Don’t miss out on the many activities in the Carretera Austral:

The southern part of the Carretera Austral gets more remote the farther south you go, and the landscape just keeps getting more and more stunning.

Day 10 – Puyuhuapi – Queulat National Park:

You will arrive to Queulat after two hours of cycling, we have designed this on purpose, so you can spend the rest of the day walking the trails or taking an excursion. Don’t miss out on the Queulat National Park (entrance 24 km south of Puyuhuapi) with rivers winding through its fairy tale lush wilderness.

The most popular route is the 3,2 km hike to the famous hanging glacier or “Ventisquero Colgante” where you can see and hear the ice crashing down on the rocks. In summer you can take it easy and hop on one of the small boats that navigate you across the Laguna Témpanos to the glacier.

51 km south of Puyuhuapi is the Bosque Encantado (Enchanted Forest), a moist, magical forest where gremlins and elves must live. An hour’s walk

takes you to where the glacial waterfalls drop into the river.

Take all your wet weather gear.

Day 14 – Villa Cerro Castillo:

This town is named after the magnificent Castillo peak and is located in the Ibáñez River Valley, 59 miles south of Coyhaique. Cerro Castillo is known for its striking landscapes made up of hanging glaciers, turquoise-colored lakes, and beautiful Lenga forests, the perfect home for Huemules (South Andean Deer).

Day 17 – The Marble Caves:

The Marble Caves (also called the Capillas de Mármol) is one of the best-hidden gems in Chile’s Patagonia region, those bucket list spots that are well worth a trip.

They are located on General Carrera Lake and can be only accessed by boat or kayak. The magnificent Marble Caves have formed over the last 6000+ years as the water melted from the nearby glaciers filling up General Carrera Lake and washing up against these solid rocks slowly carving out intricate caverns, columns, and tunnel systems.

Day 18 – The beautiful town of Puerto Bertrand:

This is the perfect place to do rafting and kayaking on Lake Bertrand, and then arrive at the confluence from the Nef River with the mightiest river in Chile, the Baker River.

Day 18 – Cochrane:

Was founded in 1954 as Pueblo Nuevo, later changed to Cochrane to honor Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald a British Naval Captain and politician who was appointed as the First Admiral of the Chilean Navy who made a mayor contribution winning Chilean Independence from Spain.

Day 20 – Caleta Tortel:

Built almost entirely from wood, it is a labyrinthine maze connected by sturdy boardwalks that snake down the mountainside, and branch out along the bay. Houses appear to be piled on top of each other, and wild mosses, lichens and ferns blanket the landscape. Walk the 15 kilometres of boardwalks along the milky-blue Tortel bay and immerse yourself in Aysen culture in traditional lodging and restaurants.

Days 22, 23 – Villa O’Higgins:

Marks the end of the Carretera Austral and the beginning of Chile’s Southern Ice Fields. The town is located in the midst of a gorgeous, pristine, and remote landscape, at the mouth of the Mayer River and the O’Higgins Lake, which is the deepest lake on the American continent at 2743 feet deep. The lake was formed by the O’Higgins Glacier.

The first settlers arrived in 1914, but the town wasn’t incorporated until 1966. It was named in honor of Chilean independence leader Bernardo O’Higgins.

CARRETERA AUSTRAL: 

BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD

Pack enough food and water:  Double-check that you ´ve got everything you may need!

Be sure to carry enough cash money:

Remember that  you´ll need to find the next ATM machine. Although there are now plenty of ATM´s along the Carretera Austral, the rule of thumb is to check you have enough to pay for food and lodging as in most places it will be impossible to pay with debit or credit cards.

Pick up a copy of the COPEC – Map Chiletur Copec Area 7- Carretera Austral: This map is indispensable for anyone cycling in Carretera Austral. You can buy it at our store, or in any COPEC gas station for around $4,900 CLP. 

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. 

Download the ioverlander app: This free app is a guide to road conditions and campsites as compiled by people who travel. 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. 

A local sim card:  Entel provides the best coverage along the Carretera Austral. 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 might be very poor, not all hostels or cabins have WIFI, so sort this. Entel, Movistar, Claro and Wom may not have coverage everywhere.

Carretera Austral remains a work in progress:

Unpaved at some points and impassable due to the rain, snow and wind: qualities that have helped secure the Carretera Austral as one of South America’s most remote and beguiling road trips. The road works can cause sections of the road to be closed, this information is best found by consulting the tourism office of the town you’re in and then planning accordingly.

Pack the right clothing for hot and cold weather: Clothes 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 Carretera Austral, however, if you have a sensitive stomach, it’s best to err on the side of caution.

Toilet paper: Public toilets are few and far between! Be sure to come prepared instead.

Camping:

There are many campsites along the route and is generally permissible to set your tent where ever you want along the Carretera Austral, your common sense will give you  a right idea where you can’t and where it’s recommendable to stay, anyway, remember you will be staying on wild and pristine areas, so practice leaving no trace principles and make sure that you won’t leave any rubbish. 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.