Cycling the Carretera Austral, Part 1: Caleta Tortél to Puerto Río Tranquilo, Chile
14-26 January 2025
14-15 January - Layover in Caleta Tortél (1.0 mi, 1.6 km)
16 January - Caleta Tortél to Camping El Risquero (31.9 mi, 51.3 km)
17 January - Camping El Risquero to Laguna Larga (25.1 mi, 40.4 km)
18 January - Laguna Larga to Cochrane (22.4 mi, 36.0 km)
19-20 January - Rest Days in Cochrane
21 January - Cochrane to Puerto Bertrand (29.9 mi, 48.1 km)
22 January - Rest Day in Puerto Bertrand
23 January - Puerto Bertrand to Río Leon (23.7 mi, 38.2 km)
24 January - Los Leones to Puerto Río Tranquilo(18.6 mi, 29.9 km)
25-26 January - Rain Days in Puerto Río Tranquilo
A Village Built on Wooden Stilts
No one would argue that the Tortél Cove (a.k.a., ‘Caleta Tortél’ in Spanish), was a convenient place to build a human settlement. Nestled in a fjord between the Northern and Southern Patagonian Ice Fields, there is hardly any flat land. The steep-sided, hard-rock mountains simply plunge directly into the frigid depths of the bay. Yet the cove has been occupied by humans for thousands of years. And in modern times one resource - the Guaitecas cypress tree - proved valuable enough that people have found ingenious ways to subsist there.
In truth, the village of Caleta Tortél (pop. 525) would probably not exist without the Guaitecas cypress. The slow-growing, subpolar conifer is extremely resistant to decay and has been the preferred building material in southern Chile since prehistoric times. Over-exploitation of the trees since the mid-1800s has greatly depleted the original cypress forests - especially farther north. But for many years after 1955 (when Caleta Tortél was officially founded), harvesting the wood was a lucrative business, and it was the primary source of income for the area’s residents.
Even now, when international trade of Guaitecas cypress wood is restricted to help conserve the species, harvesting the valuable wood for domestic and local use is an important part of the economy.
And the local use is intense. Nearly everything in Caleta Tortél is constructed primarily of cypress wood. Because there is no level land, all of the wooden buildings are built on wooden platforms, perched atop wooden stilts, often precariously balanced on the side of a vertical cliff. Furthermore, there are no typical streets or sidewalks. The only way to move about the village is on foot, along roughly five miles of elevated boardwalks. Some of the boardwalks are built out over the water, where the vertical cliffs abut the sea. And everywhere else, sturdy wooden staircases soar up the steep faces of rock. Most of the buildings in town can only be reached by climbing up a skyscraper’s worth of stairs jutting upwards from the waterfront.
We spent our first night in Tortél in a little, wood-heated cabin balanced on a wooden platform, with wooden stilts, at the top of these rickety, wooden stairs. Pushing our loaded bikes up nearly 20 flights of these stairs was a killer. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile.
Here’s a view looking into the cove, from the ferry dock. Notice the steep-sided cliffs, encircled by a wooden boardwalk with its stilts in the water. Our lodging for the first night was located on the very top of the bluff on the left. From the boardwalk at the base of the cliff, we climbed more than 200 stairs multiple times in order to get our bikes and gear to the top where our cabin was located. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The Longest Mile
The night we arrived in Caleta Tortél, a steady rain started around 5pm, and continued throughout the night. Pretty soon we were wondering if it would be wise to depart the next day on our bicycles, as planned - especially since the forecast indicated that heavy rain would continue off-and-on for the next couple of days.
Yet we had been itching to get back on the road. So in spite of the gloomy forecast, we packed up our bicycles the next morning and prepared to cycle out of town.
But before you can leave, you must first pay homage to the stairs which rule this town. To resume our journey, we (and our loaded bicycles) would have to find our way to the beginning of the road, about half a mile away (0.8 km). That would require hauling everything down from our cabin-on-a-cliff to the water’s edge, traversing a section of the waterfront boardwalk, then dragging everything up another cliff face to reach the Rotonda - essentially a parking lot at the end of the road, where folks leave their cars before entering the village. We knew it would be an ordeal, so we arose at dawn and had everything packed and out the door by 8am.
First we hauled PedalingGuy’s bike down to the waterfront (it took two of us to handle just one bike on the rain-soaked, slippery stairs). Then PedalingGal’s bike. Followed by an extra trip up and down the stairs to lug our additional gear (backpacks, handlebar bags, etc.), which had been removed to help make the bikes a little bit lighter. Just to get down to the waterfront, we had each climbed a minimum of 600 stairs. And we were just getting started.
We actually rode our bikes along the waterfront boardwalk to the base of the next set of stairs. It felt great. But that only took a couple of minutes.
The waterfront boardwalk in Caleta Tortél was nice and flat, making it the only place in the village suitable for actually riding a bicycle. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Then we followed the same process in reverse, this time climbing about 300 stairs up to the Rotonda. First we hiked up the cliff carrying our extra gear. By that time it was 9am, and we were able to leave our valuables safely inside the tourist information center, with the very kind attendant.
Next we set about the task of hauling each bike up the stairs. It took our combined effort, with both of us working as a team, to get each bike up the stairs - one at a time. This, of course, entailed multiple trips for each of us, up and down the long flight of stairs. It was tough going. With each bike, we stopped 3-4 times along the way to rest. It seemed to take forever.
By the time we had hauled both bikes and all of our gear up to the starting line where the road enters town, it was after 10am. It had taken us more than two hours to cover just half a mile of distance (although we both hiked a lot farther by doing the round trip multiple times, down and then up the steep cliff the town is built on).
PedalingGal looks happy because we finally got both bicycles up near the top of the wooden stairs, close to the start of the road in Caleta Tortél. Pushing the bikes up those stairs was a big job. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
At that moment, we paused to consider the wisdom of what we were doing. Several factors were working against us:
The weather forecast still predicted that it would be pretty rainy for the next two days.
PedalingGal’s legs were already sore from hiking up and down the mountainsides for hours the day before, while she was searching for lodging (when our initial reservation was unceremoniously canceled out from under us). Now her legs were aching for a rest.
10:30am was later than we would have ideally started cycling for the day.
Finally, Caleta Tortél was a really picturesque and unique village. We started to feel like we were missing something by not staying to explore it a little bit more.
After thinking it over, we decided to see if we could spend a few more nights there. Our biggest challenge, though, was that the place we had stayed the night before was not available anymore. (Of course, the fact that we would have had to haul our bikes back down and up the mountains to get back to that cabin would probably have been a sufficient deterrent to even consider staying there again). To be able to stay in Caleta Tortél, we would have to find new lodging. This was not an appealing prospect, considering how difficult it had been for PedalingGal to secure just one night’s lodging the day before (see previous post for the gory details).
But this time we had an ace up our sleeve - the tourist information office. We asked the attendant for some advice, and she was able to provide a couple of suggestions. One option stood out - it was a single cabana being rented by the same restaurant where we had enjoyed a great meal the night before. The staff at the restaurant had been wonderfully friendly, so we had a good feeling about them. Best of all, they were located just a short distance from the Rotonda where we were currently resting, at the top of the cliffs, with just a few more wooden stairs to climb. It was nearly perfect. PedalingGal contacted them on her phone, and secured the reservation. We were all set for a couple more days in this unique town.
Locking in a last-minute reservation to spend a couple of days exploring the village on the fjord. Tourist Information Office, Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Exploring Caleta Tortél, Chile
Once we had settled into our new digs, we finally had the time to go out and enjoy several leisurely walks around town. Here are a few photos from our stay in the village on stilts:
From the heights of the Rotonda, there was a beautiful view of the cove below. The village sits near the mouth of the Baker River (Chile’s biggest river by flow), which drains several glaciers in the Northern Patagonian Ice Field. That causes the water in the cove to have a characteristic, milky color from all the glacial sediments. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Looking away from the cove, towards the mountains, we could see a distant waterfall. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A row of modest cafes and hostels lined part of the waterfront - with an old, stranded, fishing boat washed up on the grass. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Dense bushes of Fuchsia magellanica crowded the sides of the boardwalks in the village. This hardy plant is native to the wet forests of the southern Andes, with eye-popping flowers in deep magenta and purple. A prolific producer of nectar, the flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds - even in frigid Patagonia. Fun fact: this plant is the ancestor of the domestic Fuchsia that many people keep in hanging baskets on their porch. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Another fascinating plant we saw along the boardwalks was the Chilean sundew. These carnivorous plants grow in soils that are very low in nutrients, capturing and digesting insects within their sticky, pink clutches to obtain nutrients not available in the soil. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Wood from the local Guaitecas cypress trees is used to make almost everything in Tortél, including souvenirs. We saw this man making miniature wooden carvings for sale. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A 25 minute walk from the center of the village, along the boardwalk that wraps around a high bluff by the water, brought us to the mouth of the Baker River (Chile’s largest river). The broad, sandy, delta served as a ‘parking area’ for a variety of local boats. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A wooden sculpture along the boardwalk depicted a native family in their traditional mode of transportation: a wooden, dugout canoe. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
This carved statue paid homage to the 20th century settlers, who built the village on a timber-harvesting economy. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
This Fire-eyed Diucon posed for a photo on one of the wooden handrails. This charming flycatcher summers almost exclusively in western Patagonia. They’re easily identified by their rusty-red eyes. Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
First Day on the Carretera Austal
In the southern half of Chile, the Andes Mountains reign supreme. In the north, there are broad, fertile lands between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. That is where most of the country’s population resides - transportation is easiest, the climate is mild, and agriculture is possible in the fertile soils.
In contrast, south of the city of Puerto Montt the Andes crowd the land all the way to the ocean. There are no flat areas or mild climates. Instead, the landscape is ruthlessly steep and rocky, with poor soils, LOTS of rain, icefields and glaciers. Deep fjords and long glacial lakes conspire to block all lowland routes. To say the least, getting around is not easy.
In fact, until the late 1980s the entire area from central Chile to Tierra del Fuego (at the southern tip of Chile) was virtually inaccessible by land. The small settlements that developed to harvest timber or fish from the sea could only be reached by boat - or occasionally by remote mountain passes from Argentina. Communities lived quiet, isolated lives among the mountains and the temperate rainforests.
That finally began to change in 1988, when the first segment of the Carretera Austral (a.k.a., the ‘Southern Highway’) opened to traffic. But that was just the beginning - stretching a mere 20% of the highway’s current length. It would take another twelve years for the road to reach its current endpoint, 770 miles (1,240 km) away in Villa O’Higgins, Chile (about the same distance as between Paris and Vienna). And the village of Caleta Tortél, which lies near the southern end, had to wait even longer. The road connecting Caleta Tortél to the Carretera Austral wasn’t completed until 2003 - barely 20 years ago. Even now, much of the “highway” is still just a rough dirt road. But because it is the only road connecting much of southern Chile, it gets the privilege of being called a highway. (The same was true of the Dalton “Highway” in northern Alaska. Highways are not necessarily modern paved roads.)
It was on this road that we cycled out of Caleta Tortél on a damp, overcast morning. What a change it was from the open, windswept grasslands of southern Patagonia we had left behind. The rough, gravel road was raised on an elevated berm, dropping off into soggy dwarf forests and peat bogs on both sides. More than anything, it reminded us of cycling in Canada’s Yukon Territory.
Heading off towards the Carretera Austral. Baker River Valley, East of Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A small boat - suitable for navigating the Baker River’s shallow, braided delta - was handily parked on some gravel near the road. Baker River Valley, East of Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
In several places we saw bags of peat moss that had been harvested from the bogs, bundled and stacked by the side of the road, ready to be picked up and sold. Baker River Valley, East of Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Best plant of the day - Chilean rhubarb (it’s not actually related to rhubarb at all, but it looks similar and is used the same way in cooking). The leaves are gigantic, reaching up to 8 feet across (2.5 m). It’s native to the wet forests of southern Chile and western Argentina, but has been introduced in many other parts of the world as an ornamental plant. Baker River Valley, East of Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
On this day we got our first good looks at one of southern Chile’s most iconic birds, the Chucao Tapaculo (yes, that’s really its English name). These birds have a ton of personality, seeming quite curious about everything around them. And they have a delightful, chortling song that burst out as we cycled by - as if the bird was surprised by our passing. Chucao Tapaculos are so popular in Chile that their image appears everywhere along the Carretera Austral, from tourist souvenirs (like refrigerator magnets and mugs), to town signs and businesses. Baker River Valley, East of Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Here’s an example of that, which we saw a bit further down the road. This sign is for a resort. It says, “You’ll arrive in less time than the song of a Chucao” (which is very short). Puyehue National Park, Los Lagos, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
After about 2.5 hours of cycling, we merged onto the main backbone of the Carretera Austral. Much of it remains incredibly remote, with barely 100,000 people living along the entire 770 mile (1240 km) length of the road. Furthermore, the southern third of the route remains unpaved - with often poorly maintained gravel offering up a buffet of loose stones, potholes, dusty air, and endless washboards to rattle our bikes and our brains.
Fortunately, the terrain was mostly gentle on our first day, as the road followed a couple of mellow river valleys. But at the edges of the valleys tall cliffs rose ominously overhead, and snow-capped mountains provided a lovely backdrop.
Snow-capped peaks provided a stunning backdrop to the forests along the Carretera Austral. Baker River Valley, East of Caleta Tortél, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Around 2:30pm, we accidentally missed the entrance to the campground where we wanted to stay, and cycled right past it - partly because we reached it sooner than expected. After realizing our mistake, we had to turn around and cycle back. But when we got to the entrance, we cut ourselves some slack. The sign marking the campground was very inconspicuous - set high on a gravel track, away from the main road. They had added a trio of tattered, old, brightly-colored flags to the sign to help it stand out, but that hadn’t been enough to attract our attention.
The inconspicuous sign for our campground was set back from the main road, high on a bank that made it difficult to see. We ended up passing it, and having to backtrack a bit. Camping El Risquero, Carretera Austral, Carrera River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
This was our first experience with a campground along the Carretera Austral, but it proved to be fairly typical of the services along the route. Basically, a farm will designate some existing space that is sort-of level as a place to camp, where guests can pitch their tents. There are usually at least a few farm animals sharing the space (in this case chickens and ducks). There are usually a few bathrooms (sometimes with hot water). And if you’re lucky, there’s a common room where guests can take refuge from the cold or rain. The common room at this campground was even equipped with an old gas stove, so we could cook and eat our meal indoors. Quite plush.
No one else was there when we arrived, so we were able to occupy the one, reasonably flat spot that was big enough for our tent. As we were pitching the tent, a camper from Germany arrived on a motorbike. He was traveling alone down to Ushuaia, where he would meet up with his wife. Then they planned to motor back up to Santiago, Chile, with her riding along in a sidecar - something you don’t see much out on the road these days.
Our tent (right), and the tent of the German guy on a motorbike, set up on the lawn. Note the chicken in the foreground. Flocks of chickens and ducks would periodically wander around on the grass among the tents. Camping El Risquero, Carretera Austral, Carrera River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The German camper was driving down to Ushuaia, where he would meet his wife. Together they would head back north, with her riding in the sidecar. Camping El Risquero, Carretera Austral, Carrera River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
We were lucky there were only short rain showers that evening. But a big factor was the wind. The campground was perched on top of an exposed hill, and a cold, strong wind picked up in the evening. By 6:30pm we were already snuggled in our sleeping bags to stay warm. Around 9:00pm an Austral Pygmy-Owl hooted for a while from a nearby tree. That was nice. It had been a long time since we’d camped anywhere that there were owls hooting at bedtime.
In the morning, we got a taste of how damp the nights can be in the temperate rainforest. Although there had been only a couple of light showers during the night, everything we owned (clothes, sleeping bags, shoes…) was wet. We didn’t have any other options, so we just stowed away the damp gear, hoping to dry it out later.
However, we were quite surprised upon exiting our tent to discover that there was a young bull inside the fenced-off tent area. Apparently the German camper had left the gate open, and the bull had wandered in. He was quite feisty. Between munching grass and leaves from a couple of apple trees, he used his horns to spar with a wooden sign, taunted the chickens, and occasionally ran around bucking like like an out-of-control rodeo bull. That made us nervous, because our tent could easily be trampled. The bull did not like it at all when PedalingGuy tried to herd him towards the gate. He started bucking even more, and acting aggressive So we just tried to stay out of his way.
Eventually the bull got quite restless, mooing to the cows on the other side of the fence as if he wanted to be with them. He started running along the perimeter of the fence, and finally went out the gate by himself. Thrilled, PedalingGuy quickly ran over and shut the gate behind him so that he would not wander back into the camping area. That was a relief.
Then it was back to cycling the Carretera Austral…
Cycling along the banks of the Carrera River. Carretera Austral, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
There were few settlements along the Carretera Austral. But occasionally, when there was enough flat terrain in a valley, we would see land cleared for pastures, and weather-beaten farm buildings (but rarely, if ever, any people). Carretera Austral, Carrera River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Cows playing chicken! We were surprised to see these folks ushering a group of cows down the road. The cows didn’t seem to want to give up any of the road for a couple cyclists going the other way. Carretera Austral, Los Ñadis River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Most of the route was a series of rolling hills through thick, green forests. Carretera Austral, La Tranquera Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Wide river valleys were bordered by cliffs, rising to snow-capped heights. Carretera Austral, Los Ñadis River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Pausing to admire the river below. Carretera Austral, Barrancoso River Bridge, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A Steady Flow of Cyclists
In the years since the Carretera Austral was completed, it has become one of South America’s most popular routes for cyclists and overlanders seeking adventure. They are drawn to the combination of physical challenges, remote landscapes, humble villages, and spectacular vistas. It seems that cycling the Carretera Austral has become a ‘bucket list’ trip for cyclists from around the world, especially amongst Europeans.
At this point, we started seeing a whole lot of cyclists heading the other direction. It’s worth noting that - unlike us - nearly all cyclists choose to travel the Carretera Austral from north to south. That’s partly because it’s easier to access the northern end of the road, and also because the prevailing winds blow from north to south (which is a big deal when you’re on a bicycle).
On our second day on the road, we passed around 20 other cyclists heading the other way. It seemed like a huge number to us, given the much lower numbers of cyclists we had seen further south, or in other countries in Latin America. Throughout most of Mexico, Central America and Columbia we were lucky to see one touring cyclist every 1-3 months. But we soon came to realize that this large number of cyclists on the Carretera Austral was not unusual. Mostly we just waved to each other as we passed by, since you would never get anywhere if you stopped to talk to everyone. This is in contrast to other places in Latin America where you never pass up an opportunity to talk to the rare cyclist you encounter on the road.
We stopped to chat with this friendly group of cyclists - a couple from Holland and their companion from New Zealand. Carretera Austral, near Los Ñadis, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Cuesta Los Ñadis - The Big Climb
About four hours into our ride we began the Big Climb up Cuesta Los Ñadis. Well, at 1,100 ft (335 m) it wasn’t THAT big. But given that we had not done much cycling the past couple of weeks, it was hard enough for us. For the next hour and a half we crawled uphill, often down in our lowest gears.
Crawling up the Cuesta Los Ñadis. Carretera Austral, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Looking back down from the Cuesta Los Ñadis, in the direction we had come. That tiny dot in the road below is another cyclist who had zoomed past us on the descent, as we slowly made our way up to the pass. Carretera Austral, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Just 1.5 miles (2.5 km) past the summit we headed down a small, dirt, side-road to a lovely wild camping spot. It was a spacious, flat area surrounded on two sides by high, rocky bluffs that helped to block the wind. It seemed perfect… until we noticed its major flaw. Most of the open field was covered with plants that had very sharp burrs that would cling to our leggings en masse. Pretty soon we were covered in spiky, little burrs that scratched our skin through our clothes.
But we were not to be deterred. Eventually we found a clearing that was relatively spike-free. Then we hunched over, and started pulling. We spent the next 20 minutes hand-clearing the rest of the burrs away from an area large enough that we could walk safely around our tent and be somewhat confident that a spiky plant wouldn’t puncture our air mattresses in the middle of the night. That made for a much more pleasant, and relaxing camp.
Rolling into Cochrane, Chile
After a wonderfully dry night near the top of the pass, nearly all of our gear had finally started to dry out. It was a great way to start the day.
But the downside of the dry air was that the gravel road surface became very dusty. It’s worth noting that even though the Carretera Austral is remote, there are quite a lot of cars, especially after about 9am. In addition to the hoards of cyclists (we saw at least 30 going the other way that day), the road is an extremely popular car touring and overlanding route, which leads to a lot of traffic. In reality, if you want to see Southern Chile by land there are few other options. The lack of roads in Southern Chile, combined with a relatively short season for visiting with decent weather, concentrates the traffic. So when the road dries out, thick dust quickly fills the air behind any moving vehicle. We got dusted. And for a cyclist, that definitely detracts from the enjoyment of a ride.
However, the scenery continued to be gorgeous. We cycled past huge, sapphire-blue lakes, with views of the Northern Patagonia Ice Field filling the high mountain valleys.
Descending from Cuesta Los Ñadis in the morning light. Carretera Austral, near Laguna Larga, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
View across Lake Chacabuco towards the Northern Patagonian Ice Field (on the mountain tops). Carretera Austral, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Before long we started noticing that there were quite a few roadside shrines dedicated to Saint Sebastian. While this saint is not generally considered a patron of travelers, truck drivers in Chile believe that he protects them on dangerous roads, like the Carretera Austral. Truck drivers (and often other motorists) will honk a salute when passing the shrines, hoping for Saint Sebastian’s protection. Carretera Austral, near Lake Chacabuco, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The Del Salto River cut a deep cleft through the hard rock of the mountains. Carretera Austral, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
It was a magical moment when we rode onto asphalt with still more than eight miles (13 km) left to go before reaching Cochrane, the first town of any size since departing Caleta Tortél. The best thing about it was leaving the dusty air behind. Within an hour, we were rolling into town.
With a population of 3,500, Cochrane felt like a big metropolis compared to the other villages we would pass along the Carretera Austral. In fact, it’s one of the top five, biggest towns along the entire 770 mile (1,240 km) route. It hosts multiple hostels and restaurants, a couple of well-stocked grocery stores, an ATM, and even a respected bike mechanic. We ended up taking a couple of days off in Cochrane to recharge our batteries for the next leg of the Carretera Austral.
Enjoying our arrival in the big (for this region) town of Cochrane. Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A popular activity is to hike up to the top of the Hill of the Cross for a sweeping view of the town. Cochrane, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
On the banks of a little stream, the town had a pleasant park and greenway. This portable steam engine (on display in the park) was typical of engines shipped from Great Britain to central Chile in the early 1900s, to power sawmills, sheep-shearing machinery and other agricultural processes. A cool feature was that the tall smoke stack was attached by a hinge, and could be lowered so that the engine could be stored in a barn, when not in use. Cochrane, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
White-crested Elaenias were some of the most common birds along the entire Carretera Austral. We saw this one in a bush along the banks of the Cochrane River. Cochrane, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A very popular restaurant dish in southern Chile is pichanga - a hearty mixture of meat chunks, cheese, olives and pickles served over French fries, and often topped with a fried egg. Portions are huge, and meant to be shared among friends and family. We shared this pichanga for dinner one evening, with a couple of Calafate sours to wash it down. Calafate sours are in part made from the Calafate berry that grows wild in the region. Cochrane, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Toward the Source of the Baker River
Heading north out of Cochrane, we knew it would be a physically demanding day, and it was. Within the first four hours we climbed more than 2,000 ft (610 m) in elevation over three, progressively taller hills. The first hill wasn’t too bad. The second one was quite tough, and the third sapped most of the remaining energy from our legs.
Much to our surprise, the vegetation along the route changed completely. After cresting the first hill, we descended back into the Baker River Valley. But instead of cycling through more rainforest, we found ourselves in a dry canyon reminiscent of the Patagonian steppe of Tierra del Fuego. For more than five hours we rode through a brown landscape with gorgeous, sweeping vistas, and even encountered old friends like guanacos and Andean condors.
Early morning view of the Baker River from the top of a ridge. Carretera Austral north of Cochrane, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
As we descended into the scrublands, we entered the habitat of the elusive Geoffroy’s cat which lives in dry, pampas grasslands of South America. But the only evidence of their presence that we saw were these signs along the road. Carretera Austral, Baker River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
An expansive view of the arid canyon. Carretera Austral, Baker River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
We were pleased to encounter some old friends from Tierra del Fuego, a small herd of guanacos. The young ones were nursing as we rode by. Carretera Austral, Baker River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
After a couple of hours of cycling we reached the scenic confluence of the Baker and Chacabuco Rivers, and stopped for a banana break. Upstream from this point, the Baker River is a clear, turquoise blue. But the Chacabuco River is filled with milky, glacial sediment. Below the confluence, the Baker River takes on the pale, powdery color of the Chacabuco River’s sediment. Carretera Austral, Baker River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Near the start of the third climb we saw a gathering of Andean Condors, perhaps because there was a carcass nearby. There were four condors circling in the air above, and another three condors sitting along the top of a ridge not too far from the road. That was the only time we ever saw condors on the ground. Carretera Austral, Baker River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Near the top of the final climb, the route cut through the ridge between soaring, rock walls. Carretera Austral, Baker River Valley, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
After we crested the final pass, we descended rapidly back into the moist, temperate rainforest - leaving the arid valley behind. That’s when we got our first look at the youthful Baker River, and it practically stopped us in our tracks. The water was an astonishingly vivid, beautiful, turquoise blue - such an ‘unnatural’ color that it looked like something from a cartoon, or like the color of blue candy. But it’s the natural color of glacial water that contains fully-dissolved calcium carbonate, without the milky glacial silt. It was refreshing just to look at the shimmering blue river.
We felt refreshed just looking at the glowing, turquoise water of the upper Baker River. This photo isn’t enhanced - that’s really the color of the water. Despite the blue color, the water appears crystal clear up close. Carretera Austral near Puerto Bertrand, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
As we approached the village of Puerto Bertrand, we were amused by this jumbled collection of signs posted at a key intersection into town. There seemed to be more signs than there were actual businesses in town. There was even a sign for McPatagonia - a restaurant serving ‘fast food’ (Chilean style) from an old bus. Carretera Austral, Puerto Bertrand, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
We spent the next day exploring the little village of Puerto Bertrand (pop. 300) between rain showers. The village lies on the shores of Lake Bertrand - the birthplace of the Baker River. Its big claim-to-fame is world-class trout fishing. Trout aren’t native here - they were introduced to many parts of Patagonia in the early 20th century. But they have thrived in the clear, cold waters. And according to locals, the trout in the Baker River are the biggest in Chile. Most of the boating excursions from the Puerto Bertrand dock focused on fly fishing, and we saw several groups heading out for a day on the turquoise water.
The luminous blue water of Bertrand Lake - the source of Chile’s biggest and most beautifully colored river - hovered just beyond the town’s dock. People come from all over the world to fish for big trout in the surrounding waters. Puerto Bertrand, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A little cafe near the village plaza only had one table, and only served burgers. They were some of tallest-stacked burgers we had seen in a long time. Accompanied by fresh strawberry smoothies, they kept us well fed. Puerto Bertrand, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Cycling Among The Sapphire Lakes
By this point we had cycled for four days on the Carretera Austral, and one thing became clear: the number of miles we could cover in a day was limited. Several factors contributed to this including:
Hills. The terrain was a constant procession of abrupt hills, with virtually no rest between them. Plus, they were just steep enough that the momentum for the last hill would not get you very far up the next one. We spent a lot of time in very low gears, as we chugged our way over each hilltop.
Rough gravel. The surface of the road was gradually deteriorating as we headed northward due to increasing road traffic. North of Cochrane, the Carretera Austral gets a TON of road traffic - mostly tourists - which tears up the dirt road into ruts, and creates the dreaded washboards. You can only ride so fast on that stuff.
Scenery. The views south of Cochrane had been very beautiful. But once we reached Puerto Bertrand, the scenery became spectacular. The neon colors of the region’s many lakes (all tinted bright blue), sparkled in the sunlight against magnificent backdrops of soaring mountains. The vistas often stopped us in our tracks to appreciate their beauty.
As a result, for the next couple of days we kept our mileage low, so we could take time to enjoy the beauty of the region.
A moody sky hovered over several of the beautiful lakes we saw along the Carretera Austral. The surrounding mountains seemed to play havoc with the weather, which remained unsettled each day. Mirador Tres Lagos (Three Lakes Overlook), Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
One of the cool creatures in Patagonia is the Austral Parakeet, the southernmost parrot species in the world. We frequently saw small flocks of these hardy birds darting among the trees in the cold, wet, southern forests (even as far south as Torres del Paine National Park). Carretera Austral, North of Puerto Bertrand, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The night after leaving Puerto Bertrand, we camped at another very remote, low-key campground in a little hamlet called Río Leon (pop. <20). When we rolled into camp, we encountered another cyclist. However, he was all packed up and just about to depart - at 2:30 in the afternoon! We thought that was a bit late to start cycling. But given that it would stay light until after 10pm, he could theoretically cover a lot of miles before stopping for the night. To each his own.
These humble signs on a gate indicated that we had found the Río Leon campground. Like nearly all of the campgrounds along the Carretera Austral, it was a pretty informal operation. Río Leon, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A cat was part of the welcome committee. We were glad that we didn’t have to worry about mice getting into our food at that campground. Carretera Austral, Río Leon, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Much to our chagrin, Río Leon seemed to lie in a particularly rainy corner of the Carretera Austral. That surprised us, because the area around General Carrera Lake (which was not far away) is famous for being a bit more dry and sunny than the surrounding region. But there’s no getting away from the fact that the Carretera Austral mostly goes through temperate rainforests, and the humid air and rain is never very far away.
As we approached Río Leon, we could see the mass of dark clouds ahead of us, reaching all the way up the little river valley where the campground was located. As we pitched our tent, it began to drizzle. We hustled to get the tent up, and our most precious overnight gear inside as quickly as possible. That turned out to be a good thing, because within a few more minutes it was raining even harder.
Fortunately, the campground had an enclosed common room where we could get out of the weather. It even had a gas stove. We used the stove to cook up a nice, warm meal. None of the gas stoves we encountered in Patagonia had a pilot light, but by this point we were used to lighting the gas burners with a match. Although it was very rustic, it felt like luxury to us.
After dinner there was a brief pause in the rain so we decided to go for a walk along a path that paralleled the Río Leon. But the dark clouds haunted us for the rest of the evening, keeping our walk relatively short. The surrounding mountains seemed to be wringing all the moisture out of the passing clouds. Carretera Austral, Río Leon, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The next morning dawned with a beautiful, clear sky. We were very happy that, although it drizzled most of the night, it never rained very hard. By morning, our tent was even dry because of a gentle breeze. We were thrilled.
The lovely morning light at the campground in Río Leon. You can see the building with the common room, where we spent the previous, rainy evening, in the background (on left). Carretera Austral, Río Leon, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The sunlight was very welcome that morning, not the least because it helped to offset the brisk, morning chill. PedalingGal had a little trouble keeping warm, even with the sun’s rays. Carretera Austral, Río Leon, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Almost immediately after emerging from the damp valley of Río Leon we were back in the more arid landscape that surrounds General Carrera Lake. The downside of the break in the rain was that the gravel surface of the Carretera Austral became bone dry. In addition, the road had become very busy with traffic, right from the start. On previous days we had enjoyed relatively light traffic in the mornings. But as we got closer to Río Tranquilo - a big stop on the tourist circuit - we had to cope with a steady stream of tour vans, buses and local pickup trucks dousing us with clouds of dust. We stopped by the side of the road often to let the air clear after being passed.
We enjoyed a lovely, morning of cycling. The only downside was that the gravel road was very dry, creating clouds of dust whenever a car zipped by. Carretera Austral, east of Río Leon, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The first few miles of the day’s ride were fairly flat (see photo above), but a half hour later the road became progressively more hilly, with some very steep spots. A couple of times we even had to get off our bikes and push. Carretera Austral, south of Río Tranquilo, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
From the top of each hill we were treated to fabulous vistas of turquoise blue lakes and distant mountains. Carretera Austral, Lake General Carrera, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Along the way we saw this empty corral. Where were the sheep? Carretera Austral, approaching Río Tranquilo, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
Ah, there they are. The sheep were wandering unimpeded - with no fences between them and the road (open range). Carretera Austral, approaching Río Tranquilo, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
By 11:30am our beautiful morning had faded away. Dark clouds filled the sky once again, causing us to suit-up in our waterproof jackets, in anticipation of the impending rain. We also had the pleasure of cycling into another headwind, with gusts around 40 mph to slow us down. Before long it was quite cold. But we got lucky. Aside from a few drizzles, we didn’t get wet. We plowed ahead, hoping to reach shelter before the sky opened up. Fortunately, we made it.
We spent the next two days hunkered down in Río Tranquilo (pop. 460), as a series of gusty rainstorms blew through. It wasn’t very tempting to go outside most of the time because it was seriously windy and cold, with long periods of steady rain. We did, however, have a couple of chances to walk around the little village during short breaks in the weather.
The thing that made the biggest impression on us was the extraordinary number of backpackers in town. No matter when we went out, we saw clusters of young people with overstuffed backpacks walking along the streets, waiting at bus stops, and perusing the shelves in local stores. We had seen only a handful of backpackers in the towns south of Río Tranquilo, so this was a big change. The village is apparently a ‘must do’ stop for Chileans using buses and backpacks to explore their country on a tight budget. The big draw here are boat tours out to the Marble Caves, a rock formation on the shore of General Carrera Lake carved by the wind and waves. However, the bad weather discouraged us from attempting the tour.
Instead, we enjoyed strolling the back streets through town when the weather allowed.
One of the restaurants in town is actually located inside an old bus - like a food truck with indoor seating. This is actually common in Patagonia, with several ‘food buses’ scattered along the Carretera Austral. We had a nice meal at this one. Río Tranquilo, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A surprising find was a full whale skeleton on display in a schoolyard. The skeleton was assembled in 2019, from the real bones of a sei whale that was stranded on a beach not that far from the village. Carretera Austral, Río Tranquilo, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
A huge number of small, private businesses ran boat tours out to the nearby Marble Caves. A small plaza by the waterfront was jam-packed with dozens of little kiosks, each offering these tours. And the protected harbor at the mouth of the Tranquilo River was a busy parking lot for the tour boats. But with windy and very poor weather conditions, most of the boats were idle while we were in town. Carretera Austral, Río Tranquilo, Aysén, Chile. Copyright © 2019-2025 Pedals and Puffins.
The Green Side of Patagonia
In our first couple of weeks on the Carretera Austral, we were struck by the incredible contrast between the rugged, humid Andes mountains and the arid, rolling grasslands we had left behind - both of which are iconic elements of the Patagonian landscape. We reveled in the luxuriant shades of green, blue and white, where glowing lakes were cradled by majestic, icy-crowned peaks. It was easy for us to appreciate why the Carretera Austral draws so many visitors to see its natural wonders.
With the southern end of the route completed, we were slowly leaving the more quiet and remote areas behind. Ahead, we would gradually encounter more towns, more people, and before long we would even reach a paved road. We had mixed feelings. Although the road would likely become easier, we would eventually lose the sense of wilderness that enveloped us at the beginning. Yet that, too, was an important part of the journey northward, from remote lands towards a slightly more developed part of the world. We looked forward to experiencing those changes, one pedal stroke at a time.
