After a long journey from Isla Chiloe (34h of ferry and an unpredicted stopover at Coyhaique) we finally made it to Puerto Rio Tranquilo a destination not that popular amongst backpacker, but which is definitely worth it though! This little village by the magnificent and majestic General Carrera Lake hasn’t much to offer in the village itself but it is a departure point to great activities all around! The most famous one being the Capillas de Marbol, which are Marbol caves on the lake. The blue and turquoise colours of the lake (strongest at dawn and sunrise) reflect on the wall of the caves giving them an unprecedented colour blue-turquoise-grey colour. All of this enhances their majesty as they are already surprising due to their shape and type of rock.
The other activity we enjoyed very much was a trek on the Exloradores Glacier. This glacier melted from over 2million km2 between the 12th and 17th century to 1,5 million km2 to date. Its thickness is of about 130m, yet due to the global warming it melts about 8 to 12 cm per day in summer and 2 to 4 in winter (with an average outside temperature of 8-10 degrees) and specialist say it may disappear within 35 to 50 years and turning into a huge lagoon.
What surprised me the most is the contrast between a dry and rocky hike to the glacier, which is surrounding by green and flourishing mountains and a glacier. Moreover the highest summit of Patagonia lies next to it: the San Valentino at 4058m. The trek lasts about 7 hours for a roughly 10km walk: walking on a glacier was something exceptional, especially when we had the opportunity to admire and go through ice tunnels, where the ice is blue because it is compact making it impossible for oxygen to come through – leaving the ice in its most natural shape. A magical moment I’m not ready to forget!
The other activity we enjoyed very much was a trek on the Exloradores Glacier. This glacier melted from over 2million km2 between the 12th and 17th century to 1,5 million km2 to date. Its thickness is of about 130m, yet due to the global warming it melts about 8 to 12 cm per day in summer and 2 to 4 in winter (with an average outside temperature of 8-10 degrees) and specialist say it may disappear within 35 to 50 years and turning into a huge lagoon.
What surprised me the most is the contrast between a dry and rocky hike to the glacier, which is surrounding by green and flourishing mountains and a glacier. Moreover the highest summit of Patagonia lies next to it: the San Valentino at 4058m. The trek lasts about 7 hours for a roughly 10km walk: walking on a glacier was something exceptional, especially when we had the opportunity to admire and go through ice tunnels, where the ice is blue because it is compact making it impossible for oxygen to come through – leaving the ice in its most natural shape. A magical moment I’m not ready to forget!
Capillas de marmol
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Glacier exploradores
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Transport: As only one bus leaves per day from Coyhaique at 9am and that we weren’t sure about hitchhiking seeing how many backpackers were counting on it, we decided to take a bus at 10’000CLP (15€) to reach our destination. The bus takes about 4h30 and drives down the famous Carretera Australe, through a magnificent landscape on both sides. Really worth it!
Accommodation: we found hospitality in the house of a local’s friend who we met on the ferry. Also managing his own tourism agency, he offered us double rooms with hot water, wifi and the use of the kitchen for 10’000CLP. WE really enjoyed our stay there and being able to mingle with the family.
F&B: as activites are expensive we tried to save as much as possible on the food budget. Being six we decided to buy food at the minimarkets (which are expensive also as everywhere…) to share the costs of cooking at home. All in all I spent 6’500CLP
Activities: the Capillas Marbol can be visited or by boat (1h30, 10’000CLP-15€ per person) or by kayak (3h, 35’000CLP – 50€ per person). The glacier expedition has a fixed and unnegotiable price of 60’000CLP -90€ per person including transport, guide, gear and lunch.
Accommodation: we found hospitality in the house of a local’s friend who we met on the ferry. Also managing his own tourism agency, he offered us double rooms with hot water, wifi and the use of the kitchen for 10’000CLP. WE really enjoyed our stay there and being able to mingle with the family.
F&B: as activites are expensive we tried to save as much as possible on the food budget. Being six we decided to buy food at the minimarkets (which are expensive also as everywhere…) to share the costs of cooking at home. All in all I spent 6’500CLP
Activities: the Capillas Marbol can be visited or by boat (1h30, 10’000CLP-15€ per person) or by kayak (3h, 35’000CLP – 50€ per person). The glacier expedition has a fixed and unnegotiable price of 60’000CLP -90€ per person including transport, guide, gear and lunch.