Carretera Austral: Off the beaten track road trip
Chile
Carretera Austral: Off the beaten track roadtrip
After a week of chilling on a beach in Pucon, it was time to hit the road again. With a good tan, we hopped into Walter for the Carretera Austral in Chile. We had to say goodbye to our Israeli wolfpack and found ourselves another Israeli crew to tag along. Old habits die hard they say. I got the feeling the Carretera Austral (Route 7) is only well known among hitchhiking Israeli’s, which made it one of those things away from the crowds.
The Carretera Austral Top 5
Driving from North to South is definitely the way to do it, getting overwhelmed by the amazingness nature has to offer every single day again. Every day was better than the previous day. And let’s put this straight; we’re talking on a scale of amazingness here. I figured the only way of not bothering you with endless stories (some of you might be up to date of my incapability of ”keeping it short”) about every single beautiful and exciting thing we came across, it’s time for a Top 5. So here we go!
1. Futaleufu
Starting our Carretera trip in Futaleufu we immediately hit the jackpot. Home to the bright and crystal-clear Futaleufu river this is the place to go white water rafting. Apparently the second-best place in the world. If you hit the jackpot yourself or simply aren’t on a backpacker’s budget check out Earthriver in Futaleufu. Seven days of rafting and definitely the best place in town to stay. Little wooden cabins are hidden on the cliffs, no windows whatsoever, and only the best views to wake up to (or watch the sunset out of the hot tub). Unfortunately no honeymoon suite for us, but pitching the tent there got pretty close.
2. Puyuhuapi
Puyuhuapi, and especially the Hanging Glacier, definitely deserve a spot in the Top 5. The town itself is already absolutely gorgeous, but get your ass to this glacier thing. A massive monster with waterfalls ending up in a bright mint green lake. And they have kayaks! I think our tour was supposed to last for about 1,5 hours, but traveling with a bunch of lovely retards doubles this quite easily. Definitely one of those over-the-moon-so-happy moments!
3. Marble Caves at Rio Marbal
Seeing this amazing picture on Instagram a year ago, I had one mission while in Chile; the Marble caves. As this isn’t really a well-known thing we had to talk to a lot of locals to find the exact spot of this little wonder of nature, but we did! As we got the hang of kayaking, the Aussie, the newest addition to the Walter crew, the Swede, and I decided we had to go kayaking to the marble caves. It was freezing cold with a wind blowing our heads off, but we got treated to some pretty sweet views. A picture says more than a thousand words they say. So let them do the talking.
4. Enchanted Forest
This is this thing other backpackers whisper about. Having no idea what people meant with the Enchanted Forest, made it even more enchanted. The trail is located in the Queulat National Park and is about a 2-hour hike. Driving on the Carretera Austral you’ll get glimpses of how beautiful the hike must be. From the moment you leave the Hanging Glacier behind and drive your way up to Cohaique, you’re in for quite a treat. To make it even more mysterious, this Enchanted Forest thing is also quite easy to miss (as we speak from experience). But once you found it; you’ll feel like being in Narnia or The Lord of the Rings. Go check it out!
5. Carretera Austral Route
Even if you don’t have the time to stop anywhere along the Carretera Austral, it’s worth the drive. Therefore, A Top 5 wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the road itself. Although a 4×4 is highly recommendable, Walter absolutely crushed it on the dirt roads that let us from one amazing place to another. From the moment we entered the Carretera Austral, we got blown away by mountains, sheep crossing the road whenever they liked, lakes, fjords, Lago Carrera, endless valleys, and many many rainbows.
Patagonia is on fire
The more we dive into Patagonia, the more I start to love it. This place just amazes me and it only seems to get better and better. Not only do we get to see so many things, but the weather is treating us more than nicely during those after summer days. We love a fair share of Argentinian and Chilean foods (serious Alfajores testing among the Walter crew; Milka Oreo is the absolute number one so far. Suggestions are always welcome!). And Ushuaia is starting to call our names. Only 950 km to go till the end of the world. We’re coming for ya baby!
Marthe
Photos by: M. Barends, F. Mosesson ©
Pucon: A Mecca of Adventures
Chile
Pucon: A Mecca of Adventures
Since our car, Walter had some troubles we figured we needed a little break within a vacation. Together with our Israeli wolfpack, we decided to visit Pucon in Chile (map). Known especially for the Villarrica (a beautiful volcano which you can climb till the top) and its midnight hot springs. Together with the way better weather forecast (always a Dutchie; follow the sun!), the decision was made pretty quickly. Off we go!
Pucon adventures
As soon as we arrived though, we heard that the big attraction of this town, the Villarrica, was closed because of volcanic activity (it smoked!!). Thank god this town has way more to offer than just that. Pucon is well known for its thrill-seeking activities, and climbing the Villarica is just one of them. So if you like your extreme sports, then Pucon is your Mecca. Pucon has the second biggest waterfalls in the world to repel down from. This means hanging above a 150-meter waterfall wishing you’ll touch ground safely. Go big or go home right? Rainforest everywhere, the Villarrica in the background, and multiple rainbows crossing the waterfall. Believe me, repelling down gives you such an adrenaline kick!
The Fast and the Furious
If heights aren’t really your thing, but you do like a good adventure, then rafting the Trancura river is worth a try! Surrounded by lush mountains, it’s not only thrilling but also absolutely gorgeous. Both beginners and more advanced rafters can eat their hearts out here. We did some proper class 3 rafting, which was lots of fun. Good rapids, screaming girls, and some cliff jumping all included. Life in Pucon is good I must say.
The Pucon Color Run
To top this amazing week off we finished with the color run. We didn’t do a lot of running (400m instead of 5km to be exact…), but we definitely contributed to the color part. Feeling like a little kid covered in paint and harassing others to make sure they got just as covered. This is better than a dress-up party. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end at some point, and so did our little Pucon retreat. Heading back to Argentina to pick up Walter and continue our road trip down south. Bring on the cold and hikes, I’m ready!
Marthe
Photos by: M. Barends ©
Bariloche: The beginning of our Patagonia road trip
Argentina
Bariloche: The beginning of our Patagonia road trip
Leaving Buenos Aires behind opens up a new chapter. I’d like you all to meet Walter. The car that’s seen quite a bit of the world starting up north in Canada, traveling the Americas with one objective; to reach Ushuaia, the end of the world. I’m joining this fella on its road trip down south, together with the proud Aussie owner and two Israeli guys with a horrible taste of music, but extremely good dance moves. Bariloche is where we’re heading first. So let the Patagonia road trip begin!
Bienvenida a Bariloche
After three days of driving from Buenos Aires, sleeping in a tent on random spots along the road, and having restaurant fresh-up sessions, we’ve finally made it to Bariloche! The drive down here was absolutely beautiful, with changing sceneries all along. The moment you drive into Bariloche you know you’re for a treat. Bariloche is part of the “lake district”, which offers you lakes, lakes, lakes, and beautiful hikes. The town is known for its chocolate and the Nahuel Huapi National Park. For me, it’s now known as being hazed for our welcoming into the Israeli wolfpack. As Israeli’s always know someone in every single place they go to, our group expanded quickly with another five Israeli girls. Which means Hebrew, discussions about everything, and food, lots of food. Since they normally stick together quite a lot, we (the Aussie and I) feel quite honored we made the cut.
Picnic with a view
Together with our Israeli wolfpack, we discovered the beautiful lake district. While in Winter Bariloche is the place to go skiing, Summer times are for hiking the many mountains Bariloche has to offer. The first stop for us was Cerro Campanario. You can either walk 17km from town or catch a bus, as us lazy bunch did, to get here. The 360-views were absolutely mindblowing. Having a little picnic up here was definitely one of the highlights. Nothing beats drinking wine with that view, right?
Exploring Bariloche on a horseback
Bariloche is quite famous for its hikes, but I must admit we took the easy way out. One of the other highlights was the horse riding we did on another trail. I wish I was a proper gaucho, galloping through the fields and mountains, but nothing is further from the truth. This horse riding trip was more like a geriatric kind of thing. My horse Oscuro did a good job getting me up and down that mountain, knowing exactly where to stop and where to speed up. He even knew how to pose for the picture. Although maybe not the most thrill-seeking experience, it was very relaxing and those views were surroundings you’ll definitely not find in good old Holland.
Eat your way around Bariloche
After hiking and horseback riding the surroundings of Bariloche, you need a good bed and something good to feed on. Even though the town of Bariloche isn’t the most charming one, we found our way around it. We stayed at the Wood House Hostel, which has a friendly social vibe, a big garden, and some comfy beds to recharge your battery. While exploring Bariloche we munched on many flavors of empanadas at La 10 Empanadas, had some great steak and Argentinian wine at El Boliche de Alberto, and dove into the endless choice of ice cream flavors at Helados Jauja.
Patagonia's flying start
Bariloche is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Patagonia. We just started off and it’s already this stunning. It makes you wonder what more there is to explore. We are continuing our road trip down South and are off to the Carretera Austral. Wanna tag along? Hasta luego Bariloche,
Marthe
Photos by: M. Barends