Cambios

*2020-FEB-13 / Tyler Wood / Optional Start @ Antillanca. I decided to skip section 21 due to the $100 ferry across todo santos. A ferry leaves Las Gaviotas around noon to El Poncho for just 250 pesos. Ask locals for exact time for the ferry. From el poncho a bus comes (times with the ferry) that runs directly to Osorno. I got off at an intersection where I could hitchhike to Cochamo. (Huge hitch).

Ferry Las Gaviotas-Puerto Poncho :Monday 7:00 & 16:30 Wednesday 2:30 PM, Friday 7:00 & 16:30, Sunday 15:00. Ferry connects with a bus. Buses may go to Entre Lagos, sometimes Puerto Octay or more often to Osorno. Buses every half hour Entre Lagos-Osorno. There should be an unscheduled ferry Las Gaviotas-Puerto Buey Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday at 8PM but this ferry does not connect with a bus.

Ferry Puerto Poncho-Las Gaviotas : Monday 8:00 & 15:30, Wednesday 15:30, Friday 8:00 & 15:30, Sunday 16:00. No bus on days the ferry doesn`t run. Hitching is difficult, there is a gravel road all the way to Las Gaviotas but not much traffic except on weekends.

 Based on recent feedbacks both routes (tracks RR-TL-V@20-27.5 and OH-TL-I@20-01-#) are badly overgrown but the regular route is probably the slightly better option. Expect to be slow and battle bamboo most of the way down through the forest until reaching Lago Rupanco.Follow the path until the river crossing at Lago Rupanco. The river is swift and deep, so be careful while crossing. Much of the year it is probably uncrossable and there is no bridge. There is a local who lives in the house on the lake shore northwest from the mouth of the river whom may offer passage on his personal row boat for payment. You may see his boat tied to a tree near the lake.

There is a boat ferry that picks passengers up at Las Gaviotas, which is the beginning of GPT21, and travels to Puerto Buey. It is about a 50 minute ride and 200 CLP. The boat only runs two or three times a day. It is also possible to walk the distance, about 10 km down the road on the south side of the lake. From there you can catch a bus, which also only runs a couple of times per day, to Puerto Octay with connections to Osorno (which is the better resupply option). Puerto Octay has a limited selection for resupply, but there are several restaurants and a good quesería. It is easy to catch a bus to Osorno, Puerto Varas, or Puerto Montt which all have large supermarkets. Comment by Jan Dudeck: To my knowledge the boat runs not daily. Please check with locals and provide current information to the ferry Las Gaviotas.