31
ediciones
Cambios
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==Season 2025/26==
* '''2026-01-10 to 2026-01-12 / 3 Days / Hiking / SOBO / 02 + RR + E + F / Michel & Lisa'''
'''Note''': Option E is no longer passable since the land owner doesn't allow people to go through the land. If you want to go down from the ridge to the valley you'll have to use the now official trail that goes further west (visible on OSM maps).
Day 1
We took one of the 8:00 buses from Coyhaique towards Villa Cerro Castillo from the bus terminal and were dropped off at Las Horquetas at about 9:30. Had breakfast, lost a nice titanium spork in the process and started hiking at 10:00. The beginning is all MR but quite nice. There were quite a few river crossings after the first few km, depending on your preferences you might opt to hike in your water shoes if you carry any (we chose not to but in hindsight it may have been less rhythm-breaking to do so). Anyhow, the path is very clear and at some point develops into more of a trail. Plenty of water along the way, no need to carry much. At least at this time of year. We hiked to the first camping Río Turbio ([-46.00821, -72.10414]) which had quite a few tents but didn't feel crowded. Mice could be seen running around, we hung all our food just to be sure. We did the hike to the Lagoon (Glaciar Peñon; Option E), which took 45 min to get to the lagoon (we didn't go further and hiked quite fast). Very pretty up there, worth the extra trip if you have the time/energy.
Day 2
Started hiking at 9:00, starting through the forest and up the pass where there was luckily hardly any wind but still some hard snowfields. We took a break shortly after the pass but in hindsight should've continued to about here: [-46.04032, -72.13635] because there you get a great view over the valley beneath.
We continued to the next camping El Bosque. It's very sheltered but also kinda dark here, even though the river is close. Traces of mice here too, which is unfortunate but as expected; we hung all our food again). Thanks to the people who suggested to hike to the end of the camp (coming from the east). It's a great tip if you prefer some privacy, since most hikers just stop at the sight of the first campsites. But if you continue 100 m after the start of the campsite (coming from the east) you'll get to a smaller second section where you'll be more to yourself. We hiked to the small lagoon (trail indicated on OSM) which is well worth the trip. Only about 20 min hiking and it's amazing up there - great views of the remnants of the glacier, the mountains and the lagoon. We even went for a swim (yes, brrrr, but we brought food and our stove to make tea afterwards B-) ). We agree that this could/should be a GPT option, but of course people will find it on the OSM maps anyways.
Day 3
We started at 9:30 and got up to the viewpoint of Cerro Castillo quite soon though we took many breaks to take pictures - including some of baby geese (what are they doing up there?? Haha). The views from up there are great, making up for the fact that you have to share your space with day hikers who come from the village.
Then came the long, crowded, dusty descent. The ground is composed of very fine dust in many places that is stirred by everyone who walks on it and dispersed by the wind. Afterwards, I could pour it out of my shoes. Get ready to clean your stuff. ;-) We wanted to take Variant F to descend to the village which is much faster than the official route which goes further west (which means you have to backtrack on the MR down in the valley - not a good deal we thought). However, there is a little wall of stones blocking it, indicating that this trail is no longer used. We told each other that we didn't see it and continued on the trail. It is very easy to follow and in the upper parts also very sandy. Lots of feline footprints on the path, a puma maybe?
At some point further down in the valley there were some laminated sheets of paper announcing that this was not an official trail to enter PN Cerro Castillo and that anyone using it would be turned around in 5 km at some station. However, we hadn't encountered anyone on the trail, though we did see something that looked like a puesto no longer used. We continued on the trail and found the way out through a private property that had some "no trespassing" signs and we had to climb a locked gate. It seems someone was tired of all the foot traffic through their private land or something. So we think options F and G should be deleted from the GPT tracks since they seemingly cross private land where the land owners don't want people to go. A new option should follow the official trail (visible on OSM) that turns south here: [-46.08724, -72.17281].
'''2026-01-08 to 2026-01-10 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / 2 + RR + F / Chris & Lotte'''
Pretty route, a bit touristic. Hoards of mice. Currently visibly dryer than usual.
Day 1: took a bus from Opec station (buses lucas) at 7:45 to ibanez and exited at las horquettas. followed the official Las Horquetas trail. Campsites look nice, full of mice. We camped at shortly before Laguna Glaciar Penon. No mice presence visible in this rocky terrain. Water is plenty.
Day 2: Continued back to and along RR. Water plenty. Shortly before Camp 50.5 we drank some water. Lotte seemingly got food poisoning... shortly after she vomited and was dizzy. We set up camp in 50.5, next day all good.
The stream we took from didnt look bad, in hindsight we'd still choose to drink from it, there were no obvious no-no's we ignored. My stomach was fine. Use this info for your personal decision.
Very pretty view and nicely sheltered from the wind.
Day3: chose easier Variant F to not have to hitchhike to cerro castillo. Not as mice-y day, but quite touristy. This seems to partially be flooded by day tourists. Although the variant leaves that into a deserted trail, leading through private property and skipping the toll.
ATM in cerro castillo is out if order.
ATM in Balmaceda (suprisingly good rate) works. No gas in Balmaceda though!
Mice: they are frequently present. Last week was a confirmed case of hunter virus in the region Cerro Castillo, five in the "bigger region".
We saw at least five dead mice on the trail. Precautions should be taken seriously.
'''2026-01-05 to 2026-01-07/ 3 days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Option 2, Variant E/ RR/ Option 3/ RR/ Greg Carter'''
Only a few things to add to Dave and Siyuan’s log of their trip on 21-25 December 2025.
Overall
The mountains were stunning, worth paying the price of admission (CLP 35,000), and putting up with mice, tourists, tábanos.
Attraction: 5/5
Difficulty: 3/5
Day 1
I started from Villa Cerro Castillo (Nordic Patagonia has a nice campground, cost CLP 10,000 pp: -46.12121, -72.15896), and took a local bus to Las Horquetas for CLP 8,000. There was an unmanned Ranger station with a book for voluntary registration, which I completed. I was going to camp at Rio Turbio/ Segundo camping, but I arrived early afternoon and the tábanos were oppressive, so I kept hiking.
(Generally in the forest, throughout the hike the tábanos were bad, so I recommend you bring a headnet, and be prepared to swat/ kill a lot of them.)
I hiked up Variant E, to Laguna Glacier Peñon, which was very picturesque and well worthwhile. There are also some good camping spots up there.
In the late afternoon, as the weather was good I went over the pass, which had some snow fields on the top (I walked on them with no micro-spikes required). There are wonderful views to the east, and the western side of the pass (which is steep with some fixed ropes), has beautiful views of numerous waterfalls coming off the mountain.
I camped before Camping El Bosque, at Camp {32} [48.0/939], which has some good, slightly sloping sites.
Day 2
Upon reaching Camping El Bosque I took the side trail west (OSM), up to the laguna/ glacier viewpoint, which was well worthwhile.I recommend that this become a new variant.
Before going up I stashed my backpack off the trail. On returning I found that mice had eaten through the mesh of a side pocket to try to get into a plastic jar of peanut butter. A big reminder to hang all food around GPT32!
Upon leaving Camping El Bosque there is a CONAF sign stating that you should cross Morro Negro before 12pm, due to it being an exposed rocky ridge, with strong wind gusts usually hitting after this time. If the conditions are not optimal CONAF states that you must descend via the Mirador Laguna trail and re-enter via Estero Parada.
The views at the Mirador Cerro Castillo were really stunning in perfect weather.
I continued over Morro Negro with little wind, and camped at Camping Neozelandés. The trail to this camp from Camping Porteadores has an easy gradient. Also there is more and better camping, and much nicer views in close proximity to the mountains. Plus it positions you well to hike to Laguna Duff the next day.
Day 3
I hiked up to Laguna Duff for the sunrise - the views were incredible, with a mirror reflection of the mountains.
I then hiked out, paid CLP 35,000 at the Ranger station, and was required to complete an electronic declaration that basically declared I was ok to hike what I had just hiked! Ridiculous bureaucracy. But at least CONAF provides free WiFi!
I got a lift back to Villa Cerro Castillo with some others in the back tray of a taxi cab (CLP 5,000). I’m glad I didn’t walk - it’s a very stony and boring road.
* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2026-01-06 to 2026-01-07 / 2 days / Packrafting / EABO / RP + Option 09 / Daniel.s'''</span>
A little packrafting on lagos Desierto, Azul and Paloma to make use of a low wind day.
Day 1: took the bus towards Lago Caro (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9am, Sunday 3pm from bus terminal Coyhaique) and got off at the intersection (X, Settler {31P-01} [0.0+0.3/310]) and hiked to the put in for Lago Desierto. No mentionable difficulties. Crossed the lake with strong tailwind and very strong gusts. Take out was tricky, because the wind pushed me into the current of the river mouth. Hiked the portage to Lago Azul with inflated packraft. Wind on Lago Azul was even stronger, so I stayed put. Found a sort of windsheltered spot near the put in (half collapsed boat hut). During the evening the wind changed direction 180° for about one hour - very strange.
Day 2: Crossed Lago Azul in calm conditions, short upriver paddling against low speed current to get to Lago Paloma. Against expectations and wind forecast is had light headwind for the crossing, otherwise no difficulties. All the campsites in the track files seem very nice, too bad the wind stopped me early. Take out of Lago Paloma is a popular beach, got a lift right away.
'''2025-12-21 to 2025-12-25 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / 2 + D + RR + E + 3 / Dave & Siyuan'''
Day 1: We got the 08:00 Cochrane bus on Sunday from Coyhaique, and arrived at the option 2 trailhead Las Horquetas at about 09:30. The trail was mostly wide enough to walk two abreast, and very well maintained. Three river crossings required getting wet feet but nothing above mid calf level. We camped after 15km at the Segundo Camping -46.00816, -72.10431. Epic views of the mountains for the last 1km.
Day 2: The trail was a little more rugged today, but always easily followed and signposted where not. We took option E before the pass, which was well worth it. The pass had snow (about the top 30 minutes of hiking) which was compacted and easy to walk on without post holing. We camped at Camping El Bosque -46.06418, -72.16919 which was a very nice spot. The side trek just north of the camp is much recommended with epic views and only a 20 minute hike from camp.
Day 3: Tough climb up to the pass on steep loose rock. When you pass the lake, make sure you follow the left hand trail via -46.07673, -72.18537. We stayed on the right hand trail closer to the lake and ended up climbing up very steep scree to rejoin later. The pass was very windy when we crossed, but didn’t have any particularly treacherous falls if you were blown over, so we felt comfortable with ~60km/h gusts. We left camp at 09:30 and reached the pass at about midday, which was later than ideal. The route was well signposted with yellow markers. The down climb was steep but had fixed ropes in the most dangerous parts. As soon as we reached the tree line the wind subsided. We camped at the excellent Area Camping Porteadores -46.08874, -72.23553 with flush toilets and running water.
Day 4: We hiked Option 3 to Laguna Duff. We planned to leave the tent at Camping Neozelandés and camp there, but we made such good time that we continued all the way back to the lake and back to Area Camping Porteadores in 4.5 hours. Below the treeline there is a perfect single track trail. Once you’re in the alpine area the trail is much like the pass yesterday with moraine rocks, but not as steep. Laguna Duff is spectacular!
Day 6: Simple walk down from the camp site to the dirt road to town. We were charged $35k CLP per person on exit from the park at the rangers station (-46.11819, -72.21799). We hitched a lift on the dirt road back to Villa Cerro Castillo.
*'''2025-12-18 to 2025-12-20/ 3 days/ Hiking/ SOBO/ Opt 2+RR + Opt 3 + RR/Tomas Martinec'''
I did the option starting in Las Horquetas. Officially, the trek is recommended to be done in 4 days, but I don't think it is a big problem to complete it in 3 days if the weather cooperates.
Generally: There are a lot of mice everywhere. I always hunged my food and luckily hadn't any issue.
Day 1
I started in Las Horquetas and finished at the camp El Bosque, combining the first two recommended sections into one day.
First section until Rio Turbio is a comfortable walk overall. There are many river crossings, but all were below knee level.
Second section from Rio Turbio to El Bosque, this includes a climb to the pass. The second part of this ascent is open, rocky terrain. I ocasionally lost the trail, but it is generally quite well marked. At the top of the pass, there was still snow, so I had to cross the snowy terrain for about 15 mins.
Day 2
I slept at El Bosque and hiked directly to the lagoon and Cerro Castillo. As before, the climb and pass are mostly open rocky terrain.
For my second night, I continued to Camp Neozelandes, which has fewer people than Los Porteadores and it is closer to Laguna Duff.
Day 3
I hiked to Laguna Duff - another beautiful spot - and then descended back to Caseta Estero Patada.I paid 35 000 CLP for 3 days (the same price as for 4 days). From Caseta Estero Patada, there is about a 5km walk to Villa Cerro Castillo or you can hitchhike as there are enough cars passing by.
Generally, it is a nice trek with beautiful highlight spots. At the same time, it feels quite regulated compared to more remote hikes, which may or may not suit everyone.
'''2025-Dec-8 to 2025-Dec-11 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Opt2, D, RR, E, 3 / Emily & Kole'''
Beautiful route through forest and glacial valleys. More crowded with hikers but trails and campsites weren’t overrun. Trail well maintained, easy walking. We took 3N/4D to maximise a good weather window, but RR plus Variant 2 (Los Horquetas trail) could easily be condensed to 1N/2D. Attractiveness 4/5, difficulty 2/5 (w/ Opt2).
Day 1
* Caught the Cochrane to Coyhaique bus to the Los Horquetas trailhead. Started Variant 2 at 1.30pm.
* Spoke with ranger at -45.97772, -71.96298 who gave an overview of the hike. You can buy your park pass online or pay upon departure.
* Trail is very easy walking. A couple of fords, though all below the knee (165cm) and not strong.
* Camped at Rio Turbio (-46.00849, -72.10397). Perhaps 10 other hikers there but a large campground, plenty of space. Well sheltered, picnic tables. Mice everywhere! We hung our food.
Day 2
* Took option E to see laguna glacier peñón - easy detour with good views, would recommend.
* Some snow at the top of Paso Penon, but mostly hard; no spikes needed.
* Gravel/dirt quite loose in places on the descent from the pass, but easy to navigate when sticking to trail. Some ropes to assist descent if needed.
* Camped at El Bosque (-46.06415, -72.16944) for a short day, no visible mice but hung out food.
* Took the OSM north of camp to Laguna/Glacier (not in Gpx files). Short and easy climb following cairns. Better views and laguna than Opt-N, highly recommend.
Day 3
* After crossing the outlet of Laguna Castillo/at the weather station, start making your way upwards. Can start to ascend at any point, however following these markers puts you on a clearer trail.
* Winds are very strong at the pass plateau and when descending. Descent itself isn’t difficult, but can be more time-consuming with wind gusts.
* Took Option 3 to Laguna Duff. Easy climb, beautiful views of Laguna. Ranger informed us Camp neozelandés {32-03} [3.6/1156] is more exposed, but it’s still in the forest/a good sheltered option.
* We camped at Portedaores {32} [56.6/890]. Em fell asleep with her food and awoke to a tennis-ball hole chewed through her tent. Hang your food!
Day 4
* Had to sign a declaration/emergency contact form upon leaving park at rangers station. Paid 35.000CLP pp for 3+ days in park (honour system).
* Stayed at Turismo Al Galope, 10.000clp for camping. Nice indoor space with wifi, but BYO toilet paper, soap, and gas for cooking.
*<b>2025-Dec-05 to 2025-Dec-11 / 7(6) Days / Hiking / SOBO RR,OPT 01,02,D,RR / Massa and Jacicek</b>
Day 1
Started in Villa Frei, we took Uber for 18k CLP, as we missed the bus from Coyhaique. The driver didn’t believe at first where we want to drop off. Went in the direction of Lago La Paloma, the route was quite busy (it was Friday) and multiple people offered us a lift. We considered taking OH 32-05, however on the gate there is prohibition sign and multiple cars were going to and from the property. We decided to take 32-N and camp early (on the right just after the first gate on 32-N (gate open).
Day 2
Climb up was ok, trail is recognizable, we needed to climb through 3 fences (other had gates open or were broken down). We met a black cow with calf at the old farm. Then we took OH 32-01. The trail runs through beautiful forests and we found several trees with Quiñoto mushrooms (nice smell, but seemed over mature). Then approximately after the km 5.6 (or as Julien writes km 6) the trail mostly disappears. There are fallen trees everywhere and new young trees just high enough to obscure the path. This took us whole afternoon and was very demanding. We finally reached the Rio Blanco and camped there.
Day 3
Rest day – hiked few km, forced Rio Blanco and camped once again alongside it ca 2km before Las Horquetas (in the few trees downhill from the old barn).
Day 4
Forded Rio Blanco again near the parking at Las Horquetas entry. The trail is open. Guards recommended to make the trip in 4 days. According to their information the 32F is closed, but 32G appears to be open. The ranger hut at 32D was unmanned. We reached Camp Rio Turbio and stayed there.
Day 5
Climbed up to paso Peñon, which still had snow. The descend from paso is crowned by many waterfalls from melting ice. We stayed at El Bosque Campsite and made a walk to the viewpoint over the campsite. In the hindsight I would recommend to continue and stay at the closed Campsite just before Laguna Castillo If you are continuing to Morro Negro as you will start nearer the summit.
Day 6
On leaving the campsite we noticed small note from the park guards to pass Morro Negro before 12pm due to wind. We had reached the summit at ca 12.30 in strong wind. The descend from it is steep scree and in direct wind, take caution here. We camped at Porteadores.
Day 7
Went from Porteadores to Villa Cerro Castillo, payed 35 000 CLP pp for the park. Local worker offered us a lift for part of the final trip which we accepted.
==Season 2024/25==
'''2025-Mar-24 to 2025-Mar-26/ 2.5 days/ Hiking/ SOBO RR, OH 2, OH3/ Timothée and Maëlle'''
On the 23th we arrived from GPT 33 in Villa Cerro Castillo. After resupplying we went to Las Horquetas by hitchhiking. We were lucky on that section to have a perfect wheather window: sunny, warm and with no wind. With wind the two main passes can be challenging. The second one is "forbiden" under strong wind (signs on the path). Overall that section us easy going as it is the well maintained ( and crowdy) las horquetas trail. There are a lot of signs on the trail, especially on alpine terrain. You don t need to check GPS However it is really scenic and there are some more alpine parts that we enjoyed a lot. Mojo negro is a must with the view on Cerro Castillo above the glacier and the view on the plain under us, on the Tores de Avellano, the tip of Campo Hielo Norte...
Camp1: camp el bosque ( OSM): lot of spots with tables, WC. No view and crowdy. It s better to continue higher, even to laguna cerro castillo.
Camp2: camp el neozélandes. Same but far less crowdy for us. There are spots just after the camp or at laguna duff ( but cold!)
Day1: First part is really easy going but not borring at all on MR. Then it goes up to the pass. Even at the end of the season we walked on snow patches at the pass. The descent is slightly more technical ( but there are tons of ropes if you feel uncomfortable).
Day2: We started by going to the lack above the camp (no name). 1h up and back. Then we followed RR. Lago cerro castillo and mojo negro are just magnificent. OH 3 to laguna duff was also nice and easy. We were there for sunset so without the crowd.
Day3: Back to Villa Cerro Castillo. The MR is a bit borring but not so long. We did not manage to catch a lift. We took a bus around 1 pm( Don Carlos) to go to Coyhaique.
* '''2025-03-04 to 2025-03-08 / 5 days / <span style="background-color:aqua;">Packrafting</span> and hiking/ NOBO / Option 6 / Tomáš&Natalie'''
Not important prelude: We were not going to do this. Several continuous days of rain were forecasted. We meant to take a ferry north from Puerto Chacabuco. However, there were protests and the road to Puerto Aysén was closed on Monday and the buses were cancelled. The first bus of the day at 13:45 only went a few km before Puerto Aysén, where the prostest were. We were supposed to walk through them and board another bus. Locals said that the ferry always leaves later than the schedulet 15:00 and we should make it. But when we reached the protests, somebody called the port and the ship sailed on time. Given we also left our tent poles in Cochrane and were arranging for them to be sent to Coyahaique by bus (thanks Thijmen!!) and then by post (from Coyhaique to Santiago) and that the forecast was improving somewhat, we took it as a sign to do this option which we have previously mulled, so we returned to Coyhaique instead of hunting the ferry by hitching to Puerto Cisnes, where it would be at 11PM. We cursed ourselves throughout when it was cold, rainy and flooded, but you only truly remember the good stuff later on, so now it feels good. We walked in drysuits 80 percent of the time. We would never want to hike in such rainy and windy cold weather without drysuits and drybags.
Overall, I think we are the first who have done this hike since it has been promoted from exploratory options. The GPS is correct. Hiking wise it is easy, possibly easier (less exposed, we had no issues doing it in the rain) than RR. Fords are much worse though, at least in rainy weather. Scenic-wise it is hard to compare, we had no views in the clouds. But I assume the RR is prettier. Here you will meet noone, if that is a huge bonus for you, this could be recommended. Or when denied entry on RR when going NOBO or if you have done RR previously. It is also obviously attractive for packrafters as it nicely connects to Rio Paloma/31P-01.
(The rapid under the bridge over Rio Ibanez at Cerro Castillo looked just like big waves (class III?) from the bridge, but do your own scouting, I saw it twice only for 5 seconds each, I just was surprised it did not look that bad.)
On Tuesday morning, we took a bus from Coyhaique to Cochrane and got out at Cerro Castillo, where we waited 4 hours for the bus from Cochrane that carried our poles. A gomeria here -46.12096, -72.16249 sharpened our machete very well and for free! When the poles arrived, we soon got a hitch to -46.13355, -72.41950. In the pouring rain and wind, we assembled the packraft and went 1 km down Rio Ibanez to option 10A. The river was flooded, all of the riverbed was under water. Luckily it was raining less then. Camped in the rain here: -46.11081, -72.40580. The cable car upstream is still there, no idea if it is functional though.
The trail up still exists, but it seems it had not been used this year, so it is not the fastest. Shortly after entering the forrest for the first time somewhere around -46.10651, -72.41083, there is a meadow with some bamboo where the other side of the trail is hard to find even with GPS, but it is there. The trail is good in the forrest, but in the open around -46.10263, -72.41470, it is somewhat overgrown, but not too bad, I did not use the machete. The option 06 is preferable to 06B. I think this is what "Mum, Sis and I" did. 06B is still a trail at least in its beginning and it was done by Jan and he did not seem to like the last BB climb (I talked to him). On our route, I would say the BB&CC should be more CC&BB&TL. First part is easy if steep descent in open terrain. Around here -46.09437, -72.42397, there was a trailhead. I however lost (not hitting "save" on new waypoints is a plague!) the exact coordinates, so look for it. The trail is maybe an animal trail and is steep, but it leads you down to a stream. Cross the stream here: -46.09371, -72.42521, where the animal (?) trail continues. Then keep to the ridge until you exit the forest. The forest is indeed quite open (the more the higher you are) and sometimes there is something that looks like a trail. Good camps with access to water would be -46.09088, -72.43224 and at the end of the BB&CC (not the one indicated in the files). This part took us maybe 2 or 3 hours, but we were slow. Camp without water possible here too: -46.09290, -72.42823. It was starting to rain when we reached the open terrain, so we put on drysuits. The meadows did not seem to be grazed and water was kind of everywhere. The traverse is however easy and not exposed. Safety-wise, we felt good even in the rain and medium visibility. It was not windy but we got cold (took us some time to get warm in the tent). The forest before our campsite somewhere around -46.05323, -72.47485 is very open - count no time penalty for walking there.
We had a late morning as it was still raining. When it stopped, we put on drysuits and went down the meadow and then it started to rain again. The meadow is being grazed and marshy and I do not think it ever gets really dry. Sometimes it seemed there is a bit of a trail in the forest on the west side, but we mostly walked on the meadow. Puesto del Avion stands, is semidry and kind of dirty. The trail after the meadow is well used and clear and muddy. The river was roaring (looked kayakable from high up, it is continuous rapids at least up to clas IV, but we obviously did not see all of it) and we avoided the first four fords that are close to each other by staying on the left side. This is doable, it takes a bit of time but the forest is open, just stay close to water. The ford 10.6 (-45.99676, -72.37790) was a clear nogo and initially we also tried to stay on the right. It went for a bit, but it gets steeper and steeper and cliffier and cliffier. We camped up there and tried to go further the next day, but turned back one third of the distance to the next ford. Traversing seems bad, but possibly crosing a sidestream here -45.99541, -72.37794, reaching above tree line here: -45.98498, -72.37741 and then going down -45.97970, -72.36782 might work, but the way down would be steep and it would possibly take a whole day, so you might just as well wait for the water to go down. In 12 hourse of no rain during the nightu, the water went down by about 15 cm at a narrow spot.
Back at the ford, it was still too strong. However, about 100m upstream (somewhere around -45.99786, -72.37877), where the locals' makeshift camp is, one can cross the river kneedeep where it is wider. First go in the middle, then about 50 m downstream and the cross to the other side and then along the river to the trail. The trail then goes under cliffs, the whole upper valley is quite pretty. The next ford 8.2 was also strong. Without backpack, I managed to cross it but a much better whitewaterless spot is about 60 m upstream in front of a big rock. The river was still strong, Natalie struggled a bit with it even with my help. It was mid-thighs and pushy in the middle. Having lost a lot of time on the fords and attempted traverse, we camped at -45.95672, -72.35307, behind a new gate. The trail from there continues at least to -45.94945, -72.36639, where it fords the river (easy). I did not explore more, but I wonder if it joins option 8 at a clearing and buildings here: -45.93527, -72.42878, as the corresponding pass seems low and there do not seem to be any sensible other destinations in this valley. Somebody with more time and food should explore more - try to reserve at least half a day for it! There was also abandoned puesto here: -45.95000, -72.36480.
Ford 4.9 did not go down overnight, it was under our ùknees. Natalie forded a bit upstream where it is more pushy but boulders and stones give you more grip. I had no issues crossing at the proper ford, where the riverbad is exposed rock. It is not flat and not too slippery though. The rest of the valley is easy and finally it was a sunny day without drysuits! Bridge 30.4 on Option 5 was standing, so that still waits for its first log. It was a sunny Saturday and there were several cars (fisher and tourists) at Bridge 31, so hitching from there seems feasible. There was also some traffic on the less minor road to Lago Caro. We however went down on Rio Paloma on 31-01P.
*'''2025-FEB-26 to 2025-FEB-28 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''
This is a short but very diverse section with a variety of terrain, picturesque forests, and stunning views. The memory of clambering up steep slopes in the northern part of the stage and then gazing at the imposing, dominating Cerro Castillo (2675 m above sea level) to the south is etched deeply in our minds. The section passes through Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo, which means there is an entry fee and camping is only allowed at designated sites (see below).
Challenges:
Exposed terrain and clambering at kilometers 28.3-30.0. Caution and slow progress are necessary here. It is impassable in bad weather. There is nothing too complicated on BB + CC at kilometers 38.1-38.7; the forest is relatively clear and there is a narrow trail in some places.
Fees:
At the time of our passage, the entry fee for Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo was (for foreigners per person) 18,000 CLP for one day, 24,000 CLP for two days, and 28,000 CLP for three or more days in the park. We paid 24,000 CLP each upon exiting the park (X {32} [60.6/316]) since we spent one night outside the park.
Bivouacing:
Camping within Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo is, according to information from the gatekeepers, only allowed at officially designated campsites marked in OSM map sources:
1) Segundo camping (-46.00818, -72.10410)
2) Camping El Bosque (-46.06429, -72.16909)
3) Camping Los Porteadores. (-46.08888, -72.23543)
We only used the last mentioned site as we chose the fastest route through the national park.
These campsites have designated spots for tents, wooden seating, and dry toilets. They were quite crowded in the evenings. Other campsites found in OSM sources or track files are not official and thus illegal.
Water:
Water is not a problem; the trail frequently crosses a stream or river.
Resupply:
In Villa Frei, we bought supplies for 2.5 days in a small shop with basic groceries, and we had a little left over. In the center of Villa Cerro Castillo, there is a well-stocked shop called Janito, and a bit further along is a stylish food truck made from an old bus.
'''2025-02-23 to 2025-02-26 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / Option 2, RR, Option E, Option 3, Option F / Tyson'''
Bus from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas (BusCarolina). Was full on a Sunday, but a friendly worker at the station said I should insist, so I ended up standing in the back for the hour and half ride.
Day 1: Guard at the station gave the usual advice to hit the passes early to avoid the afternoon wind. Easy to follow trail, very scenic. Some wet cow trails at one point, but just following the river, so easy. A few ankle deep crossings. Went up to Laguna Penon (called Laguna El Turbio on some maps) in the afternoon. The wind and rain started up on the way. Made it up there to momentarily enjoy a whitecapped laguna and pelting rain.
Day 2: Crossed Pass Penon by 10:30 or so. One could easily do Horquetas to Camp Bosque in a day, weather permitting. Made it to Bosque by late lunch so went up to Laguna Tempano / unnamed glacier viewpoint. Got a half hour of sun up there before the wind turned it to white caps again. NOTE: there are a handful of campsites about 20 meters past the first main grouping that you hit. Everyone stopped at the first ones, while those stayed empty
Day 3: Late start but made it to Cerro Castillo by 11:30. Covered in clouds so waited about an hour to see if they would clear but more kept rolling in and wind picked up so I went on. About half way down the other side I look back to absolutely clear skies. Made it to camp Neozelandes (I recommend it over Porteadores) by maybe 4:30, set up camp. Up to Laguna Duff by 6ish, plenty of time to enjoy the remaining sun up there. At camp Porteadores, saw a hiker I met on day 1 with a bandage on her face. Her group of four had skipped over camp Turbio, so had crossed Castillo the day before. She described the wind as lifting her and another hiker up and dropping them on the ground. They scooted the whole way down to Porteadores on their backsides. Other hiker ended up with stitches in her leg (shout out to Marnie for some good looking backcountry sutures)
Day 4: Utterly clear day, couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing Cerro Castillo so hiked back up. Much easier to see the cairns and markers on the way up. People were just lounging up there without clouds or wind. Went down Option F, which was full of day hikers making the most of the cloudless day. NOTE the last half of option F goes onto private land now closed to the public. The rangers and physical maps will tell you to go half way down Option F and then take another trail going southwest. This is all well-beaten and impossible to miss. I actually completely missed the fork. Downside is that the trail spits you out further from the Villa. So if you can’t get a hitch (like me) then you’ve got another 5K to walk to town. Got charged the 28K pesos for 3+ days at the end.
'''25-02-17- 25-02-19/ 2,5 days / SOBO / OH02-RR-Var. E -RR-OH3-RR / Volker'''
Scenic, easy, short - nice section. Water everywhere, all river crossings dry feet. A highway for gpt standards.
Day 1: Bus (Don Carlos) from Coyhaique to Cochrane at 8 a.m., got out at Las Horquetas. Some hikers, but not overcrowded. Variant E to Laguna Turbia and the glacier recommended. There are several camp spots on the way to the Laguna and close to it.
Day 2: Started early, nobody on the easy and pittoresque way up and down the first pass. Crowds between El Bosque and the mirador, many day hikers. The scrambling up and down the 2nd pass probably isn‘t fun on a rainy and misty day. Lots of hikers at the Porteadores and Neozelandes campings. Again several camp spots on the way to the Laguna Duff and close to it.
Day 3: Short walk to Laguna Duff, very nice in the early morning before the crowds arrive. Met them (many dayhikers) on the way down. If you prefer to donate 28k to a charity instead of a Chilean state body - turn right at the sign „1km“ and walk along the river to the MR. Got a hitch to Villa Cerro Castillo from the parking 1,5km after the junction
* ''' 2025-FEV-13 > 15 / 2 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR / Pierre-Marie '''
Etape : <strike>GPT31</strike>+GPT32+GPT33
| Meteo : soleil
| Eau : difficile
| Neige : non
| Intérêt : 5/5
| Difficulté : 4/5
| Danger : pierriers, bush-bashing
Les 15 premiers km sont à l'image du GPT31. La vue est sympa mais la gravel road est ennuyeuse. J'ai marché 6 km puis on m'a emmené au lac La Paloma. Vraiment magnifique et populaire. Ensuite j'ai repris ma rando en revenant au km 15,5. Il y a un ford dès la sortie de la gravel road. La montée se fait bien, quelques clôtures à franchir mais la plupart ont été cassées par des randonneurs pour faciliter le passage. Il y a un ford au km 23,2, puis j'ai campé au km 23,6. Je suis allé au point de vue de la 32-C, ça vaut le détours. Il y a pas mal de cairns sur le sentier et on voit qu'il était très fréquenté par le passé. Mais ce n'est plus le cas et certains passages sont difficile. D'ailleurs le point le plus difficile est mal placé sur la trace GPS, la partie escalade se trouve au point 45.938328° S 72.086493° W. Au km 34, après le petit torrent, le sentier est envahi et j'ai beaucoup utilisé ma machette. J'ai perdu une guêtre dans la bataille. Après le km 35 le sentier est plutot dégagé. Au km 39 on rejoins les sentiers du parc et ils sont plutôt bien entretenus et très utilisés. Attention les camps aux km 48 et 50,5 sont fermés temporairement et deplacés au km 49. En passant devant le péage à la sortie du parc, j'ai dit que je venais de Lago La Paloma et ils m'ont laissé passer. J'ai essayé le stop sur les 6 km de gravel road mais sans succès.
<span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2025-02-16 to 2025-02-19 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / optie 2, RR, option E, 3, nameless laguna / Thijmen Scholten'''</span
* Hitchhiking to las Horquitsas took longer than expected (4 hours)
* I arrived at 15.30 and I was still allowed to enter. But you have to register otherwise the guard will run behind you (happened to me).
* At least 3 fjords on option 2 so sandals or something would be nice. I decided to get my trail runners wet but regretted it next cold morning putting on wet cold shoes and socks.
* The side trip to the lagunas are very beautiful go there! (leave your backpack down,)
* If you walk long days it's not busy in the park all the people gather at the camping sites and stop hiking at 15.00.
* Water: Easy everywhere except from Laguna Castillo to camp las porteadores has no water (3 hours walk).
* Camping: at official sites or if you like a camp with more scenery you can camp at Laguna Peñon and Laguna Castillo.
'''2025-Jan-31 to 2025-Feb-02 / 3 days / Hiking / SOBO / option 2p, Var f., RR / Nimrod & Tamar
'''
We took the bus from Coyhaique at 9:00. It took about 1.5 hours, cost 10,000 clp each.
The trail from Los Horquetas was well maintained. There were a few small fords along the way.
Camped at Rio Tirbio with 10 more people.
We left our bags and went to Laguna peñon and back, about 2 hours detour. The trail to the lake is marked well. The Laguna was quiet small and had milky color from the melting glacier.
2nd day:
The accent to the pass and the descent were pleasant. A little after the pass a lot of little waterfalls from melting glacier- very beautiful!
We took a detour to the unnamed Laguna using Lilian's directions.
The CC to the lake is not marked but it wasn't hard to get there. Took us about half an hour to the lake. The laguna Had a tourquize color with brown on the outside to it.
We camped at El Bosque with tons of other tourists but there was room for everybody, and it was quite.
We left our bags and climbed to the unnamed lake. The trail was marked well. It took us about one hour up. The lake was larger then the last two. We heard cracking and falling sound on the way ( maybe falling glacier?)The weather was bad and we were wet and cold, so we hurried back down.
3rd day:
After a rainy night we started a rainy day.
There were glimpses of sun and we had a chance to see the fresh snow covered mountains around.
We decided not to climb to the pass because of the weather and took var f.
We didn't regret it because it started snowing and the wind was crazy.
On the way down we met a worried ranger who was going up to stop people from climbing the pass.
At ( -46.08730, -72.17282) we split from the gpx and walked down on a well maintained CONAF trail.
At (-46.067656,-072.119996) there's a CONAF cabin and we had to pay 28,000 clp each.
We hitchhiked the MR to the main road. There were a lot of tourists on this trail and it went pretty fast.
Took a bus back to coyhaique at 16:30.
'''2025-Jan-13 to 2025-Jan-16 / 4 days / Hiking / SOBO / OH02, var D, RR, variant E. RR / Sean & Neele'''
Took the bus from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas in the morning to hike in on option 2, very easy.
Camped at Rio Turbio camp, saw a mouse here so hung our food.
Took variant E to Laguna Peñon route is marked with cairns. very quick and easy so worth the trip.
Pass 43.9km still has snow but is easily manageable.
Camped at El Bosque and took a side trip up to the unnamed Laguna above it. Really nice would definitely recommend it. The route isn't on the track files but is on OSM and is marked with cairns.
Pass 53.5km - no snow. Crazy windy for us.
Camp 56.6km - Camping Los Porteadores - busiest so far seems to get overnight hikers from Villa Cerro Castillo. Saw a mouse here too.
Took option 3 to Laguna Duff which is very beautiful. Met a ranger at the laguna who asked where we were camping.
Followed RR out, didn't see anyway to pay. Got a hitch to Villa Cerro Castillo. Camped at Nordic Patagonia for 9k
* '''2025 Jan 2nd to Jan 4th / 2.5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2 & 3, RR, Var E / MiaimZelt'''
A very scenic route with good maintained trails and lots of watersources. All Campings are really nice: lots of flat spaces, sheltered from the wind, toilet, benches and access to water.
Day 1: Took the bus at 8 from Coyhaique to Las Horquetas. The trail from Las Horquetas is open again. Everybody has to register at the ranger kiosk. Really easy trail until Camp before the pass. Var E is beautiful and mostly hiking on a big field of rocks, marked with cairns. At pass Peñon there was still snow, but doable without microspikes. The way down is very steep. Slept at Camp El Bosque.
Day 2: Can really recommend to hike up to the nameless Laguna above El Bosque. Extremely scenic lake! Also Laguna Castillo is a real gem. Stretch of big boulders above the lake, up to the pass it gets easier. Was very warm up there and had no wind. Bring water from the lake, there is none until you reach the next Camp. Way down from the Pass is very steep with lots of scree. Hiked to Camp Neozelandes, pitched my tent and did a detour to the scenic Laguna Duff. On the way up i met a lady from the Conaf, asking where i want to sleep. Inside the NP you have to use the campgrounds.
Day 3: All the way down is very easy. Had to pay 28000 pesos for 3 days, price for chileans is only a little bit cheaper. Payment possible with card or cash. At -46.115013, -72.200497 there is an open gate with a sign "Bienvenido a Sendero Laguna Castillo". It's in OSM, but not part of the GPT-Tracks.
* '''2024 Dec 13th to Dec 17th / 5 hiking days / SOBO / Hiking / Opt 2, RR, Var E, Var F, Var G / Michael and Kasia'''
Quick notes: A really beautiful section with amazing views. The park is open but Las Horquetas remains closed, though many people are hiking it anyway. If not going over the final pass, Var F can be used to exit without paying though it possibly involves trespassing.
CAMPS:
Night 1: -46.00817, -72.10413 Camping Río Turbio (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, nice views, can have a lot of people there)
Night 2: same as Night 1
Night 3: -46.06419, -72.16915 Camping El Bosque (official campground, easy water access, good wind protection, fewer spots than first camp site, very few are really flat)
Night 4: -46.07194, -72.18416 Camping La Tetera (technically closed campground, water access is a little way away, no really flat spots, poor wind protection, excellent views)
WATER:
Water was generally easy to find.
Day 01 - Dec 13th
We left Coyhaique around 10:30. There are buses that go that route, but we decided to hitch instead. We entered through the Opt 2 Las Horquetas route. It took us three hitches to get to the trailhead. The trailhead has a big sign that says the route is closed. I don't know if they plan to open it this season or not. At the very beginning there is an estero. There is a bridge to cross it, a little old but stable. Shortly after there is a park ranger kiosk, but it was unoccupied. Overall the trail is in good condition, easy to follow, but sometimes muddy. Beautiful views along the way. We were fortunate and had excellent weather. There are several unmarked fords in the first 16 km along Opt 2, all were easy, knee high at most. Water was generally easy to find. At the Rio Turbio campground there were around 25 other people there.
Day 02 - Dec 14th
We took Var E up to Laguna Glacier Peñón. It was a great side trip. The laguna is turquoise and the mountains surrounding it are very impressive. There were still snow fields on the way to the end of the track, so we didn't go all the way, but we got past the lake and to the other side. We saw two small avalanches while we were there. We also found a bird feather, we think from a condor, that was as long as my entire arm. We really enjoyed this side trip and recommend it. Water shoes could be helpful. We didn't have ours and it was possible without, but would have been easier and faster if we had had them. Important note, the whole route is essentially a field of small boulders. It does not require any scrambling, but it is slow going compared to the trail. We did this as an out-and-back and then returned to the Rio Turbio campground for a second night. One couple came around 22:00, but otherwise no one was there.
Day 03 - Dec 15th
We left camp around 10:00. We were ready for the Pass 43.9 and thought with only 10 km to go until Camping El Bosque we would be in camp early, but we were surprised at how challenging the day was. The first few kilometers up to the pass went fairly quickly. There was still snow on the pass, but it was at that stage where it is getting thin and you can't tell where you might fall through, so it was slow going checking our footing. The weather was great, full sun and warm, very little wind. Getting to the pass was slow but not too difficult. We stopped at the mirador for lunch and to watch the dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountain. The descent was more challenging. It is very steep, and there was lots of scree on the way down. In one section CONAF installed a series of ropes bolted into the rocks to hold on to. Once at the bottom there was a boulder field and then a very nice forest. Amazing views of the mountains and glaciers. Camp 48.0 is a decommissioned camping area under recuperation. Camping El Bosque is at km 49.0. At Camping El Bosque there were two other couples there that night.
Day 04 - Dec 16th
From Camping El Bosque we took a side route up to see a lake. On Google Maps it is called Laguna Raimundo Vargas. It is not an optional on GPT, but it is visible on OSM. The lake is not visible on OSM, but it is on satellite, which is surprising because based on measurements using Gaia, it appears to be almost twice as big as Laguna Duff. The route up is marked by carens, but it is essentially CC across talus, about 1.3 km one way. The lake and the mountains are stunning. There were lots of ice floes on the lake. We sat for about 2 hours listening to the ice crack and watching avalanches fall. We highly recommend this detour if you have the time. Going in the evening might give a nicer light. We had lunch at Camping El Bosque and then hiked as far as Camping La Tetera, which is technically closed, and camped there for the night. Three other groups passed through and two other groups camped near us at La Tetera. It rained a bit in the evening.
Day 05 - Dec 17th
We got up very early with the plan to cross the last pass before the wind picked up. We headed up to the lookout over Laguna Castillo. About 300m of the ascent are a rock scramble which is challenging with a heavy backpack. At points we needed both hands to navigate the rocks. We were feeling exhausted from the previous days and decided not to attempt the final pass. There was no snow remaining on the final pass that we could see. We spent a few hours at the top. Lots and lots of other hikers were coming up or going through. The main trail down is very steep and had lots of loose rock on it. With heavy backpacks it was a challenge and really hard on the knees. It also took much longer than we anticipated. About two km down from the top CONAF had a tent stationed. Three guardaparques are camped there to check tickets on the way up and to radio down when people are leaving. They asked for our names. When we said we came from Las Horquetas they just said okay.
We took Var F and Var G to exit the park. Var F is clearly visible from above as you descend the main trail. The route is actually in excellent condition and is very easy to follow, however in the rain we suspect it would be very muddy. We opted to take Var G which breaks off of Var F and then rejoins it later. It goes through forest and woodland, very pretty and potentially campable in places. There were also a few places where we found water. About 2.8 km into Var F there is a sign facing downhill that says No Accesso CONAF. About 1.3 km before the road there was a gate we had to jump. 300m before the final gate we descended a hill and there were a couple buildings there. One was a baño for what looked like paid camp sites (there were picnic tables around) and one was probably a rental cabaña. We passed through two more gates that were open. At the road, the final gate was secured with a chain, but it was easy to open. On the fence outside the gate and on a second gate that was padlocked shut were two signs saying in English and Spanish “No Trespassing, Private Property”. There was also a small kiosk that looked like it could have been a ticket booth just outside the gate, but no one was in it. It is unclear if the no trespassing signs referred to the property we passed through or to a neighboring property. We didn't see anyone so we didn't have any issues, but it's something to be aware of if you leave along this route. Due to the clear no trespassing signs, the no access sign as you enter the park and the park guards near the top, I would only recommend using Var F to exit the park, not to enter it.
• * '''2024-Dec-05 to 2024-Dec-06 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / MR + Opt.N + Opt.M + Opt.01/ Julien'''
Start on main road very well for entry exit private fields.
Same for option N and M.
I had to take option 01 because I had bad weather... Option 01 is announced in TL but I think it would be better to validate it in TL+BB because I had BB on 6km with no path and many trees still on the path that I had to go around.
Also watch out for the Rio Blanco, where the final crossing is still mandatory, the current was quite strong despite being in December.
For the climb to Cerro Castillo from Villa Cerro Castillo I asked locals people, the passage by option F would no longer be possible because the owner of the field through which we could pass would have closed his ground to visitors. So I went through the main entrance (18000 pesos) with checkpoint entrance and when you go out, you will have my layout on the next edition of the GPT I think.
==Season 2023/24==
Walked from Villa Frei. After about 12KM there is a food truck next to the road. Owners live there so should open for you. The owner of the private land wasn't there so had no access issues. You can camp in a big meadow @ 1250 metres or in good weather at a pass @ about 1325 metres (not marked on track file) just before the difficult CC section begins. Followed Veronica's advice to get up the gully on grass which worked well, thanks Veronica. There is no need for any rock climbing on this route. After the gully there are two rock bands running perpendicular to the route. You can go below both of them & bypass them at treeline. The second bypass is not very obvious but stay at the treeline & you will get through easily. After the pass, descending scree you come to a waterfall. Go left into the forest immediately before the waterfall - you may see a small cairn marking the spot. Just footprints at first but pick up a small trail as you go in. Leaving the park the RR to the left goes through private land. The optional route straight down is now the main trail, it goes down to a checkpoint just before the road. Checkpoint is at a stile over a fence so can't be avoided. It is run as a private 'concession' from CONAF. The workers were friendly & didn't charge me anything. However next year the concession will be run by a different company so depends who is there.
* ''' Note on Options 4, 7 and 8:'''
GPT32 Option 4: is the gravel road to Lago Elizalde and Lago el Desierto. A subsidized bus travels this route 2 or 3 times per week.
GPT32 Option 7 and 8: Are routes published on Wikiloc and/or www.suda.Io. This means someone took these routes in the last years but not much more information are available.
(Source Jan Dudeck: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1498106867361861/ )
==Season 2021/22==
For more stories of the trail, pictures, videos and in case you want to ask us anything you can find us on Instagram: @smallfootprint_bigadventures
* '''2021-Dec-18 to 2021-Dec-22 / Option 6 (Valle Balboa), Regular Route <span style="background-color:aqua;">(Packrafting Lago Desierto and Lago Azul)</span> and <span style="background-color:aqua;">Option 9 (Packrafting Lago Paloma)</span> / Northbound and Westbound / Meylin and Jan'''</span>.
General Remark:
As an add-on hikers and packrafters may take GPT32 Option 3 to visit a less frequented trail of Parque Cerro Castillo.
(Note: taken from here https://www.facebook.com/story.phpgroups/?id=222224388283455&story_fbid=/posts/1256244101548140&_rdr / - now the options are part of the GPT Track files, the Facebook post includes pictures.)
==Season 2020/21==
*Town: Villa Cerro Castillo. Villa Cerro Castillo has several restaurants, small markets, and plenty of lodging options, including a popular backpacker camping destination on the east side of town.
*2024-Dec / Michael and Kasia
We stayed at Hospedaje Gemita on Ramón Freire next door to Camping Castillo, 20.000 pp for room in a shared cabaña. The cabaña had 4 rooms (2 doubles, 2 singles), a well equipped kitchen, hot shower. Not allowed to do laundry in the Hospedaje, but there is a lavaderia in town. The hosts, Gemita and Pedro, are very nice. They have also spent a lot of time in Los Avellanos on horseback. Maria, one of the settlers in the valley in Avellanos is a cousin of Pedro.
We found gas in four shops, two had the threaded canisters for stoves, one was 6.000 for a 300 ml tank, the other was the COPEC across the highway from town, 4.000 a tank. The others just had refills, cheapest was the supermercado on the highway, 2.700 for a refill canister.
There is a Banco de Santander ATM in the COPEC on the west side of the highway.
Just on the other side of the highway on the road to the park there is a fruit and vegetable shop that also sells frutos secos and nuts in bulk. He had the best prices.
*2024-Mar /Joscha
=Transport to and from Route=
*2024-Dec Buses Sao Paolo passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique every day around noon, 8.000 pp; Buses ECA passes through Villa Cerro Castillo for Coyhaique Thursdays and Mondays songs 11:30, 8.000 pp.
*Buses to Villa Frei from Coyhaique bus terminal: Monday 7:30, 8:15, 15:30, 17:00, 19:30 Tuesday to Friday 8:15, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30 Saturday 08:00 and 14:00. No bus on Sunday. It takes about 30 minutes to get to Villa Frei & the bus generally turns around immediately & goes back to Coyhaique.