Just about every traveler who drives the PanAm route from north to south has the ultimate goal of reaching Ushuaia, Argentina. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world, and therefore it often serves as a symbolic southern endpoint for a Pan American trip.
When we started out on our trip that was also our goal, but somewhere along the way we changed our minds. We had the pleasure eight years ago of flying in and spending a whole month exploring the areas of southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. It was wonderful and magical. We trekked extensively in Parque Torres del Paine, saw beautiful glaciers in Chile and Argentina close up and we had a terrific time.
At some point on our current trip we just decided that instead of driving all the way down to Ushuaia that we would rather see places that we haven’t seen before. We would focus on Northern Patagonia and points north. So when we reached Northern Patagonia in Argentina we took a right turn and headed towards Carretera Austral in Chile.
The Carretera Austral is a 1200-mile, mostly dirt road that runs through the countryside of Patagonia. It’s been on our must-see list for some time, and as our time in South America winds down we are working our way north along this beautiful road.
We’re currently staying at an organic farm and campground about midway along this route, and thus far the trip as more than lived up to it’s billing.
From the Atlantic coast of Argentina we turned West, and after a day’s drive through the dry brush lands we arrived at the border with Chile.
After crossing the border we arrived in the town of Chile Chico, set on Lago General Carrera with the snow-capped Andes in the background.
We found the local laundry lady, and while we were parked in front of her house, a Spanish man came out to say hello. We chatted for a bit, and found out that he and his girlfriend were couch surfing at a nearby house. Soon we had been invited to tea, and that led to a dinner invitation.
Enjoying a fun evening with new friends.
We met some other van travelers at a viewpoint overlooking the lake.
From Chile Chico, a dirt road led us 90km along the lake to the junction with the Carretera Austral.
Between the rough roads and the nonstop photo opportunities, progress was slow, but it gave us time to enjoy the amazing scenery.
The lake is the second largest in South America, and we spent several hours following it’s coastline.
We had to keep a lookout for lambs crossing the road.
Fortunately there weren’t many cars on the road, but there was plenty of wildlife.
Our friends in Chile Chico recommended that we visit the confluence of the Baker and the Neff rivers.
The confluence marks the southernmost point that we’ll reach on our trip. Even though we didn’t drive all the way to Ushuaia, we felt like it was a milestone on our journey.
According to this sign we are closer to Kathmandu, Nepal, than to Carbondale, Colorado.
The sapphire blue Baker River is a world-class fly fishing destination.
We found a great campsite on the river and enjoyed sitting around the campfire.
Sunset from our campsite.
The next day we rented kayaks to paddle to a set of marble cave formations.
Quinn had a great time helping dad paddle the kayak. Just please don’t splash me with the cold water!
We even found a tunnel that we could paddle all the way through and come out the other side. We had to do that twice.
We hiked to an overlook where we could see a glacier. It wasn’t as impressive as some we saw in Alaska, but it was a nice hike.
A cemetery outside the village of Puerto Rio Tranquilo.
Thanks for the great photos, almost like being there. Glad you saw the sign to Carbondale, otherwise who knows where you may have ended up. HTS
Hi Dad!
Yeah, we weren’t sure which way to go. The only problem is that since there’s only one road leading away from that sign, we could be heading to either Carbondale or Kathmandu. We’ll let you know when we get there. Snowmass also showed up on that sign, so someone with a Colorado connection clearly built it.
So beautiful! Looked so cold kayaking, I had to go get under my blanket and turn the fireplace on! So, has Quinn ever once said “I’m bored” on this trip? You know, those two words that make up 90% of most kids’ vocabulary! 🙂
Hi Bobbie!
Yes, Quinn says, “What can I do now?” This usually happens when I’m using the computer to write web updates and he can’t play minecraft or Roller Coaster Tycoon. See, Quinn’s life isn’t all that different from a “normal” kid’s life. He did say that he had fun sea kayaking and wants to do it again, even though it doesn’t involve a screen.
The sea kayaking was a bit cold, but it was sunny out and once you get paddling you warm up quick.
Thanks for reading!
I love the contrast of the sparse grey van and the colorful VW bus!
Wow! The photos are breathtaking. Such amazing learning experiences for you all….Can’t wait to hear more about them from Quinn 🙂