Carretera Austral

A 1,240 km wilderness highway south from Puerto Montt through Patagonian fjords, glaciers and rainforest to Villa O'Higgins. The Marble Caves and hanging glaciers are its signature sights.

The Carretera Austral (Route 7) was built starting in 1976 under the Pinochet government. It runs south from Puerto Montt in the Lake District to Villa O'Higgins in Aysén Region, a distance of about 1,240 km. It connects northern Patagonia, which was once reachable only by boat, and along the way you must take several ferries (Puerto Montt–Hornopirén–Chaitén), with some sections still on gravel. From north to south: Alerce Andino and Pumalín national parks, with their Chilean cypress forests; Chaitén, rebuilt after the 2008 volcanic eruption; the Puyuhuapi hot springs and Queulat National Park, with its hanging glacier; the regional capital Coyhaique; Cerro Castillo National Park; Puerto Tranquilo on General Carrera Lake, Chile's largest lake, where boats reach the Marble Caves and Exploradores Glacier; the confluence of the Baker and Nef rivers; Cochrane; the boardwalk village of Caleta Tortel; and the endpoint Villa O'Higgins, where you can take a boat and hike into El Chaltén in Argentina. The full route takes 2 to 3 weeks, though most people choose the Coyhaique–Puerto Tranquilo section. Gas stations are scarce, so carry spare fuel. Weather changes quickly. Book ferries well ahead in peak season. Many rental companies add extra terms for gravel roads and cross-border travel. Hitchhikers and cyclists are a common sight.

Carretera Austral

Along the route