Carretera Uncovered

Fly to Patagonia and walk in the forest

Fly south to Balmaceda, gateway to the Aysén region of Patagonia. On arrival pick up your comfortable 4x4 vehicle and set off, getting your first glimpse of the beautiful forests, fjords and glaciers of Queulat National Park. The scenic drive should take you just over four hours in total. Continue to your friendly, rustic yet warm and comfortable lodge near the fjord's edge. Later your guide will lead you into the precious temperate rainforest, an ecosystem found in only five places on earth. There is a huge variety of tree species and a very rich understory, full of mosses, ferns and lichens.

Kayak Queulat National Park

This morning you will kayak along the fjord or take a boat to an island to observe marine mammals and the rich birdlife, whilst enjoying the peace and quiet. Stop for a delicious picnic and soak in the views. Return to your lodge to relax or explore the area a little more if you are feeling energetic.

Explore the village or go for a walk

Today you might like to explore the northern sector of the Queulat National Park. The community of Puyuhuapi was set up by immigrants from the Sudetenland back in the 1930s. At least one of the original settlers is still here, gardening away, speaking Spanish with a strong German accent! If you want to walk, go a little further north to the El Puma trail.

Hanging glacier hike

The most emblematic feature of the park is the Ventisquero Colgante or 'hanging glacier.' Spilling off the top of a cliff, the glacier contrasts dramatically with the rocky cliff face and surrounding forests. If the weather allows, you can hike the 3km path up to the viewpoint. The forest trail to get there is lovely, but the view from the top is the real star, with more or less eye level views of the glacier on the far side of the valley. From here, set off south as you make your way to Aysén's only city, Coyhaique.

Walking in Coyhaique Natural Reserve

Today, a guide will take you on a long but leisurely walk through the Coyhaique Natural Reserve which sits right on the edge of the town. There are various routes to choose from, including more challenging hikes to peaks in the Rio Simpson Reserve - so the walk can be tailored to be longer or shorter to suit you.

Cave paintings and mountains

Drive south past the airport to come to the beautiful national reserve of Cerro Castillo. In total today's drive is around four hours. The landscape gets increasingly dramatic as the day goes on and you approach your destination. The village of Cerro Castillo is a very modest place, but with an anything but modest mountain range towering over it. See ancient cave paintings and, if you are feeling energetic, you can hike up to the viewpoint over the Cerro Castillo lagoon and Ibañez river valley. Stay overnight in a more basic but welcoming hotel in Cerro Castillo.

Hiking in Cerro Castillo

Enjoy a private guided day walk in the newly created Cerro Castillo National Park. There are different options for your walk today, including the steep hike up and back to the lagoon underneath the main peaks of Cerro Castillo. Our favourite route leads you along an old estancia path, through the lush Southern beech forests, rich in birdlife, and into a circus of dramatic high peaks. At 20km it is a long but relatively comfortable walk, affording some truly spectacular views to reward your efforts. Return to the village of Cerro Castillo for dinner in one of the welcoming small restaurants.

Cross Lago General Carrera

Today you cross to the south side of Lago General Carrera, Chile's largest lake. Because the ferry leaves from a village just half an hour away, you can have a very relaxed start to your day. Perhaps take some time to explore the beautiful and remote Levican Peninsula - as well as pretty walks along very quiet backroads, there are simply beautiful views. This afternoon take a ferry over the remarkably blue waters of Lago General Carrera to the frontier town of Chile Chico. Spend the next couple of nights in this lakeside town with a sunny, and windy, microclimate.

Walk in Jeinimeni's lunar landscapes

Chile Chico sits in the rain shadow of the Andes which gives it a relatively dry and sunny climate. The mountains of Jeinimeini create a second rain shadow which makes parts of the reserve resemble deserts of Northern Chile. The 7km loop is a truly wonderful hike, one of the most varied and unexpected you'll do. A rocky gorge leads up to a low mountain pass from where you have lovely views towards the blue waters of the lake. On the far side of the pass, you find some of the oldest cave paintings in the region. This is an unmissable day of walking - take a picnic, and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Take the scenic road to Cochrane

The road along the southern shore of Lago General Carrera is one of the most beautiful stretches in all of Patagonia. It is also one of the quietest of your drives, so take time to stop and enjoy the views along the way. At the Confluencia Waterfalls, the heavily sedimented Neff River joins the Baker to create a spectacular colour of water. This afternoon you continue to the charming small town of Cochrane.

Experience life at a local estancia

Spend the day in the countryside near Cochrane experiencing a day in the life of a local farmer. What you do will depend on the season, the weather and what's going on that week. It is very much an immersive, 'day in the life' type experience and nothing at all 'touristy' so don't expect things to be slick. It is as hands on as you want it to be. If you want to understand Patagonia, you need to meet the people who call it home.

Walk in the Parque Patagonia

Your destination today is Parque Patagonia, one of the largest private donations of land in the history of conservation. You will be treated to beautiful views over the whole Chacabuco Valley with the Andes beyond. Pass through native forests full of birdlife. The walk is punctuated by a series of beautiful high lakes. You have a decent change to see condors and will certainly see lots of guanacos. Less common are puma, though there is a lot of evidence of their presence.

Picturesque drive to remote Tortel

You might start today with a self-guided walk in the Tamango Reserve. It has a series of well-marked trails for you to explore and hopefully spot a Huemul - Chile's seriously endangered dwarf deer. It is also home to the Cochrane River, one of the clearest in the world. The road south follows the Baker River to the coastal village of Tortel. The vegetation becomes incredibly green as you pass through temperate rainforest, the scenery is reminiscent of the Amazon at times. Since the road only reaches the edge of the village, leave your car and follow the maze of wooden walkways to your charming small hotel.

Sleep next to a glacier

Full day exploring the Patagonian icefields on your own private boat, built and captained by your lovely host Noel. Set off this morning through the fjords towards the Southern Icefield, the largest non-polar body of ice. Get to a remote glacier in time for lunch and a ride in the small launch amongst the icebergs. You may be able to get off onto dry land for a walk to a viewpoint. This afternoon set off on a long navigation back through the fjords towards the Northern Icefield. Weigh anchor tonight near another little-seen glacier as you sleep on your comfortable boat.

Return to Tortel

Wake up this morning with views over the wild, forested landscapes and hopefully dolphins and whales in the waters around you. Travel along the Rio Huemules and the trailhead for your fairly flat walk to the viewpoint over the glacier, this usually takes around four hours in total. After lunch on board, you leave the icefields to sail back towards Tortel, arriving in time for a drink before dinner at your hotel.

Drive north via Parque Patagonia

Today's drive is fairly long at over four hours, but with lots of opportunity to stop en route. You pass Parque Patagonia again so if you want to walk for a few more hours in the park, you can. If you missed Confluencia on the way down then that is something you should see. Equally, your lodge overlooking Lago General Carrera is wonderfully welcoming, so there's no shame in simply making your way straight there.

Fossil beds, beech forests & helicopter ride

The hills above your lodge are covered in fantastic Southern beech forests up to around 1,000m above sea level. Today's walk leads you up through these beautiful old forests and out into a treeless plateau. The views are incredible, with the icy Andes to one side, Lago Carrera ahead of you and the peaks of Jeinimeini off to the east. However, it is underfoot that things are surprisingly interesting - the entire area is a fossil bed. Return downhill for a relaxed afternoon, or you might like to have a go at riding horses, or take a helicopter ride over the ice fields!

Relax by the lake or in the saddle

There are few places where you can relax in such beautiful surroundings. If the weather has closed in, stoke up the wood-burning stove and settle in to watch the lake. If the sun is out, sit out on your terrace and watch the lake. There are a couple of lovely calm horses on site if you want to saddle up for a couple of hours, as well as some local walks if you want to stretch your legs.

Marble Caves & return to Santiago

Set off in good time to visit the Marble Caves from Bahia Mansa early in the morning. The caves are beautiful marble formations eroded by the wind and water of the vast lake. The light in the morning, when combined with the colour of the water and the rocks, makes it really very beautiful. Continue north towards the airport in Coyhaique where you hand in the keys. You should be back in Santiago this afternoon in time for a last bit of shopping or celebratory glass of wine.

Return home from Santiago

Today is yours to relax and explore Santiago before your evening flight home. The Fine Arts Museum is a short stroll away, as is the Cerro Santa Lucia. Of course, a long lunch in Lastarria is no bad thing either after a couple of active weeks in Patagonia. Our Pura guide is full of suggestions for restaurants, based on our personal experiences and opinions. You will be collected from your hotel late-afternoon and transferred to the airport in plenty of time for your return international flight. Again, international flights are quoted separately for this trip.

Note: This is just an itinerary idea and we'll therefore tailor everything to you.