Self-drive of Chile's southern Carretera Austral route

Balmceda - Cerro Castillo

Day 1: Welcome to Chile!

Welcome to Chile! You’ll pick up your rental car in the Balmaceda Airport and drive towards Villa Cerro Castillo, only about an hour and a half drive.

Villa Cerro Castillo marks the first stop on your trip through the Carretera Austral, the Southern Highway. It is a municipality of Aysen Region and is appreciated as a perfect stop along the most beautiful highway in the world.

After checking in, you’ll have a three-hour walk around the beautiful town to enjoy. Known for the close-by Cerro Castillo, or Castle Hill, this town offers a wide range of magnificent snow-topped peaks and glaciers that span this incredible mountain range. You’ll stroll the streets of this small town until you arrive at the Wall of Hands School-Museum, where you’ll admire the ancient hand prints of generations past.

After a look around the museum, you’ll head back to the refuge to rest and relax as you await dinner.

Cerro Castillo

Day 2: Hiking the Magnificent Cerro Castillo

The second day of your adventure will be filled with stunning natural beauty as you trek through Cerro Castillo. After your included breakfast at the refuge, you can start your trekking.

Embark on your drive to Cerro Castillo, a mountain that is 2,318 meters (7,605 ft.) above the sea with peaks that stretch up at peculiar angles, making it look like a castle. The park opens at 7:30 am. You’ll arrive at access called El Bosque (The Forest), where you can park near the Arroyo Bridge.

From the entrance, you’ll hike towards the Cerro Castillo Lagoon Lookout. From there, you’ll get a marvelous view of the clear waters of the glacier-fed lagoon as the high mountain peaks are reflected back to you. You’ll have a break here to take photos and enjoy the breathtaking views.

Eat and relax before you start your descent back to the refuge. 

Cerro Castillo - Puerto Rio Tranquilo - Marble Caves

Day 3: Boat Road Through the Marble Cave on Rio Tranquilo

On the third day, you will depart from Villa Cerro Castillo to head towards Rio Tranquilo Port. You continue driving along the marvelous Carretera Austral, taking in the beautiful nature that makes this drive spectacular. You’ll arrive at your hotel and check-in before you’ll head out on a small group tour in the afternoon.

You will embark on a 3-hour boat navigation on the clear-blue waters of General Carrera Lake. Through the years, the water has eroded the coastal cliffs until it formed stunning natural sanctuaries, now known as the Marble Cathedrals by locals. You will weave in and out of these famous karstic phenomena that make up the Marble Cathedrals, taking in all of the glorious natural wonders on this half-day tour.

End your day back at the hotel and enjoy a relaxing before your fourth day of this adventure-filled trip!

Puerto Rio Tranquilo - San Rafael Lagoon

Day 4: Hiking the Exploradores Valley

If you’d like to take in the full natural beauty of Rio Tranquilo and its surrounding area, you can opt to try a hike in the Exploradores Valley. But this is no traditional hike, it will take us over fields of ice!

Starting in the morning, you will have a transfer towards San Rafael Lagoon. The lagoon welcomes you with its fjords, canals, islands, and ice. During the walk towards the Exploradores Glacier, you will admire this gorgeous place and enjoy the panoramic views on top of the glacier as you look out towards Mont Valentin and Bajo Lake. Your lunch will be included.

At last, you will return to the hotel in the afternoon. If you are feeling even more adventurous and would like to explore the San Rafael Lagoon and its glaciers from a bird’s eye view is all of its majesties, you may choose to take a Helitour. A helicopter would take you to the skies to discover nature from a whole other perspective.

Puerto Rio Tranquilo - Bertrand Port - Cochrane

Day 5: Raft in the Baker River

On the fifth day, you will enjoy breakfast at your hotel and leave Rio Tranquilo Port to arrive at Bertrand Port. This is a small village with only about 300 inhabitants located on the coast of Bertrand.

This Bertrand Lake has its origin in the Baker River, the fastest-flowing river in Chile. If you’d like to experiment with a little adventure, try rafting the Baker River. The descent starts from Bertrand Lake and travels through the first 6 km (3.7 miles) of the river.

Once you have finished this thrilling activity, you’ll return to Bertrand Port, where you can continue your trip. On route to Cochrane, it is well worth it to see the meeting point of Baker River with Nef River, the convergence of the rivers transforms into a stunning natural landscape. 

Cochrane - Tamango National Park

Day 6: Hiking in Tamango National Park

Your destination today is Tamango National Park. Enjoy breakfast and start your trip to the park from your hotel, passing in front of the Main Square of Cochrane and continuing until you arrive at the entrance of the park.

The Tamango National Reserve and part of the New Patagonia Park, was founded in 1967 and hosts a vast number of Southern Andean Deer (huemules), for your viewing. You will hike from there on the Route of the Coigues (a bamboo-like plant) and admire the diverse vegetation: low-laying brushes, deciduous forests, along with a view over the mountains and rivers of Cochrane. The hike will last approximately 3.5 hours.

Afterward, you can continue to discover Cochrane Lake on an optional boat ride starting from the Embarcadero Sector, then traveling to Las Correntadas.

Finally, you’ll return to the hotel and enjoy the evening at your leisure. 

Cochran - Caleta Tortel - Island Of The Dead

Day 7: Journey to Caleta Tortel and the Island of the Dead

On this day, you have two options: you can have a free day at your own leisure or an optional full-day excursion to Caleta Tortel and the Island of the Dead.

Caleta Tortel is a small coastal town, located at the river delta of Baker River, it emerges from the water like a mystical city. The close-by Island of the Dead owes its name to the 33 crosses that are situated on its surface of just 248 square meters. Legend has it that these are the tombs of the workers on the island that died at the start of the last century.

At the end of the excursion, you will stay in Caleta Tortel and enjoy the evening at your leisure. 

Caleta Tortel - Yungay Port - Villa O'higgins

Day 8: Road Trip to Villa 0'Higgins

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast. Next, leave from Cochrane and drive towards Villa O’Higgins, about an 8-hour drive.

On route, you will pass Yungay Port, a small port-side municipality where you will board a ferry to cross the Bravo River and arrive at your next destination. The Bravo River originates from the melting of the glaciers of Cochrane Mountain and ends its flow at the Mitchell Fjord. Onboard the ferry you can take in the beautiful fjords and rest after a long morning road trip. Once you’ve crossed the river, you will continue on the Carretera Austral, enjoying the landscapes towards Villa O’Higgins. Villa O’Higgins is a small southern city that will welcome you with pure air and still pristine nature.

You will arrive at the end of the beautiful Carretera Austral and can now say that you have taken a road trip along the most beautiful highway in the world. 

Villa O'higgins

Day 9: Boating Beside the 0'Higgins Glacier

On day 9, you will have the option to navigate besides the O’Higgins Glacier. The boat navigation will take up all day, starting and finishing in Bahamondez Bay. The O’Higgins Glacier is found in the Homonimo Lake, one of the largest lakes in Patagonia and the deepest in America, at 836 meters (2,743 feet) depth.

During this excursion, you will discover the Millennium Ice, crossing the freezing water of the lake until you arrive at the Grand O’Higgins Glacier, at the feet of the Southern Ice Field. Here, you will marvel at how the shedding icebergs fall in a spectacular show from the 3 km wide, 70 meter high (1.9 miles wide and 230 feet high) glacier.

At the end of the excursion, you will return to the hotel and rest up.

Villa O'higgins - Balmaceda

Day 10: Finish Your Journey in Chile!

Spend your last day saying good-bye to the magnificent places that marked your journey in Patagonia as you start your return trip to Balmaceda. It is a long route, so make sure to take sufficient breaks and naps along the way.

Return your car and head to the airport where you will end your fantastic adventure in Chile!

Optional: Continue on to Puerto Natales via Yungay Port. If you have more time during your trip to Chile, you can continue your journey to arrive at Puerto Natales and discover more of the Patagonian landscapes.