True Wilderness Experience on Chile´s Southern Highway
You don’t have to rent a camper van like the one you see above, there are other ways to enjoy one of the most scenic and unspoilt wilderness regions in the world without giving up your jobs and becoming a digital nomad. Here we will give you a little taster of the delights of this Chilean wilderness and some options on how much help you might want, or need!
When we first made a trip down the Southern Highway in 2016 I found it a little unnerving to see so few people, cars and towns. Often there would be complete silence, just birdsong and the wind, which takes a little getting used to for those who live in large cities. If you are a lover of the great outdoors, this is the place for you. On that 2016 trip, we drove our own car from Lima to Puerto Natales but I understand that very few people can take 3 months off to drive 16,000 km, however with just a few days you can enjoy a fantastic taste of the Carretera Austral if you plan it correctly, or better still, let us plan it for you.
What is there to see and do?
Firstly, let’s just take it for granted that the experience of driving along the Carretera Austral is amazing in itself. Adding to this what are the other highlights you could enjoy in just a few days if you cannot drive the whole thing?
- A boat trip or kayak adventure at the Marble Caves
- Beautiful National Parks such as Queulat with its hanging glacier
- Remote, wooden-stilt villages such as Caleta Tortel
- Navimag Ferry – port and island hopping
- Fishing & other outdoor sports – hiking, biking, horses and kayaking
- The stunning San Rafael Glacier – kayak, boat, walk
- Wildlife spotting activities – Puma encounters are rare but possible
- Remote lodges in beautiful spots, just kick back with a glass of wine
How much help do you need?
This will depend on your travel style, budget, experience and language skills.
- If you speak Spanish and rent your own car we can design an itinerary and make certain reservations for you to ensure your itinerary runs well. Certain places where you would need to stay and any tours and ferries you might need to make the route logistics work.
- If you wanted a more complete itinerary put together, still including a self-drive, then we can design and book all of your flights, lodging, car hire, tours and ferries as required. This way you will still have to navigate the route yourself but everything will be laid out for you, so all you have to do is drive yourself from one point to another.
- The third “level” would be as above but instead of self-drive we arrange for you to be driven between points. This is obviously the most expensive option, but also the most relaxing for guests. Sit back and let someone else deal with the logistics.
