The Andes along the Caraterra Austral [Full Image]

‘Patagonia – Scenery, Salmon and Seafood’
14 Days Adventure biking along the Carretera Austral.

Chile, a string-bean of a country on South America’s Pacific coast, stretches from the tropics to nearly the Antarctic. With 4300kms of coastline Chile features a great range of landscapes, from the nearly waterless Atacama Desert, the Mediterranean Central Valley, the majestic Lake District to Patagonia’s spectacular alpine glaciers and fiords.

Puerto Montt, in the south of the Lake District, is one of Southern Chile’s most important cities in a spectacular setting where mountains meet the coast. The gateway to Chilean Patagonia this is also where the infamous Carretera Austral begins its erratic way southwards. Constructed in the 1980’s this mostly unpaved road links widely separated towns and hamlets along its length as it passes through a wonderland of mountains, lakes, glaciers and fiord's to Coihaique and finally to end at Villa O’Higgins.

Travelling the length of the Carretera Austral is only possible during a limited time in summer when the ferries that connect the separate parts of the region are in operation.

Biking from Puerto Montt we will follow this route to Coihaique (or reverse) as it passes through this region of unparalleled beauty, stopping to explore Parque Pumalin, (a private conservation area protecting over 270,000 hectares of rainforest), Parque Nacional Hornopiren and Parque Nacional Queulat. We can hike to the base of a hanging glacier, soak in natural hot springs, go fishing in the fiords with local fishermen and relax and explore this beautiful region of timeless towns and villages.

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