Surely you have heard that the Carretera Austral is one of the most impressive roads in the world, and this is because when traveling its 1,240 km you will find nooks and crannies, fjords, glaciers, volcanoes and other natural wonders.
In this blog article you will find a brief overview of the history of this route and unmissable spots for trekking, mountaineering or simply touring some areas on foot or by vehicle.
Historical tour along the Carretera Austral
This road was built by the dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1976 and was extended until the year 2000, its intention was to connect the entire Chilean territory with the inhospitable Patagonia. Until then it was only possible to transit through Argentina and Chileans had to travel to the neighboring country, wasting hours on the road.
The execution of this work and the arrival of new settlers has brought about a cultural change, giving these remote communities access to education, health, drinking water, electricity and even internet at a more limited level. This is improving their quality of life and over time has allowed its inhabitants to adapt to provide a better service to travelers who make the journey.
In 2006, different projects for the construction of hydroelectric plants in the region of Aysén became known, which is how “Patagonia sin Represas” was born, led by the U.S. environmentalist and businessman Douglas Tompkins (founder of North Face and Esprit). He bought 17,000 hectares of forest in what is now known as Douglas PumalÃn Park under the slogan “you can live off the forests without cutting them down”.
Together with other environmentalists and residents of the region, for 11 years he managed to stop different projects that threatened the sustainability of Patagonia. They also helped create more protest movements such as “Patagonia sin más Mineras,” which in 2018 succeeded in stopping a project that threatened the waters of Lake General Carrera, the second largest lake in South America and known for its emerald green color.
Points not to be missed along the Carretera Austral
The Carretera Austral begins in Puerto Montt (the last city where the roads reached before its construction), almost 50 km later the route ends, due to the fjords or arms of the sea that cross it and force a change of means of transportation to the ferry boat. There are up to 4 cuts along the route, forcing vehicles and pedestrians to move at the slow pace of the tides.
Here we will tell you the points you can visit and this will depend on what you want to do on your trip, we suggest you to investigate more about it, but first we leave you some general recommendations:
- How many days should your trip last? 24-28 days.
- What is the ideal season? November to March.
- What level of training should I have? On a scale of 1 to 5: 4 points.
- How many meters above sea level will you be? It will depend on the points you visit, but you will be between 1,300 and 3,500 meters above sea level.
Now without further ado, let’s get started with this exciting tour. Or if you prefer, we can tell you about it in a personalized consultation. Schedule your appointment byclicking here.
Cerro Castillo National Park
Located in the region of Aysén, you can visit it during 4 days. Here you will find the typical Patagonian landscape where you will walk through forests, turquoise lagoons and steppe plains. In addition, if you are a climber you can test yourself in the fantastic needles of the Cerro and its Paredones.
2. Northern Ice Field
%20(1).jpg)
The next stop gets more extreme! It is ideal to reach the Northern Ice Field by riding and/or walking on a detached glacier tongue and facing the cold snowdrift that can come from the east or west. Here you can climb to 4,058 meters above sea level on Mount San ValentÃn or go to Arenales Hill at 3,437 meters above sea level.
3. Villa O’Higgins
Towards the end of the Carretera Austral is the town of Villa O’Higgins, but it is here that another journey begins. You can embark on a journey for a few days (6-8), through the ponds until you reach Lake O’Higgins and continue along a path of hills, passing by Cerro Gorra (2,097 masl) and Cerro Marconi (2,284 masl) until you reach the most demanding level of your journey in the Argentine Chaltén.
4. Chalten
Once you get to Chaltén you can put yourself to the test by trekking Fitz Roy (3,405 meters above sea level) and Cerro Torre (3,128 meters above sea level), two imposing mountains with views that do not need filters to capture their beauty. With a little luck, you will also be able to observe typical Patagonian birds such as the great Andean Condor.
5. Navarino Island
Further south, in the Beagle Channel you can sail to Navarino Island, a wild and authentic terrain of Tierra del Fuego where tourists do not arrive, only travelers arrive. We recommend that if you arrive here you spend between 2 and 3 nights as a minimum so that you can take advantage of this geographical point to visit the next destinations mentioned below.
6. Puerto Williams and Dientes de Navarino
Once you are in Puerto Williams (the capital of Navarino Island) you will see its imposing backdrop: the Dientes de Navarino, a 1,000-meter-high mountain massif that is part of the Fuegian Andes. A difficult trail of rock, snow and ice awaits you there, which is the only way to get there and for this reason it is considered the southernmost hike in the world.
If you want to learn more about the fascinating destinations of Patagonia, download our eBook by clicking here.
Why should you make this journey before you die?
It is one of the least explored places on earth and one that few dare to travel because of its level of difficulty, but the route rewards you with fjords, mountains, glacial volcanoes, marble caverns, rivers, lakes and unspoiled conservation parks.
Although in a route of more than 1,200 km there are destinations with landscapes that can impact you more, we have decided to include the best ones to practice Trekking and Mountaineering. All this while touring some of the world’s richest places in history, fauna and flora, and at the same time sharing with cultures different from your own.
Did you want more? Get to know now the Carretera Austral and Navarino expedition of Tolhuin Expeditions!
In the link below you can make a reservation for a group of 4 to 8 people. Remember that you can also schedule a videoconference to clear your doubts with our team and personalize your experience with us.
