Carretera Austral

Chile Chico · Cochrane · Caleta Tortel · Villa O'Higgins · Marble Caves · Coyhaique · Cueva de las Manos

Day 1 · 395 km

Buenos Aires · Comodoro Rivadavia · Perito Moreno

Meeting with our guide at the airport, check-in, and departure from Buenos Aires on a JetSMART flight to the city of Comodoro Rivadavia. On arrival, transfer to the town of Perito Moreno, 395 km away, along RN 3 and then RP 43, passing through Caleta Olivia, Pico Truncado, and Las Heras. Along the way, we will stop for lunch (not included). Arrival in Perito Moreno in the afternoon and accommodation at the selected hotel. Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Perito Moreno.

Day 2 · 250 km

Perito Moreno · Chile Chico · Cochrane

Breakfast. Departure for the Argentina–Chile border. After a one-hour drive, we will enter the town of Chile Chico via the Jeinimeni border crossing, beginning our journey through Chilean Patagonia. Time to stock up on supplies and exchange currency. We then set off on Route 265, skirting Lago General Carrera toward the Carretera Austral, also known as Route 7. Along the way, we will stop for lunch with non-alcoholic drinks, either as a box lunch or at a restaurant depending on availability, in line with each day's itinerary and logistics. We will make a photo stop at the confluence of the Baker and Nef Rivers, an iconic scenic spot in the Aysén Region, located about 12 km south of Puerto Bertrand. It stands out for the striking contrast between the turquoise color of the Baker River and the milky hue of the Nef River, which form a waterfall more than 10 meters high. In the afternoon, at around 18:00, arrival in the town of Cochrane, where we will stay at the selected hotel. Overnight in Cochrane.

Day 3 · 280 km

Cochrane · Caleta Tortel · Villa O'Higgins

Breakfast. Departure south along the Carretera Austral to picturesque Caleta Tortel. After about two hours, we will reach this unique village in Chilean Patagonia, perhaps one of the most picturesque in Chile thanks to its nearly 8 km of Guaitecas cypress boardwalks that wind through the fjords, right at the mouth of the Baker River, between the Northern and Southern Patagonian Ice Fields. Its architecture tells the story of the area's first settlers, who came from Chiloé, and their impressive skill at working wood with an ax. The facades of the houses, the wooden shingles (tejuelas), and the distinctive scent of cypress fill the visitor's senses. We will have free time to explore the boardwalks and then have lunch there. After lunch, we will return to Route 7 and continue south to Puerto Yungay to board the ferry that will take us across one of the many Chilean fjords of the Aysén Region to Puerto Río Bravo. From there, we will rejoin the Carretera Austral for the last 100 km (a two-hour drive), reaching the village of Villa O'Higgins at sunset. Accommodation in mountain cabins. Overnight in Villa O'Higgins.

Day 4

Villa O'Higgins

Breakfast. This is where the Carretera Austral ends and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field begins. Villa O'Higgins sits amid a landscape of breathtaking beauty, pristine and remote, at the mouth of the Mayer River and facing Lago O'Higgins, the deepest lake in the Americas at 836 meters, formed by the imposing O'Higgins Glacier. This small town of just over 600 inhabitants lets us enjoy the tranquility of vast open spaces and a completely unspoiled Andean Patagonian landscape. Day at leisure. We can go to Lago O'Higgins, home to kilometer 0 of the Carretera Austral (or its end, depending on how you look at it), or take optional excursions, such as the boat excursion to O'Higgins Glacier, one of the many trekking trails in the surrounding area, including the one to El Tigre Glacier, and several other options. O'Higgins Glacier, the fourth largest in Patagonia, with a surface area of 820 km² and a length of 45 km, begins at Lautaro Volcano and ends in Lago O'Higgins, its walls rising up to 80 meters above the surface of the lake. The tour involves an average of 7 hours of sailing round trip, departing at 08:30 in the morning from Puerto Bahamondes. On reaching the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the boat sails around large floating icebergs on its way to O'Higgins Glacier itself. At the glacier, we will be invited to take in the majestic scenery in front of O'Higgins Glacier, at the foot of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, with a good glass of whisky in hand (the strength and complexity of the winds have increased, so at times it is not possible to sail to the glacier area, which forces us to cancel the boat trip or change its date accordingly. Confirmation is usually given at least three days before the sailing date, due to the changing conditions in the area). Accommodation in the selected cabins. Lunch included, with non-alcoholic drinks, either as a box lunch or at a restaurant depending on availability, in line with each day's itinerary and logistics. Overnight in Villa O'Higgins.

Day 5 · 345 km

Villa O'Higgins · Puerto Bertrand · Puerto Río Tranquilo

Breakfast. Early-morning departure north along the Carretera Austral on our longest day in terms of distance and travel time, passing through Cochrane and Puerto Bertrand. We will skirt Lago General Carrera and pass its outflow into Lago Bertrand before finally reaching the town of Puerto Río Tranquilo at sunset. Accommodation at the selected hotel. Lunch included, with non-alcoholic drinks, either as a box lunch or at a restaurant depending on availability, in line with each day's itinerary and logistics. Overnight in Puerto Río Tranquilo.

Day 6 · 220 km

Puerto Río Tranquilo · Coyhaique

Breakfast. Afterward, we will enjoy one of the most iconic activities: the boat excursion to the Marble Caves, an outcrop unique in the region, eroded and polished by the waters of Lago General Carrera into caverns of whimsical shapes. The movement of the water exposed veins of calcium carbonate that, under the pressure and heat of past geological eras, turned into marble. The excursion takes place in small, open boats, so you may get wet; we recommend wearing suitable clothing and bringing a towel or a change of clothes for the return. Lunch included, with non-alcoholic drinks, either as a box lunch or at a restaurant depending on availability, in line with each day's itinerary and logistics. After lunch, we will continue north along the Carretera Austral, finally arriving in the afternoon in Coyhaique, capital of the Aysén Region, with a population of nearly 60,000. Accommodation at the selected hotel. Overnight in Coyhaique.

Day 7

Coyhaique

Breakfast. Day at leisure in Coyhaique, the main city of the Aysén Region. Located at the confluence of the Simpson and Coyhaique Rivers, it is framed by lenga forests and varied terrain shaped by tectonic forces and glacial erosion, which create dramatic changes in scenery, from steppe to high mountains, within just a few kilometers. Its name means “where there are lagoons” in the language of the Aonikenk, the people who roamed the pampas, while the Chonos and Kawésqar sailed its coasts. We will have the chance to take an optional 5-hour excursion to the city of Puerto Aysén. It is a scenic journey through the heart of Patagonia, from the regional capital to the Patagonian fjord: nature, culture, and unforgettable landscapes. The road linking Coyhaique and Puerto Aysén is much more than a simple drive; it is an experience in itself. Along its 65 km, this stretch of the Carretera Austral (Route 240) will take us from the urban setting of Coyhaique to the seascapes and mountain scenery of Puerto Aysén, through forests, rivers, and valleys that look straight out of a postcard. Return to Coyhaique and accommodation at the selected hotel. Lunch included. Overnight in Coyhaique.

Day 8 · 460 km

Coyhaique · Perito Moreno · Cueva de las Manos · Perito Moreno

Breakfast. Departure with luggage at 08:00 toward the border, entering Argentina through the Huemules international border crossing, about an hour away. After border formalities and another 3 hours on the road, we will arrive in Perito Moreno. After free time for lunch, at 14:00 we will set out on the Cueva de las Manos Express excursion. Along RN 40, we will cross the Pinturas and Ecker Rivers, which played a key role in carving the canyons, and after two hours we will reach one of the most important archaeological sites in South America and the world, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Once on the dirt road, we cross the Cañadón Caracoles Chico, a canyon where we will gradually come to understand the geography of the area and how it was formed. We continue along RP 97 to a viewpoint over the Pinturas River Canyon and then to the Interpretation Center, where our visit of about 1 hour and 30 minutes begins. A vast number of rock paintings more than 9,300 years old cover a rock face more than 600 meters long and can be easily seen thanks to their excellent state of preservation. They depict hunting scenes, negative handprints of adults and children, animal motifs, and abstract figures. After the visit, we will have time for a coffee break before heading back to Perito Moreno, where we will arrive at around 21:00. Accommodation at the selected hotel. Overnight in Perito Moreno.

Day 9 · 395 km

Perito Moreno · Comodoro Rivadavia · Buenos Aires

Breakfast. Check-out and, at the agreed time, transfer to the city of Comodoro Rivadavia. Arrival at General Mosconi International Airport to board the JetSMART flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival in Buenos Aires. End of services.