Chile: Carretera Austral

This new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Chile: the Carretera Austral is written by resident expert Hugh Sinclair and remains a unique guide to this stunning and remote part of the world, complete with information which in some instances has taken over a decade of experience to compile. This is the only guidebook focussed entirely on the magnificent and historic road uniting northern and southern Patagonia. The few hardy travellers that embark on this journey struggle to find even basic information about the region. The book provides visitors to the often-visited Bariloche and Chilean Lake District with a spectacular alternative means to reach the southern extremes of Patagonia. Completing three entirely new traverses of the Carretera Austral and speaking to countless visitors encountered along the way, the authors have updated the guide comprehensively while offering an expanded suggested itineraries section to aid in planning. Meanwhile increased focus on conservation is helping to preserve the region's pristine beauty. Packed with everything you need for a successful trip, from practical advice such as accommodation and eating options en-route to history, culture, trekking and rafting, new features and information include the Route of the Parks, details of new ferry services, coverage of islands previously not included, an expanded section on micro-breweries, new maps and further details on parks and reserves. Increasingly established as one of the definitive road-trips worldwide, the Carretera Austral continues to evolve, firmly placing it as the definitive means to travel between northern Patagonia and the deep south. Bradt's Carretera Austral offers everything you need to plan and complete a successful trip from the high Andes to the remote Pacific coast. AUTHOR: Hugh Sinclair lives in Bariloche (Argentina) with his Dutch wife and two daughters. He is an author, economist, former investment banker, and has worked in the development finance sector for the last two decades. 16pp colour photographs, 25 maps

Table of Contents:
Introduction xi PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION 1 Chapter 1 Background Information 3 Geography 3, Climate 5, Natural history and conservation 5, History of the Carretera Austral - an overview 13, Government and politics 19, Economy 19, People and culture 21, Language 23 Chapter 2 Planning 24 When to visit 24, Highlights 24, Suggested itineraries 26 Chapter 3 Practical Information 40 Tour operators 40, Tourist information 42, Red tape 42, Embassies 43, Getting there and away 43, Health 46, Safety 49, Women travellers 49, LGBTQ+ travellers 49, Travelling with a disability 49, Travelling with kids 50, What to take 50, Money and budgeting 53, Getting around 55, Accommodation 62, Eating and drinking 64, Public holidays 66, Shopping 66, Activities along the Carretera Austral 66, Media and communications 71, Cultural etiquette 72 PART TWO THE NORTHERN CARRETERA AUSTRAL 77 Chapter 4 Puerto Montt 79 History 80, Getting there and around 82, Tourist information and tour operators 85, Where to stay 86, Where to eat and drink 88, Entertainment and nightlife 91, Shopping 91, Other practicalities 92, What to see and do 93 Chapter 5 Puerto Montt to Villa Santa Lucía 97 Towards Hornopirén 97, Hornopirén 112, Parque Nacional Hornopirén 119, Around Hornopirén 120, Towards Chaitén 122, Chaitén 122, Parque Nacional Pumalín Douglas Tompkins 132, El Amarillo to Villa Santa Lucía 136 PART THREE THE CLASSIC ROUTE 141 Chapter 6 Futaleufú to La Junta 143 Futaleufú 144, Palena - a detour 153, Puerto Ramírez 159, La Junta and around 159, Raúl Marín Balmaceda - a detour 167, Lago Verde - a detour 170 Chapter 7 La Junta to Puyuhuapi and Cisnes 174 Puyuhuapi 174, Puerto Cisnes - a detour 186, Villa Amengual and a detour to Paso Río Frías-Apeleg 194 Chapter 8 Puerto Aysén and Chacabuco 199 Mañihuales and around 199, Puerto Aysén/Puerto Chacabuco 202, Reserva Nacional Río Simpson 212 Chapter 9 Coyhaique 215 History 215, Getting there 216, Tour operators 219, Where to stay 223, Where to eat and drink 227, Entertainment and nightlife 228, Shopping 229, Other practicalities 230, Sightseeing and excursions 232 Chapter 10 South of Coyhaique: to Cruce El Maitén via Lago General Carrera 235 Lakes south of Coyhaique 236, Balmaceda - exiting the Carretera Austral 237, Puerto Ibáñez and the Levicán Peninsula - a detour 239, Cerro Castillo 245, Bahía Murta and Puerto Sánchez - a detour 254, Puerto Río Tranquilo 259, Cruce El Maitén 269, Cruce El Maitén to Chile Chico - a detour 271 PART FOUR THE SOUTHERN CARRETERA AUSTRAL 287 Chapter 11 The Deep South: Cruce El Maitén to Caleta Tortel 289 Puerto Bertrand 289, Parque Nacional Patagonia 294, Cochrane 301, Caleta Tortel - a detour 309 Chapter 12 Exiting/Entering the Carretera Austral: Villa O'Higgins and beyond 319 Villa O'Higgins and around 320, Crossing into Argentina 328, El Chaltén (Argentina) 333 Appendix 1 Islands and Villages Inaccessible by Land 335 Appendix 2 Language 339 Appendix 3 Further Information 344 Index 351 Index of Advertisers 361

About the Author :
Hugh Sinclair lives in Bariloche (Argentina) with his Dutch wife and two daughters. He is an author, economist, former investment banker, and has worked in the development finance sector for the last two decades. In 2001 he successfully established the Guinness World Record for the fastest traverse of the Americas (Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina) by motorbike, fully sponsored and raising money for UK charity Action Aid. He has traversed the entire Carretera Austral fifteen times, by car and motorbike, including one trip with his heavily pregnant wife, and three trips with his eldest daughter, now aged 9, and a contributor to the 'travelling with kids' section. This edition has been updated with the help of Edward Menard, a gap year student who was looking to do something exciting and innovative before starting his degree at UCL when he became involved with the Carretera Austral. With family in Bariloche and a love of the great outdoors, and unburdened by jobs and studies, he became an obsessive Carretera expert and spent days wondering about why huemuls are dying out and buses don't ever arrive when expected, hoping that such insights may help others to explore this glorious region. Based in the south of England, he speaks Spanish and German.