Somehow, someway, you found yourself in the footsteps of Patagonia, and you’re ready to take the Carretera Austral South through some of nature’s most beautifully created mountains. What’s ahead might seem foggy, and is not ideal for travelers who want to glide with a perfectly set itinerary for backpacking Upper Carretera Austral.
Get ready to hitchhike and make some friends because buses run on local times (aka: you’ll find out when you get there).
The adventures are endless from epic hikes, huge steaks, white water rafting, and views to last a lifetime.
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Where to Start Backpacking the Upper Carretera Austral Trail Chile
The Carretera Austral starts in a small German influenced town called Puerto Varas. To get there, you must take an eleven hour bus from the capital, Santiago Chile or about a two hour plane. If you’re looking for a pitstop on the way there, stop in Pucón via bus.
The most popular bus station in Santiago is Turbus which is about a 20 minute drive (Uber is available for about $10 USD) from Aeropurto Interncional Arturo Merino Benitez.
It is recommended to buy your ticket at the station when you arrive.
Now it’s time to test your Spanish: try ordering a Subway sandwich at the Turbus station before you catch your bus south!
If you are like me, you decide it’s time to charge up your phone, just to realize your charger won’t fit. Make sure you purchase a Type C or L plug.
If you decide to take the detour, Pucon is a town of Chilean vacationers and some tourists that is located on Lago Villarrica. You can climb up volcanoes, paddleboard, and swim on the black rock beach.
Be careful because it will be hard to find budget meals so plan on cooking for yourself. Arrive with cash because ATM fees are plentiful.
Where to Stay- Chili Kiwi Hostel and Gecko Hostel.
Both of these hostels have excursions to purchase including a guided climb up the Volcano overlooking the town- Volcan Villarrica.
Carretera Austral Trail Map
To find a Carretera Austral Trail Map, consider using the following sources:
Chile Tourist Information Centers: Upon arrival in Chile, visit local tourist information offices in towns along the Carretera Austral. They often provide free, up-to-date Carretera Austral maps and brochures detailing the trail and its surroundings.
AllTrails: Alltrails provides a user-generated Carretera Austral map to route your way through the Carretera Austral Trail. I recommend downloading the map for offline use when backpacking the Upper Carretera Austral Trail.
Trailforks: Trailforks features a great Carrretera Austral map that contains everything from distance and elevation to grade level.
I recommend comparing these maps to see which one suits your traveling needs the best
Arriving in Puerto Varas
Another four hours down the road you will arrive in Puerto Varas.
To see timetables of buses-Download the BusBud app or use the Turbus website. Using a foreign debit card on these sites may be tricky so always be prepared to stop by the station and purchase in person.
Here is a helpful website to give yourself an idea of bus times- https://carretera-austral.cl/buses-y-transporte-publico/
Puerto Varas, also known as “La Ciudad De Las Rosas” was founded by German immigrants who settled the shores of Lake Llanquihue as part of a government colonization project during the presidency of Manuel Montt. It is full of shops, and has a perfect view of two still active volcanoes- Osorno Volcano and Calbuco Volcano.
I stayed in the Casa Margouya Chile hostel , which is great if you are looking to make some friends and stay with some welcoming hosts. You can see the German influence based on the cathedrals and architecture of the buildings.
You can find money exchanges and buy any last minute gear before heading into the unknown.
Beginning The Upper Carretera Austral Trail
There are two options to begin your voyage down the Austral, stay on a bus and pass by Hornopirén National Park or take a ferry directly to Cheiten right from Puerto Montt.
The much bigger sister town, Puerto Montt is a 20 minute public bus ride away from Puerto Varas. Catch the Bus located at the largest supermarket in town.
Have cash ready, but don’t worry, it’s only a couple bucks.
There are pros and cons for each option. Pros of staying on the bus: you won’t miss Hornopirén National Park where you can hike up Volcan Hornopirén. It is a hard 10.1 mile hike.
Cons: Much time will be spent on small ferries between islands. But hey, maybe you got the time to spare.
As for the 8 hour Ferry directly to Chieten, you will be going directly to the first real town/destination on the Austral. The award for taking the ferry is waking up to the most beautiful sunrises above your first true glimpse of the Patagonia mountains. Almost as you’re entering the gates of a fictional land.
Make sure you make your reservation on the Naviera Austral Website because it does fill up quickly.
This vessel is full of travelers and consists of 400 seats. You are sure to find someone to share a hand rolled cigarette on the top deck.
Once you dock and collect your belongings from the bottom deck you will be able to walk right into downtown Chaiten.
Chaiten, Chile
Chatein is a quiet town with a population of 3,347 people, but the town is known throughout all of Chile for a disaster that occured in 2008 due to a volcanic eruption that covered the whole town in a layer of ash. It was so disruptive that towns hundreds of kilometers away in Argentina had to evacuate as well.
The Volcano is not active anymore, just kidding, it’s actually very active and you can hike up and get a close view of the spewing smoke for yourself!
Near the center of town, you will find a Copec gas station and a bus schedule to nearby towns. Across from the gas station you will purchase bus tickets which cost around $10-15 US or 10.000-15.000 CLP(Chilean Pesos).
Sidenote: Learning some Spanish is Important
An important aspect of the Chilean currency is that it was heavily inflated throughout the last few decades due to economic hardships. If an item costs 10.000 CLP, it will be pronounced diez mil instead of just diez.
Where it gets tricky is when an item costs between a dollar. For example- some may cost 5.950 CLP which is equivalent to around $5.95. But the pronunciation is now- cinco mil novecientos cincuenta. A mouth full. Make sure you study your Spanish numbers in the thousands because trust me, you don’t want to overpay or underpay someone because you can’t understand the number!
Hiking Chaiten
Taxis usually hang around the center of the city and are willing to take travelers to the trailheads. Taking these taxis alone may be expensive so make sure to group up with other travelers for a lower split cost.
A thirty minute ride north of the Carretera Austral and you will arrive at the startpoint to Chaiten Volcano which is a short 3.2 mile round trip but includes a lot of elevation. Views include trees affected by pyroclastic flow and active smoke at the mirador(view point).
Another great option is hiking in Parque Pumalin which is located about a half an hour south on the Austral. Here you can take a relatively long(17.8 miles) but flat path to get a wonderful view of Glacier Ventisquero El Amarillo.
Where to Eat when Backpacking the Upper Carretera Austral Trail
La Pizzeria Chaitén
Pizza and burgers. Wash it down with a craft beer like a J.bello blonde ale, a local favorite
The national dish of Chile is a Completo which is basically a hotdog with an avocado paste and and mayo with whatever toppings you are feeling.
Where to Stay when Backpacking the Upper Carretera Austral Trail
Public Tent Camping on the Upper Carretera Austral Trail
Bring a tent! Please bring a tent! Contrary to other countries and parks, you are allowed to set up your tent absolutely anywhere that is not private property. See a cool looking hill with some soft grass? Boom, that’s your spot for the night.
Accommodation without a tent can be complicated and expensive.
Private Tent Camping on the Carretera Austral Trail
But, you might want some running water, a bathroom, or stove access. For about 5.000-10.000 CLP, you can set up your tent at specified campsites run by locals. Make sure you have cash. Check out this facebook page showing potential housing options for this portion of the trail!
Futaleufu
Or if you need Accommodation- Stay at Mirlo’s hostel
Puyuhuapi
Where to stay Camping GETZEMANI – Agua Caliente.
Camping is 5.000 CLP a night.
If you are a boujee traveler or want to splurge on a 4 star hotel, then you are in luck! Stay at the Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa.
Futaleufu
Located about 3 hours south east of Chaiten, you will arrive in the town of Futaleufu.
You can get here via bus or hitchhike to villa Santa Lucia via the Austral and try your luck down route 235. Hitchhiking is a very common practice but is not always 100% safe. If you are on a flexible schedule and adventurous, try hitchhiking! It’s a good way to meet locals and get recommendations for food and detours.
Pronounced (Foo-tah-lay-oh-foo)-The name Futaleufú comes from a Mapudungun word that means “Big River”.
Naturally, the largest attraction is white water rafting. It is known as the best in South America and is a top destination for white water kayakers and rafters worldwide.
Top budget choice- World Patagonia Futaleufu. Book the Puente a Puente for a half day adventure
This small town is composed of around 2,000 people and is only 10 kilometers from the Arginitinian border.
Even though Futaleufú is tucked into some great mountains, look somewhere else for treks due to the high amount of property that is owned privately by farmers.
Hike up a short 5 kilometer back and forth Mirador La Banca – Cerro La Bandera right from the center of town and catch a glimpse of beauty as the sun sets over the mountains.
Plan your bus rides effectively because buses only leave from certain days back to chaiten. Unfortunately there are not many options to go directly to Puyuhuapi directly from Futaleufu so you might need to head backwards to chatain.
Puyuhuapi
Located right on the Austral, Puyuhuapi(Poo-yoo-hoo-ah-pee) is 3 hours south from Chaiten and has access to Parque Nacional Queulat.
The park is heavily traveled by tourists and gets very crowded during the peak months of January, February, and March. If you are looking for quiet trails with less commotion, just continue south and skip it altogether.
Trail name- Mirador Ventisquero Colgante https://www.alltrails.com/trail/chile/aysen/mirador-ventisquero-colgante–2
This is a superior trail for beginner hikers because of the intense foot travel and low mileage.
When you get to the Mirador, the hanging glacier is stunning.
There is a bridge crossing that gets jammed up with hikers, so be prepared to wait as only two people can pass at a time.
Make sure to buy your pass online to avoid a long ticket line- Most parks in Chilean Patagonia require a fee, so always be prepared to buy tickets online ahead of time for the smoothest experience.
Ensure you order the salmon dinner with a Goldene Jahre beer which is brewed in the Patagonia temperate rainforests just 22 kilometers away from Puyuhuapi. The beer is made using water from the streams of the Valley of the Caesars.
The woman who runs the campsite/restaurant is extremely welcoming.
Doesn’t get much better than that.
Take a dip in the lake and witness a sunset here, if you have the chance.
About the Author
Jake is an avid traveler from Buffalo, New York, with a deep love for all things outdoors. Whether he’s exploring the rugged trails of Patagonia on the Carretera Austral or the Cordillera Huayhuash, or backpacking across the Dolomites in Italy, Jake is always chasing his next adventure. His travel stories focus on hiking, nature, and the thrill of being off the beaten path. When he’s not on the trail, you can find him planning his next big trip or soaking in the beauty of the natural world.
