Driving Tours

Driving the Carretera Austral

Although it is possible to reach most destinations in this region by ferry, bus, or plane, road improvements and an expansion of services mean an increasing number of travelers are choosing to drive the Carretera Austral. It's not as enormous an undertaking as it sounds, but it can be costly, especially when you factor in the cost of ferry rides, drop-off fees (about $500/£250), and gas. Also, the remoteness and increasing popularity of the region among travelers makes it one of Chile's more expensive destinations.

Several agencies in Puerto Montt (at the airport) and Coyhaique offer one-way car rentals, and some allow you to cross into Argentina or leave the car as far away as Punta Arenas, Chile. Alternatively, you could rent a car in Coyhaique and drive north, stopping in Puyuhuapi and on to Futaleufú. Although you'd have to backtrack to Coyhaique to return the car, this is a less expensive option, even if you pay the extra insurance necessary to return via Argentina.

The most troublesome considerations are flat tires, slippery roads, and foul weather, any of which can strike at any time.

South from Chaitén: Futaleufú

155km (96 miles) SE of Chaitén

The road south between Chaitén and Villa Santa Lucía, where drivers turn for Futaleufú, passes through mountain scenery that affords direct views of Volcán Michimahuida rising high above the wilderness, Yelcho Glacier, and Lago Yelcho. At 25km (16 miles), you'll arrive at Amarillo, a tiny village and the turnoff point for the 5km (3-mile) drive to Termas de Río Amarillo.

To the End of the Road & Beyond

It gets even remoter the further south you travel. That may change over the next decade as a result of the giant hydroelectric projects planned along the Baker River, which has enough power to light up all of Belgium, tempting companies seeking to feed Chile's energy-guzzling economy. The number of residents could double temporarily for construction, worrying environmentalists. In the meantime, Cochrane is the last place where you can reliably buy gas and get cash from an ATM; BancoEstado has an outlet on the main square. There are a few hotels and basic restaurants, but Cochrane is a rather gloomy, windswept place. The Esso station near the town's entrance has some information and brochures for travelers. Cochrane is the closest place from which to visit the Estancia Valle Chacabuco, a huemul and guanaco haven alongside the Tamango and Jeinemeni preserves, which the Conservación Patagónica Foundation, associated with Douglas Tompkins, bought in 2004 and seeks to transform into a national park (www.conservacionpatagonica.org). Cochrane is also the transportation "hub" for the very limited bus services: Turismo Interlagos (tel. 67/522606) Wednesday through Sunday, and Los Ñadis (tel. 67/211460), which heads to Villa O'Higgins Mondays and returns on Tuesdays.

Continuing onward, the road narrows, but the scenery stays spectacular, passing through the Andes along multi-colored peat bogs, finally descending into deep temperate rainforest. The road branches off to the remarkable little logging town of Tortel, an unreal, S-shaped place suspended somewhere between the steep slopes of a cypress rainforest and the pistachio green waters at the mouth of the Baker River. Wood-shingled houses in bright or natural colors cling precariously to the hillside; cypress wood walkways and boats are the only way to get around. Cars are banished to a lot at the end of the Carretera Austral -- even the fire engine is a boat, just like in Venice. The scent of the planks and wood-burning stoves adds spice to the fresh mountain, forest, and sea air. Sad stray dogs and litter bring you back to the Chilean reality, however, and there's little to do beyond exploring the boardwalk maze. But hiking trails and fishermen's boats can take you to even more remote spots, including the Montt and Steffens glaciers; check with the rural tourism office in Coyhaique or at the little municipality in Tortel for detailed information on how to get there. There are few residenciales, among them Brisas del Sur -- a long walk from the parking lot and hence not a good choice for a brief stay -- and Don Adán (both are reachable at tel. 67/211876).

A ferry takes vehicles across the Bravo River from the hamlet of Puerto Yungay (weekdays 8:30am-5:30pm) for travelers heading on to the end of the road at Villa O'Higgins, an unattractive frontier outpost in a broad valley. It's like a mini-Cochrane minus the services. The deep azure, multi-fingered lake by the same name is fed by the Southern Ice Field, the world's biggest non-polar mass of ice. Again, the landscape is marvelous, and hikers with plenty of time can cross into Argentina without too much trouble via lovely Laguna del Desierto, eventually ending up in El Calafate. Tour outfitter Hielo Sur/Villa O'Higgins (tel. 67/431821; www.villaohiggins.com) offers boat trips to see glaciers and Mount Fitz Roy from the lake, and 1-day to 1-week hiking and horseback tours, including the crossing to El Calafate. The website has plenty of solid information (in Spanish), while the public library has free Internet service. The village has about a dozen basic places to stay. Check with the Oficina de Turismo Rural in Coyhaique (Ogana 1060; (tel. 67/214031; www.rutatranspatagonia.cl) for even more remote lodgings here and near the Montt glacier beyond Tortel.