Hello everybody,
first time traveller to Chile in the early stages of planning here, I'll be there for 17 days in February. Broad idea is flying to the south and then make my way up north, but: how far to the south, i.e all the way to Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales or only to the Balmaceda/Coyhaique/Aysen region. I'm not the most ambitious hiker in the world, means I'd like to go on day hikes for 4, 5 hours or on a bike ride and return to my hostel, but rather not on multi-day hikes from hut to hut or so. Of course I'd like to see glaciers, fjords, lakes, stunning landscapes and so, but preferably on daytrips from a town that offers at least a basic infrastructure (shops, restaurants, hostels, maybe tour agents, etc.)
Taking this into account, would there be an additional benefit or excess value in going all the way to Punta Arenas/Puerto Natales, which would mean flying in and out (I don't want to take the ferry from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt). Or does the Coyhaique/Aysen region offer more or less the same, but with overland transportation options? Can the region be compared at all?
I really appreciate your thoughts on this :)
carsten
1
willemspie
In 17 days you haven't got time to tour the whole Southern part of Chile, you will have to choose.
Many of the best hikes in Chile are multiday hikes and, away from TdP, most require autonomy and camping.
February is very high season in Chile and, in the Carretera Austral area, the public transport is limited and will be full.
The easiest and cheapest area is the Lake district plus central Chile.
3
Thorn Tree
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