Favorite Cycling Routes: The Carretera Austral (Chilean Patagonia)

Cycling into Torres del Paines, Patagonia.

The Carretera Austral is said to be the most popular cycling route in the world, and I can certainly see why! This Patagonian treasure is full of colorful clean rivers, beautiful snowy peaks, and easy wild camping opportunities around every bend. The cycling is easy, the route seems to have more cyclists than cars along it, and the fishing is wonderful for those of you with poles; overall it’s a wonderful Patagonian experience for those who love nature.

One of the bluest lakes I’ve ever seen, Patagonia 2015. The lakes in Patagonia were simply stunning, 2015. Team work! Patagonia 2015. There was wonderful camping almost every night on the Carretera Austral, Patagonia 2015. Enjoying the mountains with friends, Patagonia 2015. Beautiful mountains equals one happy girl! Hiking in Torres Del Paines. Our favorite kind of camping! Definitely one of our best camping spots! Especially since the fishing was great. Patagonia, 2015. The white capped mountains were also wonderful to follow. Headed into the peaks, 2015. The small quaint town of El Chalten. Yoga in the mountains with friends, Argentina Patagonia. One of Kevin’s many fish, Patagonia 2015. Mike and Emily showing off their hippie side! A bike packed full of food, some mountains, and a boy equals one happy girl! Torres del Paines, 2015. The end of the paved road, it was a nice break from the washboard! Catching a trout. One of our best fishing rivers. Need a tent anyone? Fly fishing in Patagonia, Kevin has already dreamed of this, 2015. Rain, rain, and a bit more rain, Argentina 2015.

Stats

Distance: 1,200km (O’Higgins to Puerto Montt).
Time needed: 3-5 weeks depending on how many off days you want.
Highlights: Fly fishing, easy camping, many cyclists.
Road surface: 20% paved / 80% unpaved with some dreadful washboard sections (though they are currently paving this route and within the next few years it will be completely paved).
Traffic: Not much, especially from O’Higgins to Coihique.
Best season: November-March; Completed February 2015.
Water/food availability: Water is everywhere, food you have to carry for three four days and can only get the very basics (which are very expensive).
Solo female: No problem.
Overall difficulty: Relatively easy – easiest route for us in South America, though it is still off road so keep in mind the going can be slow.

Camping

It’s extremely easy to find beautiful wild camping in Patagonia which is what makes this route so great for cyclists. It’s possible to camp in the cities as well, often in the backyards of hostels, for ten dollars a person which is expensive, but a room is easily double that.

Budget

The Carretera Austral is expensive, especially in the far south of the route as its so rural. I would count on 10$-20$/day/person did you are wild camping and cooking for yourself, and much more if you plan to eat out or stay in hostels. Spaghetti can be up to three dollars a packet, and cookies a dollar or two, and since there aren’t many options in most of the villages, you buy whatever you can get (which means almost no fruit/veggies).

Notes

If you are coming up from Ushuaia you will probably take the hiker/biker route from El Chalten (Fitz Roy) to O’Higgins which involves some pushing, but not nearly as much as many people led us to believe (we have had much harder routes on actual roads in various countries). It’s a fun 20km path, but the ferries are extremely expensive; it ended up being 100$ a person just to get across.

Instead of going to Puerto Montt, we cut off at Futalefu in order to head through the Argentinean lakes district region. Another option is to take a ferry west to the Chiloe region which is at the end (or beginning) of the pan American highway.

This is a great route for beginner cyclists on their first trip, as well as for cycle tourists who only have one month. This has been one of our favorite routes of all times since it’s easy, beautiful, and fun! If you hasn’t ever cycle toured, now is the time to find a bike and head on down here.

Resources

Though I’m sure there are various detailed guides about this route, we didn’t use any because it’s really simple; simply follow the one and only road leading from O’Higgins up.

My blog entries throughout this route:
– The Beginning of a Cyclists Paradise
–Following Fitzroy to Chile

We started from Ushuaia and worked our way up Argentina before beginning this route in Chile. Tierra Del Fuego was a fun ride for us as we took about 500km of backroads with two friends we hadn’t seen in over a year. That being said, unless you love washboard roads, and a whole lot of nothingness, it isn’t a must see region on our list.

Kevin’s boot wanted to stay in Argentina so it jumped ship! Patagonia, 2015 Crossing the boarder into Chile. Talk about a beautiful valley, Ushuaia, Patagonia. Mike and Emily, our two Oregonian friends. These little guys are super curious which makes them hilarious to interact with because whenever you talk to them they look at you as if they are listening. Kevin, Mike, and Emily, three friends since high school who all happen to be in Patagonia! We really enjoyed the few shepherds we met along the way. Cycling through the sheep… again. Swimming in a sea of sheep. The headwinds down here weren’t a joke even if this photo is, Patagonia 2015. Making dinner with friends is definitely more fun. Mike, Emily, and Kevin cycling into Tierra Del Fuego.

–Ushuaia
–Cycling Through Tierra Del Fuego

Feel free to comment with your own thoughts, corrections, or updates in order to help others looking to complete this route too.

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