Side Trips

South from Coyhaique

A Sightseeing Excursion Around Lago Elizalde

The Seis Lagunas (Six Lagoons) and Lago Elizalde region just south of Coyhaique offers a sightseeing loop that passes through fertile, rolling farmland and forest, and past several picturesque lakes, all of which are known for outstanding fly-fishing. Since few people visit, this is a great place to escape the crowds. If you're tempted to stay and fish for a few days here, there are lodges that cater to this sport. If you rent your own car, pick up a good map because many of these roads have no signs.

Leaving Coyhaique via the bridge near the Piedra del Indio (a rock outcrop that resembles the profile of an Indian), head first to Lago Atravesado, about 20km (12 miles) outside town. The road continues around the shore and across a bridge, and enters the Valle Laguna. From here, you'll want to turn back and drive the way you came until you spy a road to the right that heads through country fields, eventually passing the "six lagoons." Take the next right turn toward Lago Elizalde. This pretty, narrow lake set amid a thick forest of deciduous and evergreen beech is a great spot for picnicking and fishing. There is often a boat-rental concession here in the summer. There's a lodge here, but it's open only occasionally, usually when it books a large group. From here you'll need to turn back to return to Coyhaique; follow the sign for Villa Frei, which will lead you onto the paved road to Coyhaique instead of backtracking the entire route. Keep an eye open for El Salto, a crashing waterfall that freezes solid in the winter.

Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo & Lago General Carrera

At a moderate 57km (35 miles) south of Coyhaique, this nature preserve protects a rough Andean scenery almost rivaling that of Torres del Paine. On a sunny day, you'll marvel at the 2,318m (7,603 ft.) Cerro Castillo or Castle Peak, named for the many granite needles that crown the summit, reminiscent of a medieval European fortress. The 179,550-hectare (443,678-acre) park holds glaciers, lagoons, and wildlife including the rare huemul deer, along with several hiking trails. The Carretera Austral crosses the park, and tour operators from Coyhaique and around Lake General Carrera offer excursions. A great place to stop for a bite is La Cocina de Sole, where a young lady named Soledad whips up good sandwiches and simple lunches in a bus turned diner along the highway as it passes Villa Cerro Castillo. Don't miss the nearby Manos de Cerro Castillo national monument. Under a rocky ledge in view of the summit, it preserves some of the oldest artistic remains yet discovered in the Americas -- some 10,000 years old. Here, Tehuelche tribespeople, including children, left red, black, and brown positive and negative handprints on the walls. It's a very touching, human spot.

Another 30km (19 miles) south by the most direct route, Chile shares its largest lake, the huge Lago General Carrera, with Argentina (where it is called Lago Buenos Aires). The landscape once again is gorgeous, with the water mostly a robin's-egg blue, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Under mushroom-shaped islands, the lake features a series of marble caves polished and sculpted by centuries of wind and water known as the marble "cathedrals" or "chapels." Their gray, yellow, or black-and-white swirls are a magnificent contrast to the blue water below. They're most easily visited from the beach just beyond Puerto Río Tranquilo. Also consider visiting the less popular but larger islands from Puerto Sánchez; to get there, take the dirt road past Bahía Murta.

If the trip to the San Rafael glacier will bust your budget, head for the spectacular Glaciar Los Leones -- like the former, part of the San Valentín Ice Field -- which juts into the lake and river of the same name west of Puerto Río Tranquilo. Hire a guide as the trail to the Leones lakeshore is poorly marked, and you can hire a small boat to take you close to the glacier's face. It's a marvelous excursion, but it can be frigid in inclement weather. Other excursions include the Exploradores Glacier, easy to walk on, up Río Tranquilo.

Those with a rental car might consider returning to Coyhaique by rounding the lake to Chile Chico on the Argentine border. From here, travelers must put their vehicle on a ferry, which crosses the lake and lands in Puerto Ibañez, from where drivers continue north to Coyhaique (reservations for cars are a good idea; contact Motonave Pilchero at tel. 67/233466; $4/£2 passengers, $35/£18 vehicles; one round-trip service Mon-Wed and Fri only from Puerto Ibáñez). This journey is for independent travelers with a fair amount of time.