Coyhaique & Carretera Austral

The hub of Chilean Patagonia's Carretera Austral, with forests and lakes on the city's edge — head south to Cerro Castillo and the Marble Caves or north to the Queulat Hanging Glacier on a wilderness road trip.

Coyhaique, capital of Chile's Aysén Region with around 60,000 residents, is the hub of the roughly 1,240 km Carretera Austral (Southern Highway, Route 7). This is the wilderness of northern Patagonia: ice fields and fjords to the west, steppe to the east, and temperate rainforest, glaciers, lakes and river valleys along the way. The city itself has a pentagonal Plaza de Armas, a regional museum and the Piedra del Indio rock formation, while the Coyhaique National Reserve to the north, Dos Lagunas to the east and Lake Elizalde to the south make good half-day or day trips. About 95 km south along the Carretera Austral is Cerro Castillo National Park, and about 125 km further is Puerto Río Tranquilo on Lake General Carrera, where boats take you to the Marble Caves (Capillas de Mármol) and trips run to the Exploradores Glacier; about 220 km north lie the Queulat Hanging Glacier and the Puyuhuapi fjord hot springs. These outlying sights require overnight stays in local villages and suit a 4–7 day driving loop. Getting there: fly from Santiago or Puerto Montt to Balmaceda Airport (about 55 km away), then take the airport shuttle or rent a car. Parts of the Carretera Austral are gravel, so a 4WD or high-clearance vehicle is recommended; gas stations are scarce, so fill up whenever you can. Minibuses also link the main villages, but services are infrequent. Seasons: summer (Dec–Mar) brings long days and temperatures of 10–20°C — the best time for driving and hiking; in April the leaves turn red but the weather is changeable; winter is cold, and some mountain roads and reserve trails close. Patagonia is windy and wet, so bring windproof and waterproof clothing. Mobile coverage along the Carretera Austral is patchy — download offline maps and book accommodation in advance.

Top sights

• Cerro Castillo National Park – A national park famous for its castle-like peaks and glacial lakes. A one-day round-trip hike to view Cerro Castillo Lake is one of the mos…
• Queulat Hanging Glacier – A hanging glacier perched on a cliff between two peaks. Waterfalls from beneath its ice tongue pour into a glacial lake, the highlight of t…
• Coyhaique Plaza de Armas – A rare pentagonal central square in Chile, with ten streets radiating out from it. It is the heart of Coyhaique.
• Aysén Regional Museum – A regional museum housed in the old ranch buildings of the Aysén Industrial Company. It tells the story of Patagonian pioneers and Indigeno…
• Piedra del Indio – A natural rock face on the Simpson River west of Coyhaique, whose profile resembles an Indigenous man's head. It is one of the city's symbo…
• Coyhaique National Reserve – A forest reserve just north of town, with hiking trails through southern beech forest and views over Coyhaique and Mount Maquinna.
• Dos Lagunas Natural Monument – Two lakes in the transition zone between forest and steppe east of Coyhaique. Short, gentle trails make it a great birdwatching spot.
• Simpson Valley & Río Simpson Reserve – A river valley along the road from Coyhaique to Puerto Aysén. Cliffside waterfalls such as the "Bridal Veil" and the clear river make it a…
• Lake Elizalde – A forest lake about 35 km south of Coyhaique, ringed by mountains. It is well suited to kayaking, fishing, and lakeside camping.
• General Carrera Lake – The Chilean part of South America's second-largest lake, with turquoise waters. The Carretera Austral winds along its shore for dozens of k…
• Exploradores Glacier – A glacier flowing down from the North Patagonian Icefield. You can walk to a moraine viewpoint, or hike on the ice with a guide wearing cra…
• Puerto Puyuhuapi – A small fjord village founded by German immigrants in the 1930s. It is a base for visiting Queulat Glacier and the fjord hot springs.
• Caleta Tortel – A small fishing village at the mouth of the Baker River with no streets. Its houses are connected by about seven kilometres of cypress boar…
• Patagonia National Park (Chile) – A new national park funded by the Tompkins Conservation foundation. Herds of guanacos roam the Chacabuco Valley grasslands, and there are s…

Where to eat

• Casa Ciprés – Ranked first in Coyhaique on TripAdvisor, serving contemporary Chilean cooking built on seasonal local ingredients.
• Restaurant Aiken – A buffet on the third floor of the Dreams hotel and casino building, featuring Patagonian lamb roasted whole over a woo…
• Mamma Gaucha – A popular old-timer beside Central Plaza, serving thin wood-fired pizza with craft beer from local brand La Tropera.

Itineraries

• Carretera Austral & Caleta Tortel Loop – A self-drive loop starting and ending in Balmaceda, heading north to the hanging glacier and south to the wooden boardw…