niche bucketlist #8
Careterra Austral, Chile
Welcome to the niche bucketlist series, where I explore an obscure destination I’ve been obsessed with and take you along for the research. The goal here is to learn about less-known yet fascinating places around the world and plan out realistic ways to visit them. The niche bucketlist is a weekly newsletter featuring a new destination every Sunday.
It’s now also open for submissions! If you’d like to suggest a cool destination or contribute an entry as a guest writer, shoot me a message!
This edition of the series is special because it marks the very first time someone actually took my “open for submissions” call seriously. With much excitement, I’d like to introduce our first-ever niche bucketlist guest contributor, Abby 🎉 . She’s a fellow ethically conscious traveler here on Substack writing about travel, sustainability, and fashion. If these topics interest you, definitely check out her publication Rewear&Care.
Without further ado, let’s find out what’s on Abby’s niche bucketlist and learn something new together!
I love a road trip, and I am especially a sucker for the ones that wind and curve for hundreds of miles through a sacred world of rolling landscapes. There is something so magical about witnessing changes in geography and transitions in weather, all from the comfort of a trusty vehicle. I’ve driven through the Mojave Desert on iconic Route 66, along the tropical coastlines of Costa Rica, and through the lush rainforests of Puerto Rico. Each journey reminds me that there is so much glory to be found in the in-between zones of a destination, not just the destination itself.
That’s why when I stumbled upon a BBC article about one of the most “remote and spectacular” road trips, I knew I had to add it to my own road trip bucket list. Not only do the spectacular scenes intrigue me, but it is also a challenging trip, and largely undiscovered. Challenge + Spectacularness = the Careterra Austral!
what & where
So, why is this road trip so spectacular? Let’s venture over to South America and all the way down into the Southern tip of Chile. Here, at the bottom of the Los Lagos region, and spanning down through the remote area of Aysén, is where you’ll find the Carretera Austral (AKA Route 7): a 1,240 km road (770 miles), and the only road that connects Puerto Montt in Los Lagos to the sparsely populated region of Chile’s Northern Patagonia.
Before this road was built in the 1970s, the Patagonian communities of Chile were disconnected from the rest of the country. The rough terrains of mountains, fjords, and forests kept the region void of normal road networks. Then, under the Pinochet dictatorship, a plan to construct the Carretera Austral began to enhance Chile’s sovereignty and connectivity. But, due to the rugged nature of southern Chile, building this road was no easy feat. After three decades and 10,000 army engineers’ work, the road remains largely unpaved. The northern, more temperate portion of the road is paved; however, the southern half is likely to remain unpaved due to the extreme winter freeze-thaw cycles of the climate.
While the road may be rough, the beauty is untouched. Driving the Carretera Austral from start to end, you will time-travel through shifting landscapes and wilderness, ranging from rainforests to fjords to snow-capped mountain ranges and deep channels.
Another unusual thrill of this road trip is the mandatory ferry-crossing segments. There are three parts along the highways where fjords interrupt the road, so if you wish to continue, you must cross via ferry. The ferry can carry cyclists, motorists, pedestrians, and even cars/vans.
why visit?
national park access
Apart from the thrill of challenging terrain and the promise of immersive scenes, the Carretera Austral is also a beacon of Chile’s deep-rooted conservation efforts. The road is part of a recent initiative, called the Ruta de los Parques (or Route of the Parks), that aims to increase the accessibility of 17 national parks in the Chilean Patagonia to surrounding communities.
The Carretera Austral is a segment of the larger Ruta de los Parques. Along the Carretera Austral are 10 of the 17 national parks, making it an excellent journey for discovering the unspoiled and protected nature of southern Chile. Another cool, fun fact related to this conservation effort is that Chile’s national park system was able to expand to over 10 million acres due to a generous landmark donation by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and American conservationist Kristine McDivitt Tompkins. This was the largest private land donation to a country, ever! And because of this, experiences like the Ruta de los Parques and the Carretera Austral are even more spectacular.
National parks along the Northern segment of the route: Alerce Andino, Hornopirén, Pumalín Douglas Tompkins
National parks along the Southern segment of the route: Queulat, Cerro Castillo, Patagonia National Park
variety of natural wonders
Another reason to visit, which may be more obvious by now, is the sheer variety of natural wonders you can stumble upon. In Douglas Tompkins Park, you can marvel at the fjords of Reñihue & Comau, as well as climb the Chaitén Volcano. In Cerro Castillo, you can explore the empty trails that pave the way towards breathtaking, turquoise lagoons. In Patagonia National Park, you can bear witness to one of the most significant ecosystem restoration projects in Chile. In Queulat National Park, you can wander under the 30-meter waterfalls and trek through the Andean forests.
Beyond the national parks, the route follows Chile’s largest, crystal-clear lake, Lago General Carrera, where you can stop to kayak through the famous Marble Caves. The farther south the route goes, the more glaciers and frozen wonders there are to see.
There is truly something special for everyone along this sprawling, dynamic road.
how to get there & around
While you can bike or ride a motorcycle along the Carretera Austral, it is most recommended to drive via a 4x4 vehicle or a camper van. The most common starting point is from Puerto Montt in the northernmost segment of the road. You can fly into the El Tepual airport in Puerto Montt from Santiago or another city and rent an affordable car from there.
The other most common entry point is from the middle, in the city of Coyhaique. Coyhaique is the capital of the Aysén region, is directly connected to Santiago, and has the largest airport along the road (Balmecada Airport). This is the most popular entry point if you do not plan to drive the entire route.
Entry from the southernmost part, Villa O’Higgins, seems to be the least common, as I could not find much information on how to access it from there. From my understanding, your best bet is to rent a car in the city of Punta Arenas and then drive to Villa O’Higgins from there, but with some mandatory ferry rides on the way (more rugged terrain down here).
The whole North-South journey without stopping takes around 30 hours, but it is not a road to rush. It is recommended to take at least 10 days, if not more, to complete it.
what else to know
The best time to drive is during the warm months: December - March
Not much reliable phone service, so make sure to prepare accordingly and download offline maps
The road gets progressively more rugged and remote the farther south you travel, deeper into ice fields and winter conditions
The loose gravel and unpaved roads can cause flat tires; 4-wheel drive is crucial, and there are auto shops along the way in case a flat does occur
For accommodation, most people note camping or sleeping in cars, using campsites along the way to shower, plus there are more hotel lodging options in the major cities on the route
Okay, so who wants to start planning the most spectacular road trip of their lives with me???
I hear there is also a chance we will encounter real-life Chilean Gauchos… ;)
Xoxo,
In case you missed our last niche destination, check it out below ⬇️
All unpacked content is free, and I’d like to keep it that way. If you enjoyed reading this post, here are a few things you can do to support me & my work. Give the post a like ❤️ (even if you don’t have a Substack account), share ↪️ it with a friend or on your social media, or buy me a matcha 🍵 to keep the newsletter going.
Thank you for being here xx
fialka
 | A guest post by
|
Thank you so much for sharing! Such an informative post from Abby. I love to see this fantastic series growing with other collaborators involved 🥰
I already knew I wanted to go to South America one day but now that urge is even stronger! never knew I needed a Chilean road trip in my life