WHERE TO GO IN CARRETERA AUSTRAL
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.
Puyuhuapi:
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.
Cochrane:
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.