Aysén Region
Wild Patagonia, untouched and immense
About this destination
The Aysén Region covers 108,000 square kilometres and is home to just 100,000 people. Much of it is inaccessible except by boat or small plane. What roads exist are largely gravel, and the weather is famously unpredictable. But for those who make it here, Aysén delivers some of the most overwhelming scenery on the planet: the Northern Patagonian Ice Field, the marble caves of Puerto Río Tranquilo, the rapids of the Río Baker, and fjords so remote they have never been named. The Carretera Austral — Chile's legendary Route 7 — threads through the heart of the region.
Highlights
- Northern Patagonian Ice Field
- Marble Caves
- Lago General Carrera
- Río Baker rapids
Must-see stops
Lago General Carrera
The second-largest lake in South America, straddling the Chile–Argentina border. Its colour — a deep, impossibly vivid turquoise — is caused by glacier flour suspended in the water.
Marble Caves
Accessible only by boat from Puerto Río Tranquilo, these marble caves have been sculpted by millennia of wave action into smooth, swirling patterns. Best in the morning light.
Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo
A stunning reserve centred on the jagged, castle-like Cerro Castillo massif. The multi-day trek here rivals Torres del Paine at a fraction of the crowds.
Cochrane and Río Baker
The small town of Cochrane is the gateway to the Baker River — Chile's largest by volume. The blue-green rapids are extraordinary, and the fishing is world-class.
Combine with
These destinations pair well with Aysén Region.
