After seeing the southern part of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile, we took the famous Carretera Austral and the Naviera Austral to see the northern part of Patagonia in Chile and the island of Chiloe!
Carretera Austral (03.01. – 14.01.20)
The sun shines with full power as we cross the border to Chile. The last kilometers to Chile Chico, a small town directly on the Lago Carrera General, we also cover the last kilometers with the French campervan and the couple that took us along yesterday. Arrived in the place we say goodbye to them and look for a nice campground near the lake. Immediately we notice that Chile is much more expensive than its eastern neighbour Argentina.
Nevertheless, the day isn’t over, because we must repair our tent after the windy weeks in Argentina. Finding a tailor shop should be interesting though.
First we ask at the camping site, but there we are referred to the nearby tourist information. The telephone marathon begins: A friend is contacted via Messenger, because the lady in the office does not have her number. A little later she is called back to give her the number of a seamstress. She is ill, however, and recommends another lady who is actually a policewoman, who offers tailoring services in the evening behind the counter of her husband, who runs a fisherman’s shop. The number is passed on and a little later we are sure that this lady is in her apartment right now and waiting for us. Let’s go!
In Chile Chico it is extremely windy and we are happy when we arrive at the policewoman/tailor. Because suitable material is missing, unfortunately, she can mend only two places and we decide to wait, so that we can use the tent immediately in the evening again. Meanwhile in the living room crime and detective series are running and in the wardrobe hangs her police uniform. When she is done we say goodbye and set up our tent at a somewhat wind-protected place of the camping site.
Very close to Chile Chico is the National Park Parque Patagonia. There is a short hiking trail, which we do not want to miss – despite the high entrance fee. So in the morning we stand at the road again and wait a little bit until we get a lift.
On the deserted hike we pass different views:
From Chile Chico we drive, of course hitchhiking, to the famous Carretera Austral. Chile’s probably most famous highway reaches 1,350 km and we plan to see some natural wonders along the route. So our first stop should be Puerto Tranquilo. After we have hitchhiked to the actual Carretera Austral, we will be taken half the way to Puerto Tranquilo by an older, very friendly couple who live along the route. On the way they even take two girls with them, but they turn out to be less friendly. Normally it’s like this: hitchhiking is a first come, first served principle. So for fairness reasons, whoever comes after should queue up at the back of the queue. Since we were already longer in the car, it would have been us who came first. So far, people have pushed in front, but we were always taken first because there were only two of us and the others were often people who were in large groups and without experience how hitchhiking works. Not this time. The two girls, after we had positioned ourselves, first ran towards the destination, which would have been fair. At some point they probably realized that this meant that they would get a ride after us and decided to brazenly walk past us and get a ride 30 seconds later. But we still didn’t say anything, because it’s a well-known fact that you can’t help unfriendly people very often and we thought that it shouldn’t have been this car. A few minutes later we were picked up by a more than friendly couple from Coyhaiyque. We got along so well with this small family that we met them again a few days later in Coyhaiyque. It was probably meant to be!
Arriving in Puerto Tranquilo, we looked for a camping site again and also a possibility to visit the marble caves, which can only be visited by boat. Although the weather forecast was not optimal, we decided to book a tour for the next day.
The weather was meanwhile very rainy and when we started the tour we were equipped with rain capes.
Afterwards we were packed onto a small speedboat and driven 20 minutes to the beginning of the cave landscape. The rain stopped quickly and the closer we came to the caves, the calmer the water became. Then we could see the caves!
The soft marble rock reaches into the lake, which is largely fed by glacier water (hence the unreal colour). Over the millennia, the water has carved a system of caves into the marble, revealing the wonderful hue and stratification of the rock.
Some formations had also completely detached themselves from the mainland. Of course, this did not make them any less impressive. Arriving at the far end, we turned around and at the same time a real heavy rainfall set in. Thus, the 20 minutes drive back was not really pleasant, as the water was also much rougher than on the way there. So we were glad when we arrived back at the „harbour“ and could open our eyes again.
The next day we continued our hitchhiking trip on the Carretera Austral – this time Cerro Castillo was our destination.
A cyclist, whom we had already met in Chile Chico, also crossed our way here and informed us about the fact that the road between Puerto Tranquilo and Cerro Castillo is closed daily between 1 and 5 pm due to asphalt works. This meant that we had to get a ride in the next 10 minutes. When the cyclist set off, a car already drove up and gave us a lift. After that the rain started and on the road, which was covered with potholes, a small race against the time began. At 12.42 we drove to the construction site and were lucky! About one hour later we arrived in Cerro Castillo. There we moved back into our tent on a campground with a view – which was still hidden behind clouds. In the evening we could observe an amazing view from the lounge:
But after a cool night it looked much better the next morning:
Cerro Castillo is named after the mountain. A beautiful hike leads there, but like everywhere in Chile one has to pay a high entrance fee. We did not feel like it and in the morning we looked at the mountain from a distance:
A historic hitchhiking followed! After only four minutes we were picked up! An absolute record! And we wouldn’t have minded waiting a little longer at our beautiful spot:
Arriving in Coyhaiyque, we took a little break. After we had hitchhiked more than 1,200 km in one week, this was also necessary. For example, we met the nice Chilean family again one afternoon and Diana could play a lot with their little daughter.
Besides, we could afford to go to a restaurant again. Once we had Pichanga, a delicious Chilean dish.
Another time we bought half of the ice cream parlour:
So in Coyhaiyque we could relax, but also catch up on administrative things and work off. Unfortunately this should not be forgotten during a trip.
Since we wanted to continue with the ferry, we continued our hitchhiking trip to Puerto Aysén and thus left the Carretera Austral. This worked out very well, despite the construction site at the planned departure point, and we had a very intensive conversation with our driver. He told us many interesting things and backgrounds about the current social revolution (literally translated):
The conversation got going as we drove past a few wind turbines. Our driver told us that on all political levels decisions have to be made with 2/3 majorities. This is a very high hurdle, especially for niches, which supports the continuation of the existing status quo. Afterwards, the criticism flowed out of our driver’s mouth like a waterfall: the pension payments are made at the AFP Bank, over the entire period of employment. After that, the entire amount that has been paid in is taken and divided over the expected life of the person. The problem here is that AFP Bank currently assumes that every person in Chile will live to be 110 years old. It is clear that with such a calculation there is not much money left per month. According to the CIA Factbook, Chileans live to be 79 years old on average. The remaining money remains with AFP and can be distributed to Chilean companies in the form of loans. They pay 5% interest. But if an ordinary citizen applies for a loan, he or she has to pay 40% interest. This is just one of the many triggers that have caused the barrel of inequality in Chile to overflow.
Arriving in Puerto Aysén we accompanied our driver for lunch – there was real Casuela, a soup with a lot of meat and afterwards lentils. Later, when we pitched our tent on a beautiful campground, the unthinkable happened and we were both put out of action by hay fever – and that in Patagonia! Nevertheless, we still managed to stroll a little along the main street of Puerto Aysén and see the famous bridge of the city:
The next day it was raining cats and dogs – which is typical for Patagonia, the weather changes frequently and intensively. After we hung up the tent to dry, played table tennis and cooked, the owner of the campground drove us to the nearby Puerto Chacabuco. From there the 30-hour ferry to the island of Chiloe will start.
Naviera Austral (14.01. – 16.01.20)
Since a few days already, we had decided to make progress differently than hitchhiking. Because there are many fjords in the south of Chile, we had the possibility to take the ferry for a part of our route to the north. So we booked tickets from Coyhaiyque for the ship Queulat, which was supposed to leave on Monday evening in Puerto Chacabuco. Even before we left Coyhaique and finally booked the tickets, the departure date had been moved back by half a day.
Nevertheless, we hitchhiked to Puerto Aysén, a small place close to the even smaller Puerto Chacabuco. When we arrived there and checked the time again, the ferry had already been moved to Tuesday evening at 9pm, so meanwhile 24 hours too late. The next day, the day of departure, another 2 hours were added. And when we finally arrived at the port, the departure time was 1am on Wednesday, 28 hours later than originally planned. But that didn’t matter, because we could bridge the time on a very nice camping site. It was more interesting that the ferry company Naviera Austral announced that the destination port Quellon on the island of Chiloe might not be accessible and Puerto Montt is an alternative port. But that was not yet certain. So we went on the ferry without knowing where we would end up.
After the ferry was only moderately occupied, we could make ourselves comfortable at the late hour and spread out.
A little later the ferry started moving with a maximum speed of 30 km/h. According to plan, the journey should last 30 hours. To the quiet hum of the engine we fell asleep a little later.
Actually quite well rested, we woke up the next morning only around 9 o’clock. We liked the view out of the window immediately:
Our route led constantly through the Chilean fjords and so we spent a lot of time on the outer decks of the ferry Queulat.
Again and again a small harbour in the middle of nowhere was visited. Then there was unloading and loading, often with incomprehensible tactics. Nevertheless, in the end all trucks, cars and caravans fitted on board .
Then the journey through the beautiful fjords was continued again and again:
And again tiny „ports“ were visited.
At a later hour there was a beautiful, albeit cool, sunset.
In the meantime, the news had spread among the passengers that neither Puerto Montt nor Quellon, but Castro on Chiloe should be the destination of our trip. This was more than right for us, because this way we were closer to our destinations on Chiloe.
After a very rocky night, as we had meanwhile left the shelter of the fjords, we reached Chiloe in the morning in the sunshine. Therefore some last views from the ferry:
Chiloe (16.01. – 21.01.20)
Thus, after a long ferry trip we arrived in the capital of the island Chiloe, in Castro. We make out a small jungle-like campground in the city, on which our tent finds just as place.
Castro’s waterfront area is full of souvenir and artesanal stands. When you have successfully left these behind, you can eat a South American speciality – Ceviche! This salad-like dish consists of lots of salmon, onions, coriander, lemon dressing and other vegetables.
The „port area“ is also characterized by many shipwrecks:
Chiloe is known for its many corrugated iron churches. A particularly colourful one is located in the centre of Castro.
Fishing is very important because of the proximity of the sea. The settlements were therefore built close to the shore and, as elsewhere in the world, were provided with stilts to cope with the oscillating sea level.
Then it was time again – finally we hitchhiked again! After about 30 minutes of waiting, a musician and his son took it with them – including a stop at a great fruit and vegetable stand!
Thus, at the end of the street we arrived at the Parque Nacional Chiloe and the small place Cucao. Also here we pitched our tent again at a very natural campground, with indirect views to the Pacific Ocean!
So we immediately set off for the ocean! For this we crossed a small river and then we were in South America at the open sea for the first time!
Since the campground is so close to the water, it was a good idea to watch the sunset on the beach during the following days:
However, the paradisiacal idyll is clouded by a small being. Between 10 and 18 o’clock it was almost impossible for us to spend a relaxed minute in nature. The reason: Coliguachos!
Nevertheless, we decided to try our luck and walked in a good mood towards the hike. After we had a little hitchhiking luck, we walked along a beach where we were attacked so much by the Coliguachos that we had to turn around.
Back at our jungle camp we could sit outside from 18 o’clock on and cook relaxed – without the hum of the small insect wings.
For our last day on Chiloe we set ourselves an ambitious hitchhiking goal. We wanted to make it not only to the mainland, but also to Puerto Varas! After we found two drivers quite fast who took us as far as the capital Castro, we were able to ride in a truck for the first time afterwards. With that we almost made the whole distance!
The last part we had to travel by local bus. In the evening we arrived in Puerto Varas – tired but happy.
Los Lagos (21.01. – 25.01.20)
After our successful tour with the truck from Chiloe, we arrived in Puerto Varas a little later with the city bus. The city has a distinct German colonial history and so we already see many houses that remind us of the south of the republic – half-timbered or with flower boxes at the window.
Puerto Varas is located on Chile’s largest lake, Lago Llanquihue. One of the highlights of the place is definitely the view over the lake, because on the opposite side rises the silhouette of the Osorno volcano.
Northern Patagonia on the Chilean side is very different from the part of Patagonia we have been able to visit so far. There is much more infrastructure, instead of small uneven roads there are real highways. In the streets there are much more day tourists walking around and the temperatures are much higher. This is not surprising, as Puerto Natales is approximately 1.300 km more southern than Puerto Varas.
Also the landscape is different here, because instead of normal mountains there are many volcanoes.
Puerto Varas is very touristic and therefore very expensive. Therefore we spend the time mainly with the route choice for the further journey.
At the campsite we meet Deniz and Seb from Switzerland and Austria. So it is finally worth to get the grill going again!
Since we have the Argentinean city of Bariloche as our next destination, we start hitchhiking there. However, we do not want to do this in one day, but make a stopover at Lago Llanquihue. After two fast rides we arrive in Las Cascadas, a small place that is located directly at the foot of the Osorno volcano.
After we set up our tent, we want to go swimming. Therefore we look for a relaxed spot at the lake, where the view is good.
The next morning we continue our journey towards Argentina. When we arrive at the main street of the town to stand up with our sign, many people are standing on the street. We ask ourselves what drives the people there and 10 seconds later we get the answer: a big bicycle race is pushing through the town with a loud whirring sound. Our hitchhiking thus shifts back by about 15 minutes. After two vehicles have brought us up to Entre Lagos and we have landed there again at a dusty street, we are already taken again by a very friendly and good-humoured truck driver from Argentina!
The truck driver Marcus is very talkative and tells us a lot about Argentina, the economy, the mentality of the people and the social system. He has such a strong flow of words that even Diana finds it difficult to understand him. Nevertheless we could keep the quintessence and so we arrive in Bariloche in the evening tired but with many new thoughts in our heads.
Just Geography Things 