then gorgeous descent into Villa Cerro Castillo for lunch and food restock. 13km south of Villa Cerro Castillo, ripio starts. The next stretch is one of the worst on the whole route due to headwind and loose gravel. Demoralizing, but we met some nice cyclists and overlanders at the river camp.

Day 4: 30 miles / 48 km River wild camp to paid campground at farm, 5000 pesos and very nice with refugio and hot showers Change of scenery, more foresty and wet. Gradual long hill, then flat and rolling. Gravel a bit better condition but still tough, with some loose sections of road work and too many cars. Nice wild and remote feeling.

Day 5: 0 km cycled, 200 km in vehicles (this is how we made our trip fit into the required time) Campground at farm to San Lorenzo Campground in Cochrane, 5000 pesos and crowded but totally sufficient. Got a ride to Puerto Rio Tranquilo from owner of campsite (less than 1 hour), then bus to Cochrane (4-5 hours). There were at least two buses heading from Rio Tranquilo to Cochrane that day, one leaving around noon and the other around 1:30pm. They had no problem fitting our bikes once we took front wheels off. Looking out the window, I imagine this section would have been both beautiful and hard to cycle. Gorgeous huge blue lakes, but also hot weather, no shade, some corrugated road (though better than day 3!). I estimate we skipped 3 days of riding at our pace, so we saved 2 days overall. Small price to pay for being able to fit this amazing trip into the time we had!

Day 6: 28 miles / 45 km Cochrane to wild camp at bridge, not hidden from road but nice spot. Shared it with one campervan, plenty of space. Mostly hardpacked gravel with some corrugation. Hot and dry with little shade. Mostly rolling climb with big downhill and nice views at end of day. Day 7: 36 miles / 58 km Wild camp at bridge to another wild camp at another bridge, empty except for us. Forest and then almost jungle, more lush than previous day. Not too much climbing, relatively easy, got to camp early.

Day 8: 23 miles / 34 km plus ferry ride from Puerto Yungay to Rio Bravo (20 km to ferry plus another 17 after). Wild camp at bridge to small hidden wild camp by river with view of glacier. Very cold. Day started with a big climb, beginning is very steep but it gets better. Ferry is free, see the Ferries section above for times. There’s a small shop and restaurant at the ferry terminal in Puerto Yungay. They sell empanadas, cookies, cake, some very basic food like pasta. Not the best place to stock up for days but good to supplement if you’re running low on anything. A bit expensive. Day 9: 31 miles / 51 km River wild camp to refugio Tough day! Rainy, windy, cold. First half three substantial climbs, then second half mostly flat with nice tailwind. We stopped at a wooden shelter with fireplace, ended up being joined by 10 other cyclists! 7 or 8 of us slept inside, the others pitched tents outside. Nice to be warm and dry and meet people, but a bit crowded. Light traffic since we’re now between ferry crossings.

Day 10: 25 miles / 40 km (32 km to Villa O’Higgins, then 8 km to ferry terminal) plus long lunch and resupply in Villa O’Higgins. From refugio to stealth wild camp just past ferry terminal. Easy ride to town, mostly flat and rolling hills. Enjoyed lunch in town, bought more food (surprisingly good selection for small town), used free wifi at library, confirmed and paid for our ferry booking with Robinson Crusoe. Rode the 8km out to Lago O’Higgins ferry terminal (the official end of the Carretera Austral) in the evening, easy rolling hills. Continuing past ferry terminal there’s a small dirt road that’s technically signed “no unauthorized people” but someone told us it was ok. We waited for some other tourists to leave, then snuck less than 1km up the dirt road and found a fairly hidden spot on the left, obviously used many times before.

Day 11: 13 miles / 20 km, including 3 hour ferry crossing of Lago O’Higgins and “the gauntlet” border crossing. Tough day! From wild camp near Lago O’Higgins ferry terminal to popular and beautiful free camp at the Argentine border post on Lago del Desierto. Ferry drops off at Candelario Mancilla. From there it’s a tough 6km climb followed by about 10km rolling hills, beautiful, zero vehicles since cars can’t make the Lago O’Higgins crossing. The last 5km are the infamous gauntlet section, dragging/pushing/carrying through singletrack, mud, stream crossings. Fun but exhausting! Day 12: 22 miles / 35 km, including 1 hour ferry crossing of Lago del Desierto From north shore of Lago del Desierto to El Chaltén. Flat with nice tailwind but very bumpy road. Amazing views of Fitz Roy. Most hostels in town full (Friday night), had to ask around. Day 13: Hiked Laguna de los Tres, ate a lot of food.

Day 14: Ran errands, ate a lot of food. My friend packed her bike.

Day 15: My friend caught an early morning bus to El Calafate with her boxed bike. I cycled out of town heading east and then south for some solo riding.

Side trips and attractions along the way

Being on such a tight schedule, we didn’t do most of these. But if you have more time, these are the attractions that seemed most popular:

• Hiking in Villa Cerro Castillo
• Marble Caves near Cochrane (accessible by boat excursion, only a couple hours)
• Caleta Tortel: coastal village known for its stilt houses, out and back 23km each way from the Carretera roughly halfway between Cochrane and O’Higgins
• Gran Glaciar de O’Higgins, optional add-on to the Lago O’Higgins boat crossing
• Hiking in El Chaltén (we hiked to Laguna de los Tres with jaw-dropping views of Fitz Roy, I highly recommend it if the weather is sunny)
• Perito Moreno Glacier excursion from El Calafate (near the airport 200 km from El Chaltén)

Continuing by bicycle: where to next?

After my friend flew home, I had 2.5 weeks left to cycle. Where should I go? I debated endlessly and ultimately made my decision at the junction between the route to Rio Gallegos and the one to Torres Del Paine.

Here’s an overview of the options that most cyclists choose between when heading south from El Chaltén.

• Optional out-and-back to El Calafate, then south and back west into Chile at Cerro Castillo on your choice of paved or ripio roads (note, this is NOT the same as Villa Cerro Castillo, the small town just south of Coyhaique). Then on to the famous Torres del Paine National Park, with optional difficult cycling loop inside the park or famous multiday hikes like the W-Trek (these hikes need to be pre-booked far in advance). Then back to the main highway to Puerto Natales and south to Punta Arenas, a boring highway section that many cyclists skip via bus. From Punta Arenas it’s possible to take a ferry to Porvenir on Tierra Del Fuego and ride south to Ushuaia.
• Optional out-and-back to El Calafate, then east across Argentina’s open pampas to Rio Gallegos. Better hope the wind is in your favor; it usually is if you’re riding this section southward. From Rio Gallegos you can cross to Tierra Del Fuego on the Punta Delgada ferry and continue south to Ushuaia, or take the highway west to Punta Arenas back in Chile.

Which way did I end up going? It was colder and rainer over in Chile, the wind was blowing east, and I’d already seen plenty of amazing mountains, so I pointed southeast and cycled to Rio Gallegos, Argentina . The flat paved roads, warmer temperatures, and open views were a welcome change. After Rio Gallegos I continued south to Tierra Del Fuego, visiting the King Penguin colony before crossing the island on amazing and remote gravel roads and then continuing down the highway to Ushuaia, the official southernmost city in the world.

In the meantime, enjoy planning your trip on the gorgeous and challenging Carretera Austral!

Related Resources

About the Author

Hi there, I’m Alissa, founder of Exploring Wild. I’ve traveled over 19,000 miles by bike and still can’t stop planning my next ride (and helping you plan yours). Pavement and panniers or singletrack and seat bag, I love it all. On my bike I feel free. Learn more about me here .

Shop Bikepacking Resources

Bikepacker’s Companion eBook

Bikepacker’s Fix It Kit

Bikepacking Trip Planner Workbook + Templates

Excited to try bikepacking but need help getting started? The Bikepacking Trip Planner Workbook can help you take the next step.

Bike resources in your inbox?

There’s more where this came from! Sign up here for occasional emails full of inspiration and information about bikepacking and bicycle touring .

Town Day Checklist!

Sign up to receive the free downloadable bikepacking town day checklist to help with your resupply stops:

You’ll also receive occasional emails with other bikepacking and touring resources. I think you’ll like them, but you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share the Adventure

If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing so more people can benefit from it:

• Pinterest 293

7 thoughts on “Cycling Chile’s Carretera Austral: Guide to the Wild Southern Half”

Thank you, Alissa, for all the great information. I’ll be biking Coyhaique to Ushuaia starting mid February, and all you wrote has been very helpful. I’ll even try out Argentina after El Chalten because of your advice.

Big question for me still is: where did you procurement your bike box in Ushuaia? Looks like you built one. I heard LATAM air sells boxes, but I will be on a SURLY ECR. Any add’l hints or pointers are welcomed :0

George Maurer

Hi George, wonderful, have a great ride!

I actually flew out of Punta Arenas (took a bus from Ushuaia), because I had already booked my ticket from there before deciding I would ride to Ushuaia. In Punta Arenas I couldn’t find an official bike box, but by asking at stores and scavenging on the streets I cobbled something together from one large box and several smaller boxes. The locals were very kind and helpful about giving me their cardboard scraps. 🙂 In Ushuaia you could try first the bike shops, then the bus station, then large appliance stores or department stores, grocery stores, etc. If you can get a box from LATAM that is not quite big enough, you can enlarge it by taping other boxes to it. Sometimes the hostels that host cyclists know tips on where to find boxes too. It all worked out, but was a little stressful and I was glad to have an extra day to figure it out.

Enjoy your ride, it’s going to be beautiful. I hope you’ll stop by after and let us all know how it went.

Great information , thank you very much for taking the time. I own a specific touring bike rental , here in Chile , i wish that peo0le check my site because its a lot easier to rent a bike than going thru the hassle of bringing one . http://Www.touringbikerental.com is my site i m fluid english speaker so I can be great help for the logistics on sending the bikes as well. Cheers And again thanks for all this info. Carlos Carvallo

Thanks Carlos, that sounds like a helpful resource.

Great to read your account Alissa I was there this time last year with 2 good friends

You are right about the milage averages, expect to cover around 50-60 % of what you might on a tarmac road tour.

Should you read this and ever get stuck in Villa O’Higgins as we did for 3 days, ferries not running due to dangerous conditions on the lake. There is another way out! There is a route across a high River (sheep bridge) where you push your bike through rivers, river beds forests and even ride it at times! which takes about 6 hours to a extremely remote Argentinian boarder post. ( the friendly chap offered us all a room to sleep in) but we pushed on.

You will need a guide to get to the sheep bridge there is a man in the town who knows the terrain well and will guide you for a modest sum. It takes about 2- 3 hours from the mountainside rather official Chiliean boarder Post to the sheep Bridge all walking or pushing with your bike.

From the Argentinean frontier you are then on an obvious track. Cycle for at least another 3 hours before wild camping. You will find almost nothing untill you join a main road about another 8 hours cycling from where you camp. The winds down the mountain road In the afternoon were horrendous, 100MPH+ continuous blowing with us!(sounds ideal) Very dangerous, never had to brake whilst being pushed up hill before! and almost impossible to get on or off your bike without falling over. The beauty of the mountains is replaced by flat scrub as far as the eye can see. Quite daunting.

The frontier accommodation soon after you meet the tarmacadam main road is a very welcome site and a great place to drink and warm oneself by the fire whilst something is cooked for you.

I have cycled in over 60 countries and this was probably the most adventurous 2 days experienced.

It’s worth it, if stuck in O’Higgins

Email me should you want or need the guides name. Happy travels

Hi, I see that you crossed the boarder from Chile to Argentina during Covid. Any checks or anything to comment on? Thanks

[email protected]

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

New in bikepacking & touring.

What Makes a Great Bikepacking Shirt?

MSR’s New Hubba Hubba Bikepack Tent, Tested and Reviewed

Review: Swift Industries Gemini Cargo Pack Takes Fork Bags to a New Level

Bike Bag vs. Cardboard Box: Is a roller bike bag worth the money?

Bikepacker's companion ebook.

Your experienced riding buddy in digital form: 140 mobile-friendly pages packed with how to's, problem solving tips, and hard-earned wisdom from the trail and road.

Bikepacking & Touring Rides and Routes Tips and Skills Bikes and Parts Gear and Reviews

Hiking & Backpacking Trails and Trips Gear and Clothing Tips and Advice Trip Planning Workbook

Adventure Travel Explore by Region Camping and Outdoors Mindful Travel

Donate to Tip Jar

About Exploring Wild

Web Stories

Adventure in Your Inbox?

Resources and inspiration to support your wildest dreams:

Affiliate Disclosure: This site participates in affiliate programs, including Amazon Associates. Sometimes my posts contain affiliate links, and if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend and link to products I know and love.  Thanks for reading!

Trust & Transparency Policy

About | Contact | Privacy Policy

Copyright 2024 Exploring Wild, All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Member of Mediavine Home

Privacy Overview

• +56 2 2570 8620
• Contact us!

Carretera Austral

Where to go, recommendations, where and what to eat.

Route CH 7 is a road that crosses the Southern Zone and the Austral Zone of Chile. It is characterized as being a path amidst natural scenery areas with almost no human intervention. It stretches for 1240 kilometers from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins, and it is expected that one day it will reach Puerto Williams.

A major part of the has no pavement, making it an attraction for lovers of ecotourism, which can travel the route in a 4x4 car or mountainbike.

It has gravel in almost all of its terrain and must be permanently in maintenance for damages suffered during the winter with temperatures that are very extreme in these latitudes and it is located in the middle of a rugged terrain with glaciers, mountains, fjords, rivers, forests and lakes. Even though there are damages done to the road in the winter, it still passes through two regions: the Los Lagos and Aysen.

The Southern Highway begins in the region of Los Lagos in Puerto Montt, where it starts as 0 kilometers. The route continues to the town of Quillaipe and from there begin the transfers by ferry in Caleta Puelche and after in Hornopien and Caleta Gonzalo.

Kilometer 200 of the Carretera Austral is located in the town of Chaitén, and from there it travels through the Aysen region at kilometer 547 which is access to Puerto Aysen. Kilometer 610 corresponds to the city of Coyhaique and kilometer 657 goes to Balmaceda. From there you take a new ferry from the areas of Puerto Yungay and Rio Bravo.

In its 1,200 kilometers of length it covers some of the most beautiful places in the austral region of southern Chile, through nature reserves such as Queulat National Reserve, Pumalín Park and Cerro Castillo National Reserve and rivers like the Futaleufu River and Baker. Also, you can see amazing cities like Tortel and Villa O'Higgins and much much more.

Since it does have many sectors that are far away from big cities and if you travel by car it is recommended to travel in a van or a 4x4 car, and always carry a can of gasoline in case of not finding gas stations, since they are scarce and very expensive, especially when approaching Villa O'Higgins and the southernmost parts of the route.

Another recommendation is to drive with caution and avoid high speeds since in several areas the road is very winding and covered with gravel which can cause landslides and rollovers in vehicles that are not used to the terrain.

One last suggestion is to prefer closed vehicles because of the dusty roads and unpredictable rainfall at any time while crossing it.

Map de Carretera Austral

Prior to the construction of the Carretera Austral the only way you could to Aysen is via boat and flights. It could only be reached by land through Argentina.

In the 70s it was sought to strengthen the Chilean sovereignty over the Patagonia, especially at a time where there were two border disputes with Argentina in the Laguna del Desierto and the Beagle Channel.

Thus in 1976 the construction of this route began, which became known as Carretera Austral. The Cuerpo Militar del Trabajo (Military) participated in the construction of this road; an organization in charge of the Chilean Army as well as the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y su Dirección de Vialidad (Ministry of Public Works and Highway Administration) and other contractor businesses.

The works were carried out by more than 10,000 Chilean soldiers who participated in the construction of one of the most complex and costly paths in engineering because of the rugged terrain where it was located, it is located between glaciers, lakes, rivers, mountains, forests and fjords.

In late 1989, the Carretera Austral had more than 2,400 kilometers of road built, where a network of side roads is also included. The total project cost was approximately 300 million dollars

During the 90's the conclusion of the Highway with Villa O'Higgins was finished and in 2003 the branch to the Caleta Tortel was opened. Following construction towards the south of the route was made impossible by the presence of the Campos de Hielo Sur (Southern Ice Fields), because of its high mountains and glaciers.

In the Rio Bravo sector, the road continues to the snowdrifts of Montt, trying to unite Puerto Natales to Puerto Yungay, where you must use 9 transfers. It is expected that these works, also conducted by the Cuerpo Militar del Trabajo (Military Workers) is completed by 2040.

Hornopirén:

Also known as Rio Negro, it is the capital of the Hualaihué community. It is located 109 kilometers from Puerto Montt. It is considered as "The north gate of the Carretera Austral", since it is the largest town after Puerto Montt, kilometer 0 of this route.

It has beautiful natural areas like Hornopirén National Park and a privileged environment, surrounded by nature.

In Hornopirén some of the off-road parts of the Carretera Austral finish, and you need to take a ferry to continue on this road following location which is the Caleta Gonzalo.

Parque Nacional Hornopirén: (Hornopien National Park)

It has more than 48 thousand acres. It is a protected area and is part of the Reserva de la Biósfera Bosques Templados Lluviosos de los Andes Australes. Here we can find the Hornopirén and Yates volcanoes plus lakes and a forest with native species such as beech, larch, Magellan coigue and others.

Caleta Gonzalo:

Caleta Gonzalo is still found in the 10th Region and can be reached after a 5-hour ferry ride. Located on the grounds of the current Pumalín Park and among its attractions are large areas of larch trees, an area protected and considered a natural monument of Chile.

Apart from its natural surroundings it has an excellent tourist infrastructure with cabins, cafeterias, craft shops where you can buy souvenirs and a remembrance of the sector.

It is located 60 kilometers away from Chaitén.

Parque Nacional Alerce Andino: (Alerce Andino National Park)

It lies on the 10th Region of Los Lagos and is part of theReserva de la Biosfera Bosques Templados Lluviosos de los Andes Australes. It is located approximately 40 kilometers from Puerto Montt.

Its main attraction is the larch forests, covering almost 20 thousand acres of land in the park, where we also find species such as the coihue, the canelo and mañío.

Inside this park we can find beautiful trails that run from Correntoso to the Rio Panga and from there to Refugio. It also has two lagoons, the Sargazo and the Laguna Fria, where you can enjoy water activities such as swimming. Another attraction is the Reloncavi estuary.

In this area you can find native flora and fauna such as the brown and rainbow trout; pudú, black woodpecker, kingfisher, peucos, condors and others.

Parque Pumalín:

It is a private park located in the province of Palena, Region de Los Lagos. It has 325 acres, with trails and accomodation services. In the southern sector you can perform different outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and fly fishing, among others, while the north has access only through the fjords, navigating on kayaks and other types of water vessels.

The Pumalín Park is classified as a temperate rainforest and has many natural areas with rich biodiversity in flora and fauna. It is considered a Nature Sanctuary.

Among its attractions are the Michimahuida volcano, the hot springs of Cahuelmo, and the Vodudahue Falls among others.

Termas El Amarillo:

They are located 83 kilometers south within the Pumalin Park. It provides facilities for camping, picnicking, cabins for accommodation and restaurants.

The thermal waters are of volcanic origin and are from the Michimahuida Volcano, reaching a temperature of 52º C. They have healing properties for rheumatic problems and are ideal for relaxing and enjoying nature.

It has artificial pools and natural pools and is ideal for a good night's sleep before continuing the adventure in the Carretera Austral.

Futaleufú:

This town is located on the border between Chile and Argentina and is famous for the Futaleufu River, considered one of the top three in the world to practice adventure sports such as rafting and kayaking. It has Class 5 rapids such as the Cañón del Infierno.

The Valle de los Reyes (Valley of the Kings) in the Futaleufu River is ideal for fly fishing.

Villa Amengual:

It is located at kilometer 491 of the Carretera Austral, entering the 9th Region de Aysen. It is a small town that is known for its folk traditions, such as the International Festival of Jinetadas, which also involves Argentinian gauchos.

There are basic services and commerce to stock up as we continue our journey through the route.

Parque Nacional Queulat:

It has 154 thousand acres and is crossed by the Carretera Austral along 40 kilometers.

The name of this park in the chonos language, means "sound of waterfalls" and is known for its beautiful landscapes and exuberant nature, with an evergreen forest and an forest of ferns, orchids, vines and large nalca leaves that are found along the Carretera Austral.

It is also a habitat for native fauna such as the black woodpecker, kingfisher, different types of ducks, pudúes, cougar, red fox, black-necked swans, and other species.

It has many attractions like Salto Padre Garcia, Salto del Condor, the Risopatrón Lake and Los Pumas Lagoon, besides the impressive Queulat hanging snowdrift, a glacier that hangs from the Alto Nevado hill, 2255 meters above sea level.

From this height thereis an impressive waterfall, providing a unique show that can be seen from the Carretera Austral.

Within the National Park Queulat there lakes such as Témpanos- which is located at the foot of Hanging Glacier and waterfall Rosada and Acantilado as well as rivers like the Ventisquero,Cisnes, Pedregoso and Queulat, arising from the glacier and finally ends in the Puyuhuapi canal.

In addition, the Queulat Park has the Queulat Fjord in the coastal sector of the reserve, where you can see wildlife such as seabirds, dolphins and sea lions.

This beautiful village that unites the traditions of German and Chilote people is located on the coastline of Queulat National Park and is known for its stunning surrounding nature: mountains, snowdrifts, parks, fjords, forests, lakes and more.

That is why it is ideal for all types of outdoor recreation such as horseback riding, hiking, fishing and boating activities just to name a few.

It offers services and commerce, as well as the Puyuhuapi Hot Springs and Isla Magdalena National Park.

Termas de Puyuhuapi: (Puyuhuapi Springs)

These hot springs at the end of the earth are only accessible by sea since they are located next to the beach of Dorita Bay on the Magdalena Island. They offer excellent quality services and water reaching up to 85° C. They have accommodation options, but are somwhat expensive, so it is recommended to visit the hot springs for the day and choose any of the alternative accomodations that exist in Puyuhuapi.

Lago General Carrera: (General Carrera Lake)

This large lake, known as Buenos Aires on the Argentine side, has an area of over 1800 km2. The water is glacial and on its way to the sea they drain into Lake Bertrand first and later in the Baker River.

Its main attractions are the Capillas de Mármol and General Carrera Lake National Reserve, which has a lot of natural areas that are home to different species such as huemules, pumas, foxes and condors, in addition to native flora and with forests of coigue and lenga. In this area you can do all kinds of recreational activities such as fly fishing, hiking, horseback riding and others.

In the surrounding area are the towns of Chile Chico and Puerto Guadal.

Capillas de Mármol:

The Capillas de Marmol corresponds to a rocky islet formation with strange ivory colored shapes, which are located on the shores of Lake General Carrera.

They are 3 formations: the Catedral de Mármol (Cathedral of Marble), Capilla de Mármol (Marble Chapel) and Caverna de Mármol (Marble Cave), which can be entered from inside to observe the beauty of their forms and the reflection of the turquoise waters of Lake General Carrera in them.

To reach them there are excursions by boats that take place throughout the year.

Puerto Guadal:

It is located in the southwest area of Lake General Carrera. It is a town where the main business activity is sheep and cattle farming, besides making homemade jams and sweets.

It has a pleasant microclimate, so it is a highly visited resort during the summer because of the warm waters of the lake and its days of sunshine which are perfect for outdoor excursions.

Another attraction is the Cascada Los Maquis (Los Maquis Waterfall), a waterfall of 25 meters located on the surroundings of Puerto Guadal.

Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo: (Cerro Castillo National Reserve)

It is located south of Coyhaique and has exuberant vegetation of the southern native flora and several trails to explore the surroundings. In this reserve there is also a camping area, full service bathrooms and showers.

It has lakes, such as Lake Chiguay, that allows you to go deep into the reserve and see snowdrifts, glacial lakes and forests of the Andean Patagonian type.

Puerto Bertrand:

It is located next to Lake Bertrand, at the birth of the Baker River. It has thick forests of beech and its surroundings we find attractions such as the Campos de Hielo Norte (Northern Ice Fields), Lago Cochrane National Reserve, Lake General Carrera, among others.

In this sector you can engage in recreational activities such as fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking and more.

It is adjacent to the Campos de Hielo Norte (Northern Ice Fields) and is considered the last great city of the Carretera Austral, perfect to stock up because it has all the services and commerce.

In its surroundings you can practice hiking, horseback riding, fishing, trips to nearby parks like Lago Cochrane National Reserve, Laguna San Rafael National Park, Lago Carrera National Reserve , among others as well as ecotourism, rafting and kayaking, in addition to observing native wildlife, especially huemules.

Campos de Hielo Norte: (Northern Ice Fields)

The Northern Patagonian Ice Fields extend approximately 4,200 km2 in the 9th Region of Aysen. It is estimated that the ice that forms it is more than 30,000 years old.

In this area we can find attractions such as Mount San Valentín and the famous San Rafael Lake and its glacier.

Río Baker: (Baker River)

The Baker River is the largest river in Chile, it begins in the Bertrand Lake, southwest of Lake General Carrera. It is 370 kilometers long and is famous for being a place of many water activities such as the sport fishing tournaments that take place in late February in Puerto Bertrand as well as kayaking and rafting. It flows into the town of Caleta Tortel.

Caleta Tortel:

It lies at the mouth of the Baker River, next to the Northern and Southern Ice Fields. It is located near the end of the Carretera Austral and is known for its unique architecture, with wooden walkways to move around through the field, built with cypress wood of Guaitecas. It is considered a typical zone since 2001.

In the area of Caleta Tortel we find the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, where the Southern Ice Field is located.

Villa O’Higgins:

This is the last town on the Carretera Austral. It is an area surrounded by large areas of glaciers and ice fields, so it is ideal for mountaineering and hiking lovers. It is the road to reach the part of Chaiten in Argentina.

In this sector there are no cell phones, no ATM or public transportation. It has a gas station, but their prices are quite high, besides that it has offers in accommodations and restaurants.

Beginning from the start of this trip in Puerto Montt, we can visit the Alerce Andino National Park and see a unique and ancient forest, with examples of over 3,000 years of existence.

In addition to this natural area, in the same area you can visit the Hornopirén National Park with its great natural beauty and areas that are completely free of intervention. Here we can practice outdoor activities such as sport fishing in the lagoons.

Continuing south we come to Caleta Gonzalo, where Pumalín Park is located and offers well-marked hiking trails, picnic areas, cabins and craft shops.

Here we also cross the 11th Region of Aysen and Coyhaique where you can reach Futaleufu. Here we find beautiful national parks and one of the best rivers in the world for rafting on the river.

In addition to this, in this area we find the Puyuhuapi sector with the Puyuhuapi Springs in Isla Magdalena and excellent tourist services.

Here you can also tour the Isla Magdalena National Park, a protected area that can only be accessed through the sea.

Continuing along the Carretera Austral wefind Queulat National Park, which has stunning natural attractions: the Salto Padre García Hurtado (Padre Hurtado García Falls) and the wonderful Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier), offering a one of a kind landscape.

As we advance towards the southern zone we can see the Cerro Castillo National Reserve, which has approximately 180 thousand acres, with roads, glaciers, lakes and beautiful surrounding scenery.

We also find the General Carrera Lake with the National Reserve of the same name, which is known for its attractions such as the Capillas de Mármol (Marble Chapels), on the shores of General Carrera Lake, and can be crossed in boats, exploring within its rocky caverns.

In this sector we can explore one of the most important attractions: the San Rafael National Park, explore the Northern Ice Fields, the Monte San Valentin and Bahía Exploradores.

If we continue our journey south, we find the Bertrand Lake, one of the best places in the country to fly fish. Then, its waters flow into the Baker River, the roughest river in Chile, with beautiful turquoise waters that are ideal for water sports such as rafting and kayaking.

Beyond the Baker River, the Carretera Austral changes and becomes more a rugged and winding road. In this area we find the town of Cochrane, the last city with services and commerce, so it is recommended to stock up if you plan to continue the tour. This area stands out because we can find a big huemul population that live naturally in their surroundings, such as the Tamango National Reserve.

From here we continue towards Caleta Tortel with its unique wooden walkways that give a unique charm to this location. In its surroundings we can find natural areas such as theIslas de los Muertos (Island of the Dead), the Steffens and Neff glaciers and more.

From Tortel we can resume the Carretera Austral and proceed to Villa O'Higgins. The road becomes narrow and difficult as you get to Villa O'Higgins, that is the end of Route 7, 1,247 kilometers from its starting point in Puerto Montt. One of its main attractions is the Santiago Park, which has a hill with a panoramic viewpoint and you can see the entire city.

Villa O'Higgins is the gateway to the "Capital of Trekking (Hiking)", the town of El Chalten in Argentina.

Along the Carretera Austral we find various locations, some larger cities with more services and commerce, and other more rural villages, where we find ATMs or money exchange offices.

Some of the cities in the Carretera Austral where we can find money exchange offices as well as shops and commerce that accept credit cards are in Puerto Montt, Coyhaique and Cochrane.

Transportation:

In the larger cities of the Carretera Austral we find all types of transportation, from buses, taxis, colectivos and even airports such as the Tepual Airport in Puerto Montt and the Balmaceda Airport in Coyhaique.

In some localities there are buses that travel through sections of the Carretera Austral, taking ferries to cross the channels. By car you should take the same route, and also relocate to rural areas where there is no public transportation route.

You can also tour the Route 7 throughr Route 40 in Argentina that allows you to travel through the most important areas of the Carretera Austral.

Apart from this, you can reach the Carretera Austral in boats that navigate from Puerto Montt to Puerto Chacabuco, located 82 kilometers from the city of Coyhaique in the 9th Region of Aysen. This is a full day trip and allows you to see the beauty of the Chilean Patagonia fromanother perspective.

Communication:

In its 1,247 kilometers, the Carretera Austral goes through two regions of the country and dozens of cities and towns. The country code for Puerto Montt (the starting point of Route 7), is 65 and the area code of Coyhaique and Cochrane is 67.

Remember if you are calling from abroad you must dial the international code of Chile which is 56, then the city code and finally the corresponding telephone number.

Crossing Route 7 we can taste the traditional cuisine of southern Chile. There are preparations with salmon, trout, lamb, venison and wild boar meat as well as crab king crabs which are some of the ingredients that we find in our journey to Villa O'Higgins.

Because of the large areas that you have to travel through, there is the opportunity to try different flavors and foods that are typical of each place. For the large number of ponds, lakes, rivers and coastlines, the seafood dishes are part of the traditional cuisine, and you can taste different types of fish such as trout, salmon and others.

In addition, areas of Patagonia Austral are characterized by cattle ranches, so lamb is one of the classic ingredients of the Patagonian cuisine. A traditional preparation is the Magellan lamb barbecue on a stick.

The large natural areas running along the Carretera Austral allows the cultivation of crops of wild fruits such as blueberries, myrtle, raspberries and others. With these, delicious homemade jams and liqueurs are made and are ideal for heating up the body for the coldest days while crossing Route 7.

Because of the presence of European settlers in various lparts that form the Carretera Austral, the kuchenes, pastries, cakes, pies and chocolates are part of the traditional flavors of this region. The same goes for the Chilote cuisine with dishes like chilota curanto in a hole, cazuelas and other preparations made with potatoes.

Recommended Tour in Carretera Austral

Why book with us?

Best price without complications, best quality guaranteed, passenger service available 24/7, tours and experiences selected by experts, industry leader, 18 years of experience, elizalde lake, general carrera lake, yelcho lake, bernardo o'higgins national park, hornopiren national park, queulat national park, pumalin park, puerto aisen, castillo hill national reserve, coyhaique national reserve, futaleufu national reserve, palena national reserve, simpson river national reserve, tamango national reserve, baker river, futaleufu river, puelo river, simpson river, austral route, capilla de marmol natural sanctuary, puyuhuapi hotsprings, san rafael snowcap.

Guía para recorrer la Carretera Austral 2023

La ruta escénica más hermosa del mundo conjuga bosques, lagunas, ríos, parques nacionales, ventisqueros, glaciares y un sinfín de paisajes alucinantes a lo largo de toda su extensión.

Con más de 1.200 kilómetros de extensión entre Puerto Montt y Villa O’Higgins, la Carretera Austral se ha convertido en una de las experiencias más hermosas para vivir en la Patagonia chilena. 

¿Quién no ha escuchado hablar de sitios como las Capillas de Mármol, la laguna San Rafael o el ventisquero colgante del Parque Nacional Queulat? Esos y muchos otros atractivos se unen a lo largo de la también llamada Ruta 7, que cada año recorren más y más viajeros amantes de la aventura.

Por eso, en ComeTo creamos una completa guía para recorrer la Carretera Austral, con los lugares imperdibles que sí o sí se deben conocer tanto en el tramo norte como en el sur.

¿Dónde queda la Carretera Austral?

La Carretera Austral es una ruta que comienza en Puerto Montt y termina en Villa O’Higgins, uniendo la Región de Los Lagos con la de Aysén. Conocida oficialmente como Ruta 7 –y popularmente como la ruta escénica más hermosa del mundo -, se extiende por 1.247 kilómetros.

Según SERNATUR, sólo el 12% de la Carretera Austral está actualmente pavimentado, por lo que, si la idea es recorrerla en auto , se recomienda que éste sea 4x4 para soportar los caminos de ripio. También es un excelente panorama para los amantes del ciclismo, quienes con las bicicletas apropiadas pueden recorrerla de forma tranquila en varios días. 

Las Termas de Puyuhuapi son un imperdible para conocer en la Ruta 7.

En la Carretera Austral los kilómetros no son sinónimo de tiempo de viaje. Esto, principalmente, por dos motivos: en primer lugar, los caminos de tierra hacen que los trayectos demoren más y, en segunda instancia, porque muchas partes hay que hacerlas en transbordador. Si la idea es visitar la Carretera Austral completa, lo ideal es dedicarle entre tres y cuatro semanas para conocer cada ciudad, pueblo y parque nacional.

A lo largo de sus más de mil kilómetros es posible deslumbrarse con bosques siempreverdes, bosques andino patagónicos, pampa patagónica e, incluso, glaciares. Para facilitar la ruta, éste se divide en dos partes: la Carretera Austral Norte y la Carretera Austral Sur. 

Hasta el año 2021, sólo el 12% de la Carretera Austral se encontraba pavimentado.

¿Cómo llegar a la Carretera Austral?

Sólo existen dos aeropuertos en la Carretera Austral. El primero está en Puerto Montt y es ideal para quienes quieren recorrer la parte norte, o bien partir por ahí hasta Villa O’Higgins. El otro aeropuerto se encuentra en Balmaceda, a una hora de Coyhaique, y es la mejor opción para los que prefieren recorrer sólo la parte sur.

Carretera Austral Norte

Esta primera parte de la Ruta 7 une las ciudades de Puerto Montt y Coyhaique. Sus principales tramos son los siguientes:

• Puerto Montt – Chaitén. Se puede hacer directamente en transbordador (9 horas), o bien internamente, pasando por Caleta La Arena, Hornopirén, Leptepu y Caleta Gonzalo, en un recorrido que dura siete horas, combinando tramos en auto y transbordadores.
• Chaitén – La Junta. Para este tramo es necesario tomar un transbordador de 7 horas hasta Raúl Marín Balmaceda, y luego seguir en auto durante dos horas hasta La Junta. En el camino se pueden conocer lugares como Futaleufú, Palena, Melinka y Melimoyu.
• La Junta – Puerto Cisnes. Es un tramo corto y por tierra que sólo dura dos horas, pasando también por la localidad de Puyuhuapi.
• Puerto Cisnes – Coyhaique. Es el último tramo de la Carretera Austral Norte y dura alrededor de tres horas. Poco antes de llegar a Coyhaique se encuentra el desvío a Puerto Aysén, desde donde también se puede llegar a Puerto Chacabuco.

Carretera Austral Sur

El último trayecto de la Carretera Austral transcurre entre Coyhaique y Villa O’Higgins. Los tramos que lo componen son:

• Coyhaique – Puerto Río Tranquilo. Esta primera parte de la Carretera Austral Sur demora tres horas y media de viaje por tierra, pasando también por la localidad de Villa Cerro Castillo. En este tramo se encuentran los desvíos a Balmaceda, Puerto Ibáñez y Chile Chico.
• Puerto Río Tranquilo – Cochrane. Son aproximadamente tres horas y media de viaje bordeando los Campos de Hielo Norte y el lago General Carrera. 
• Cochrane – Puerto Yungay. Demora poco menos de dos horas que pueden extenderse en caso de querer pasar por Caleta Tortel, que se encuentra en un desvío a medio camino. 
• Puerto Yungay – Villa O’Higgins. El último tramo de la Carretera Austral toma cerca de dos horas y media de viaje.

Mejor época para ir a la Carretera Austral

Al encontrarse en plena Patagonia, los mejores meses para visitar la Carretera Austral son entre octubre y abril; es decir, entre fines de primavera y principios de otoño. Como gran parte de los caminos se encuentra sin asfaltar, es la mejor época para evitar nevazones y encontrarse con las rutas más descongestionadas.

Sin embargo, las probabilidades de lluvias están siempre presentes, así como también los vientos, por lo que nunca hay que confiarse con el “clima invernal” de la Carretera Austral. Además, las noches siempre son muy frías, por lo que hay que llevar ropa de abrigo, sobre todo si la idea es acampar.

Con la llegada de la primavera, el clima comienza a mejorar en la Carretera Austral.

Datos útiles para recorrer la Carretera Austral

• La señal de teléfono e internet es bastante intermitente a lo largo de la Carretera Austral. De hecho, Entel es la compañía con mejor cobertura, aunque aún no llega a todas las localidades.
• Es recomendable tener efectivo a mano, porque no en todos los lugares se puede pagar con tarjetas. Hay cajeros automáticos en Puerto Montt, Hornopirén, Futaleufú, Puerto Cisnes, Puerto Aysén, Chile Chico, Coyhaique y Cochrane. Así también, hay bancos en Puerto Montt, Puerto Cisnes, Mañihuales, Puerto Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile Chico y Cochrane.
• Es fundamental conocer los horarios de salida de los transbordadores y barcazas con anticipación, para calcular los tiempos de viaje. Algunas son pagadas y otras son gratuitas, al ser un servicio proporcionado por el Estado.
• Hay bombas de bencina a lo largo de toda la Carretera Austral: Puerto Montt, Hornopirén, Futaleufú, Palena, La Junta, Puyuhuapi, Puerto Cisnes, Mañihuales, Puerto Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile Chico, Puerto Tranquilo, Puerto Guadal, Cochrane y Villa O’Higgins.
• En cuanto al vestuario, conviene llevar siempre zapatos de trekking, primera capa, chaqueta impermeable, gorro y ropa de abrigo en general.

¿Qué hacer en la Carretera Austral Norte?

Desde la Ruta 7 hacia la cordillera y el mar, hay innumerables atractivos que visitar. Por eso, lo mejor es centrarse en los principales y más hermosos, sin dejar nada en el tintero. En esa línea, el Parque Nacional Hornopirén es un lugar espectacular, con bosques, ríos y lagunas que lo convierten en parte de la Reserva de la Biósfera Bosques Templados Lluviosos de Los Andes Australes.

Hacia el sur se encuentra la ciudad de Chaitén , que se vio fuertemente afectada por la erupción del volcán del mismo nombre en 2008. Aún así, el ascenso a éste se encuentra abierto en una ruta de dificultad media, pero que muestra los efectos del paso de la lava.

Muy cerca, el Parque Pumalín es otro imperdible, gran parte del cual fue donado por Douglas Tompkins. También forma parte de la Reserva de la Biósfera Bosques Templados Lluviosos de Los Andes Australes y cuenta con tres senderos de diferente dificultad que conducen por hermosos paisajes a cascadas y glaciares.

El Parque Pumalín ofrece senderos de diversa dificultad, todos entre hermosos paisajes.

Los amantes del rafting y del kayak no pueden dejar de visitar Futaleufú , donde se encuentran algunos de los rápidos más famosos del mundo. Además, tiene hermosas rutas de trekking como el sendero Piedra del Águila, la sierra Teta y los de la Reserva Nacional Futaleufú .

Pasando La Junta se llega hasta Puyuhuapi, un pueblito de herencia y tradición alemana, donde comer kuchen es prácticamente una obligación. Desde allí se pueden visitar las Termas de Puyuhuapi y conocer también el espectacular Parque Nacional Queulat , con su famoso ventisquero colgante. Éste es, sin lugar a dudas, uno de los sitios más hermosos de toda la Carretera Austral.

El ventisquero colgante del Parque Nacional Queulat se puede observar desde diversos miradores.

Antes de llegar a Coyhaique, una desviación necesaria es conducir hasta Puerto Chacabuco. Es que desde ahí zarpan algunas de las embarcaciones que navegan por la laguna San Rafael rumbo al glaciar, pasando por fiordos, volcanes y paisajes de indescriptible belleza. 

¿Qué hacer en la Carretera Austral Sur?

Este segundo tramo de la ruta escénica más hermosa del mundo comienza en Coyhaique . La ciudad es un buen punto para abastecerse y seguir el camino rumbo al sur. 

La primera parada que hay que hacer desde allí es el Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo , que en realidad es un paso obligado, pues la Carretera Austral transcurre por entre medio. ¡Con algo de suerte hasta se pueden ver huemules en el camino! Luego, poco antes de llegar a Villa Cerro Castillo , se encuentra la clásica postal del sendero serpenteante, un ícono en el que hay que detenerse.

Pasando por numerosos pueblos se llega a Puerto Río Tranquilo , con el lago General Carrera como telón de fondo. Es una pequeña localidad que ha adquirido especial popularidad, ya que desde allí se inician excursiones a atractivos icónicos de la Patagonia chilena. Por eso, una buena decisión es quedarse en ella un par de noches, para aprovechar al máximo sin perder tiempo en traslados innecesarios.

Sin duda, el tour más clásico es a las a las Capillas de Mármol , que se pueden recorrer en lancha o en kayak. Son tres formaciones de piedra caliza erosionadas por la acción del viento y el agua, cuyas paredes parecen de mármol. Bajo ellas, el lago adquiere un color turquesa impresionante que se extiende hasta la catedral, una enorme roca cercana.

La Catedral de Mármol es una enorme formación rocosa en pleno lago General Carrera.

No hay que dejar Río Tranquilo sin antes haber visitado el glaciar Exploradores , inmerso al interior del Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael . Éste se puede avistar desde un mirador –que regala espectaculares panorámicas al lago Bayo–, aunque también es posible tomar tours de caminata sobre hielo. Asimismo, desde el pueblo también salen excursiones de navegación al glaciar San Rafael , bastante más económicas que las que salen desde Puerto Chacabuco.

Los más aventureros no pueden dejar de hacer la caminata en hielo sobre el glaciar Exploradores.

De aquí en adelante el camino deja de estar pavimentado, por lo que se vuelve mucho más lento que en la parte norte. Continuando por la Carretera Austral se pueden disfrutar de hermosas y diferentes perspectivas del lago General Carrera, como también pasar por pequeños pueblos como Puerto Bertrand .

Una parada obligatoria es la confluencia de los ríos Baker y Neff . Mientras el primero se caracteriza por sus aguas turquesas, el Nef lo alcanza con tonos plomizos, creando una mezcla de colores alucinantes. También es posible desviarse para conocer el Parque Nacional Patagonia , con diversos senderos para todo tipo de visitantes y un museo interactivo maravilloso.

Un paisaje alucinante es el que se crea en la confluencia de los ríos Baker y Neff.

Continuando el camino, vale la pena tomar el desvío rumbo a Caleta Tortel . Se trata de un pequeño pueblo compuesto por 10 kilómetros de pasarelas de madera peatonales, con casas levantadas sobre palafitos para evitar la humedad del suelo. En la entrada se encuentra el estacionamiento y luego sólo queda caminar por la caleta para empaparse con su belleza innata. Desde ahí se pueden hacer excursiones como el trekking al cerro Tortel o la navegación a la misteriosa isla de Los Muertos o a los glaciares Jorge Montt y Steffen, en plenos Campos de Hielo Sur.

El último tramo conduce hasta Villa O’Higgins , que marca el final de la Carretera Austral. Imposible no parar en Puerto Bahamondes para tomarse una foto junto al clásico letrero que indica el fin de ésta, una de las rutas más espectaculares de todo Sudamérica y el mundo.

Tour destacados

Full day Tour en Capillas de Mármol en Coyhaique

Tour Laguna San Rafael en Puerto Tranquilo

Ice Trekking Glaciar Exploradores

Coyhaique 2024 - 3 noches de hotel

Artículos relacionados.

Celebrando el Amor: Del Origen del Día de San Valentín a una Noche Inolvidable en Santiago

En la víspera del Día de San Valentín, Cometo.cl, no sólo los invita a conocer el significado histórico de esta celebración, sino que también les ofrece la oportunidad de crear momentos inolvidables en los rincones más exclusivos de Santiago.

Los Panamericanos Santiago 2023: Deporte, emoción y bellezas naturales

Los Juegos Panamericanos Santiago 2023 han dejado una huella imborrable en la historia deportiva de Chile. Con 79 medallas en total, incluyendo 12 de oro, el país ha celebrado su mejor actuación en estos juegos. Pero más allá de este tremendo logro y su excelente organización, los Panamericanos destacaron una vez más, la asombrosa belleza natural de Chile. La magnífica Cordillera de los Andes, enmarcando nuestra capital, las hermosas olas de Pichilemu, la Laguna Grande de San Pedro de la Paz, fueron un verdadero escenario de la diversidad y bellezas de Chile. En este blog comentaremos sobre las bellezas de Santiago y sus alrededores que cautivaron a deportistas y visitantes. Ya sea que estés interesado en la cultura, la naturaleza o la aventura, esta región te ofrece una amplia gama de experiencias que te enamoraran, y lo mejor es que las puedes comprar 100% online en www.cometo.cl

Chile: Ganador del Premio WTA al Mejor Destino de Turismo Aventura 2023

Chile ha sido honrado con el distinguido premio World Travel Awards (WTA) como el "Mejor Destino de Turismo Aventura". Esta condecoración, otorgada por expertos en turismo y viajeros de todos los rincones del planeta, resalta la riqueza y diversidad natural que ofrece Chile, así como las innumerables oportunidades para la aventura que esperan a sus visitantes.

Artículo agregado a tu carrito

Carretera austral norte.

• Duración 7 días y 6 noches
• Nivel de actividad Light/High - Moderada/Alta
• Tipo de actividad Familiar- Naturaleza
• Tamaño del Grupo 28 personas

No se pudo cargar la disponibilidad de retiro

¿Tienes dudas?

Si necesitas más información, contáctanos y recibe la mejor atención del mundo.

Certíficaciones

• Descripción

Fechas Disponibles

¿qué incluye, ¿cómo reservar, preguntas frecuentes.

• Reservar ahora

Descubre la majestuosa y emocionante Carretera Austral Norte y sumérgete en una experiencia única rodeado de impresionantes paisajes naturales.

Con este viaje, podrás explorar la naturaleza en su máximo esplendor y vivir una inigualable experiencia. ¡Descubre todo lo que este destino tiene para ofrecer!

Destacados del Itinerario ✨ Puyuhuapi, donde aún se respiran las tradiciones de origen alemán. ✨ Futaleufú, un verdadero paraíso de hermosos colores. ✨ Chaitén, donde podremos ver como esta localidad ha renacido de las cenizas. ✨ Hornopirén, considerada «la puerta norte de la Carretera Austral». ✨ Parque Nacional Queulat, la Laguna Témpanos, el famoso Puente Colgante, y el imperdible Ventisquero Colgante. ✨ Navegación desde Caleta Gonzalo hasta Hornopirén. ✨ C aminata por senderos en el Parque Pumalín Douglas Tompkins. ✨ Termas Del Sol, donde viviremos un maravilloso relajo. ✨ Navegación desde Caleta Puelche a Caleta La Arena.

• 14 al 20 de Septiembre 2024 ➞ $855.000 Reservar ahora
• 03 al 09 de Octubre 2024 ➞ $875.000 Reservar ahora
• 28 de Octubre al 03 de Noviembre 2024 ➞ $895.000 Reservar ahora
• 06 al 12 de Noviembre 2024 ➞ $895.000 Reservar ahora
• 14 al 20 de Noviembre 2024 ➞ $895.000 Reservar ahora

¿Ninguna fecha te funciona? Danos tu correo y te avisamos cuando se abran nuevas fechas

• Pasaje aéreo Santiago a Balmaceda a la ida.
• 01 Equipaje en cabina + 01 artículo personal.
• Pasaje aéreo Puerto Montt a Santiago al regreso.
• 02 noches de alojamiento en Puyuhuapi.
• 01 noche de alojamiento en Futaleufú.
• 01 noche de alojamiento en Chaitén.
• 02 noches de alojamiento en Hornopirén.
• Régimen de media pensión. (seis desayunos y seis almuerzos o cenas y box lunch según programa).
• Alojamiento en base a habitaciones dobles, matrimoniales o triples, en hotel, hostales o cabañas, donde existe la posibilidad de compartir baño con otros pasajeros del tour.
• Traslado en bus exclusivo para el grupo durante todo el tour.
• Full day en el Parque Nacional Queulat, para enamorarnos de la belleza de su “Bosque Siempre Verde”, la Laguna Témpanos, el famoso Puente Colgante, y el imperdible Ventisquero Colgante. Incluye entrada y box lunch.
• Visita a Puyuhuapi, donde aún se respiran las tradiciones de sus primeros pobladores de origen alemán.
• Visita a Futaleufú, un verdadero paraíso que podremos apreciar al realizar un trekking en el sendero La Bandera.
• Visita a Chaitén, donde podremos ver como esta localidad ha renacido de las cenizas.
• Navegación desde Caleta Gonzalo hasta Hornopirén.
• Entrada y caminata por sendero en el Parque Pumalín Douglas Tompkins.
• Día de relajo en las Termas del Sol.
• Navegación desde Caleta Puelche a Caleta La Arena.
• Impuestos aéreos.
• Guía coordinador de nuestra agencia durante todo el recorrido.

PARA RESERVAR: ¡Comunícate con nosotros vía correo, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp o teléfono y te indicaremos los pasos a seguir! También puedes reservar en nuestra página web www.geoterraviajes.cl y seguir los pasos señalados.

RESERVA: Aprovecha y reserva sólo con  $50.000  por persona. Este monto se descuenta del valor total del viaje y no es reembolsable en ningún caso.

SALDO: Puedes ir pagando mensualmente vía transferencia/depósito en cuotas sin intereses. 

Para  Viajes Nacionales   y tour Salar de Uyuni , el tour debe estar 100% pagado 40 días antes de la fecha de salida del viaje.

De no ser así, los pasajeros serán excluidos del viaje sin devolución de lo abonado.

• Para inscripciones a menos de 40 días (nacional) del viaje no es posible reservar, sólo se confirma la reserva de los cupos con el pago de la totalidad del tour.
• CUENTA BANCARIA PARA TRANSFERENCIAS O DEPÓSITOS EN PESOS CHILENOS:
• Nombre :Agencia de viajes Geoterra SPA.
• Rut: 77.232.193-7
• Número de cuenta: 2402434004
• Tipo de cuenta: Cuenta corriente
• Banco: Banco de Chile
• Correo: [email protected]

* Recuerda agregar en los comentarios tu nombre, tour y fecha de viaje.

* Es responsabilidad del pasajero notificar a Geoterra Viajes de cada abono o pago realizado. 

Al momento de reservar, estarás aceptando nuestros  Términos y Condiciones  y las  Políticas de Devolución y Anulación .

Día 1 :Santiago – Balmaceda - Puyuhuapi

• Comenzamos nuestra aventura en el aeropuerto de Santiago para volar hasta Balmaceda.
• Almuerzo incluido en Coyhaique.
• Luego nos trasladamos a Puyuhuapi.
• Finalizamos el día llegando a este precioso pueblito alemán.
• Alojamiento en Puyuhuapi.

Día 2 :Full day Parque Nacional Queulat

• Desayuno incluido.
• Iniciamos este día en el Parque Nacional Queulat, un lugar auténtico, caracterizado por su “Bosque Siempre Verde” y nos cautivaremos con la belleza y grandeza del Ventisquero Colgante.
• Conoceremos la Laguna Témpanos, donde cruzaremos por el famoso Puente Colgante, que es sin duda, una experiencia única.
• Box lunch incluido.
• Para los más valientes existe una caminata en subida, en medio de centenarios árboles, la que finaliza en una impactante vista, donde el Glaciar asoma su punta entre las montañas formando el Ventisquero Colgante.
• Estaremos todo el día inmersos en frondosos bosques, caídas de agua, fiordos, ventisqueros y lagos.
• En la tarde regresamos a Puyuhuapi donde nos alojaremos.

Día 3 :Puyuhuapi – Futaleufú – Laguna Espejo -Tarde libre

• Salida temprano con destino a Futaleufú; su río es considerado un paraíso y uno de los tres mejores del mundo para los distintos deportes aventura.
• Visita a la Laguna Espejo.
• Almuerzo (incluido) .
• Tarde libre para disfrutar de este lindo lugar, donde podrás realizar diferentes actividades (gestión y costo es responsabilidad del pasajero) como cabalgata, rafting, kayak, entre otros.
• Alojamiento en Futaleufú.

Día 4 :Sendero La Bandera- Chaitén

• En la mañana y dependiendo de la disponibilidad del encargado de la ruta haremos una caminata al sendero La Bandera.
• Durante el recorrido tendremos amplias vistas en uno de los puntos relevantes para observar la enorme el valle, los ríos Espolón y Futaleufú y la hermosa geografía de montes verdes, llenos de vegetación, así también de numerosas cumbres que se alzan en el horizonte; su nombre se debe al enorme emblema tricolor que ondea en la cumbre.
• Almuerzo incluido.
• Más tarde seguimos rumbo a Chaitén, una ciudad que se ha ido recuperando poco a poco desde la erupción del Volcán y que hoy nos puede recibir nuevamente con los brazos abiertos.
• Tiempo libre para pasear y enamorarse de sus espectaculares vistas y entorno.
• Alojamiento en Chaitén.

Día 5 :Parque Pumalín Douglas Tompkins - Caleta Gonzalo - Hornopirén

• Partimos con destino a Hornopirén, pero para llegar debemos pasar por algunas travesías.
• Tenemos que llegar a Caleta Gonzalo para cruzar en barcaza durante 4 hrs aprox.hacia Hornopirén.
• Pero antes no podemos dejar de visitar el increíble Parque Pumalín Douglas Tompkins y simplemente respirar junto a sus profundos bosques que descienden hasta los fiordos originando uno de los bordes costeros más espectaculares del planeta.
• Realizaremos una caminata explorando un sendero para luego seguir nuestro camino cargados de nuevas energías.
• Llegamos a Hornopirén.
• Cena incluida y alojamiento en Hornopirén.

Día 6 : Termas del Sol

• Desayuno incluido .
• Hoy podremos disfrutar de un lugar escondido en la Patagonia Austral ubicado en las cercanías de Puelo, este día nos invita a descansar, a desconectarnos y a relajarnos en aguas termales de excelente calidad rodeada de naturaleza, montañas y bosques nativos.
• Cena incluida .
• Alojamiento en Hornopirén.

Día 7 :Caleta Puelche – La Arena – Puerto Montt – Santiago

• Es nuestro último día de paseo y tenemos que realizar el último tramo hasta llegar a Puerto Montt. Para poder llegar debemos embarcarnos en una barcaza que nos cruzará el Estuario de Reloncaví, que tiene una duración de aproximadamente 30 minutos.
• Desde Caleta La Arena continuamos nuestro camino rumbo hacia Puerto Montt bordeando el Seno de Reloncaví, apreciamos amplias playas, caletas pesqueras, islas, aves y sobre todo frondosa vegetación.
• Tendremos un tiempo corto para almorzar y seguimos al aeropuerto y tomamos vuelo a Santiago, llegaremos a casa cargados de nuevas energías, buenos momentos y excelentes fotografías que perdurarán en el tiempo.

• Al seleccionar una opción, se actualiza toda la página.
• Se abre en una nueva ventana.

• Guía para recorrer la Carretera Austral

En GoChile te contamos todo lo que tienes que saber para recorrer la Carretera escénica más hermosa del mundo. Desde dónde comienza y dónde termina, hasta si hay cajeros automáticos en la ruta.

La   Carretera Austral , también conocida como la Ruta Escénica más Hermosa del Mundo , es una carretera en el sur de Chile que pasa por entremedio de bosques y áreas naturales que han sido apenas tocados por el ser humano. Sus 1.247 kilómetros van desde Puerto Montt  en la región de Los Lagos, hasta la remota localidad de Villa O’Higgins en la región de Aysén. Denominada formalmente Ruta 7,  esta magnífica carretera recorre desde bosques siempre verdes hasta bosques andino patagónicos y estepa pampa patagónica pasando por prístinos ríos, lagos color turquesa y enormes glaciares milenarios. 

Por estar en un área extrema, es que sus caminos son principalmente de ripio, algo que atrae a los adeptos al ecoturismo que en muchas ocasiones eligen recorrer la ruta en 4x4 o en mountain bike. Según datos de Sernatur,  sólo un 12% de la ruta está pavimentada,  por lo que es común encontrarse con obras de pavimentación en la ruta así como también trabajos de mantención para aminorar los efectos del duro invierno en esta zona de geografía accidentada.

La Carretera Austral se divide en Carretera Austral Norte y Carretera Austral Sur . A continuación te explicamos de dónde a dónde va cada tramo y qué puedes ver en cada zona para que puedas tomar una decisión informada al planear tu viaje. 

Elige tu ruta

I. Carretera Austral Norte

La Carretera Austral Norte va desde Puerto Montt hasta Coyhaique. En sus rutas podrás disfrutar de bosques siempre verdes y hacer detenciones para realizar trekking en parques nacionales como el Queulat, la Reserva Nacional Futaleufú, el Parque Nacional Hornopirén, el Parque Pumalín  y la Reserva Nacional Lago Rosselot. En esta zona también puedes relajarte en deliciosas termas y experimentar la belleza de los fiordos y canales del sur.

1.  Puerto Montt - Chaitén 

2. Chaitén - La Junta

2.A. La Junta - Raúl Marín Balmaceda

2.B. La Junta - Lago Verde

2.C. Melinka

3. La Junta - Puyuhuapi - Puerto Cisnes

4. Puerto Cisnes - Coyhaique

II. Carretera Austral Sur 

En la Parte Sur de la Carretera Austral se mezclan ríos, lagos y una imponente vegetación, con amplias pampas y glaciares de los Campos de Hielo Norte y Sur . En este tramo de la ruta puedes visitar el magnífico Parque Cerro Castillo, el hermoso Lago General Carrera que hipnotiza con su intenso color turquesa; la adorable localidad de Caleta Tortel y diversos canales y fiordos patagónicos que te harán sentir que estás en un planeta completamente inhabitado. 

     5.A. Coyhaique - Balmaceda

     5.B.Coyhaique - Puerto Aysén - Puerto Chacabuco

     6. Coyhaique - Villa Cerro Castillo - Puerto Tranquilo 

     7. Coyhaique - Puerto Ibáñez - Chile Chico 

    8. Ruta Cuenca Lago General Carrera

    9. Puerto tranquilo - Chochrane 

    10. Chochrane - Tortel - Villa O’Higgins

    11. Canales y Fiordos Patagónicos 

Los mejores lugares en la Carretera Austral

• Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael 
• Parque Nacional Queulat  
• Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo
• Caleta Tortel
• Parque Pumalín  
• Lago General Carrera y Capillas de Mármol
• Glaciar Exploradores

Para más detalles sobre cada destino haz click aquí .

¿Cómo desplazarse en la Carretera Austral?

• Vehículo propio: se recomienda recorrer la Carretera Austral en 4x4 todo el año. 
• Bicicleta o moto: en dos ruedas es una de las maneras más inolvidables de recorrer la Carretera Austral, aunque hay que tener en cuenta que se requiere un buen estado físico, especialmente si se elige recorrer en bicicleta.  
• Vehículo arrendado: se puede arrendar autos en Coyhaique y en el aeropuerto de Balmaceda, aunque hay que chequear con anticipación. 
• Transporte público: hay líneas de buses que realizan servicio regular desde Coyhaique hacia la mayoría de las localidades.

Consejos para recorrer la Carretera Austral en Auto 

Además de preferir un auto 4x4 recomendamos llevar siempre un bidón de gasolina en el caso de no encontrar estaciones de servicio debido a las grandes distancias que hay entre las ciudades. También se recomienda conducir con precaución, ya que el camino puede ser muy sinuoso en algunos tramos, que sumado al ripio podría provocar que el vehículo se deslice o se de vuelta. Es preferible recorrer en vehículos cerrados por las fuertes lluvias que pueden aparecer en cualquier momento del año. 

Terminales de buses regionales

• Terminal Buses Suray, Coyhaique 
• Terminal Buses Don Carlos, Coyhaique 
• Terminal Buses Ali, Coyhaique 
• Terminal Buses Municipal, Coyhaique
• Terminal Buses Becker, Coyhaique
• Terminal de Buses Cochrane
• Terminal de Buses Chile Chico

También te puede interesar: Programa de Viajes Carretera Austral Express

¿Qué servicios básicos hay en la Carretera Austral?

Bombas de Bencina: 

• Puerto Montt
• Alto Palena
• Puerto Cisnes
• Puerto Aysén
• Chile Chico
• Puerto Tranquilo 
• Puerto Guadal
• Villa O’Higgins

Cajeros Automáticos:       

• Puerto Aysén 
• Chile Chico 

Equipo ¿cómo hacer la mochila para la carretera austral?

Imprescindibles:

• Lentes de sol con filtro UV
• Primera Capa completa
• Segunda Capa completa
• Tercera capa completa (puede ser cortavientos)
• Zapatillas o bototos de trekking
• Gorro 
• Bastón de Trekking 
• Botiquín de primeros auxilios 
• Cocinilla a gas o a bencina ( y utensilios para cocinar)
• Bidón de agua
• Carpa de doble techo
• Saco de dormir para -5 (en verano)
• Alimentación para 5 días

Qué hacer para no contaminar la carretera austral

• Está estrictamente prohibido el uso de fuego en Áreas Silvestres protegidas.
• Evita el uso de detergentes comerciales. Lava tus platos en casa, usa un detergente de productos naturales o sólo lava con agua.
• No toques nidos, madrigueras o guaridas. Respeta el hábitat de los animales y observalos desde una distancia prudente. 
• No interrvengas el arte rupestre. No destruyas nuestro patrimonio cultural. 
• No está permitido pescar sin licencia de pesca chilena al día. La pesca recreativa sólo está permitida en Reservas Nacionales. 
• Recolecta tu basura y llévala de vuelta a tu ciudad. Por ningún motivo la dejes en el camino o en la naturaleza. 
• No ingreses mascotas a los Parques Nacionales.
• No te bañes en lagos o ríos dentro de los Parques Nacionales. Tampoco está permitido el uso de vehículos a motor. 
• Los vehículos sólo pueden acceder hasta la administración de los parques y reservas. 
• Evita subir el volumen de tu música, respeta el ecosistema que estás visitando y a los demás viajeros. 
• Respeta las instrucciones de los guardaparques, ellos son la máxima autoridad dentro de la Reserva o Parque. 
• Las personas en estado de ebriedad deben abandonar la reserva o parque.
• Respeta la señalización, transita únicamente por zonas delimitadas. 

Recomendaciones generales

• Reserva:  reserva tu alojamiento o sitio de camping con anticipación. Prefiere servicios registrados en Sernatur
• Anticípate:  arrienda tu vehículo con anticipación o reserva los pasajes de bus con tiempo. 
• Infórmate : sobre el estado de los caminos en  www.mop.cl  o en las redes sociales de SERNATUR. 
• Chequea:  los horarios de las barcazas gratuitas dispuestas por el Estado.

También te puede interesar: Programa de Viajes Carretera Austral Full

Vive la experiencia

Programa de Viajes Carretera Austral Full 8 Días

Si quieres recorrer la Carretera Austral y tienes tiempo, este programa es para ti. Navegaremos hacia las Catedrales de Mármol, disfrutaremos…

Programa de viajes Carretera Austral Express 5 Días

Conoce la Carretera Austral en cinco días con navegación incluida a la Laguna San Rafael y relajación en las Aguas Calientes de Ensenada…

• Desde CLP $ 898.000 por persona
• Desde US$ 1.005 por persona

Programa de viajes Carretera Austral Especial 4 Días

Durante cuatro días conocerás lo mejor de Aysén. Navegaremos en Catamaranes del Sur por la Laguna San Rafael y conoceremos los atractivos…

Tour a las Capillas de Mármol 12 Horas

Las Capillas de Mármol fueron declaradas Monumento Nacional por ser formaciones de mineral de carbonato de sodio. Ven a conocer estas…

• Desde CLP $ 110.000 por persona
• Desde US$ 149 por persona

Trekking por el glaciar Exploradores 10 Horas

En esta excursión caminaremos por un bosque siempre verde para culminar en el blanco azulado del glaciar Exploradores en la zona más…

Trekking al campamento del Neozelandés en el Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo 9 Horas

La Carretera Austral esconde espectaculares paisajes y tú podrás conocer parte de ellos en este trekking por el Parque Nacional Cerro…

Rafting en el río Baker 3 Horas

Si amas la adrenalina, esta excursión espectacular te llevará a descargarla por completo, descendiendo los rápidos de clase 2 y 3+…