The Carretera Austral (Route 7) is 1,240 kilometres of adventure, most of it unpaved. It is the most demanding road in our rental area and the most rewarding. This guide covers what the road is actually like, section by section.
Road surface: what to expect
Approximately 70% of the Carretera Austral is ripio (compressed gravel). The surface varies enormously: some sections are smooth and well-maintained, others are deeply corrugated or muddy after rain. The Chilean Roads Ministry (MOP) publishes regular road condition updates — check before you leave each town.
The ferry crossings
There are two mandatory ferry crossings that have no road alternative. Both require advance booking in peak season.
- Hornopirén to Caleta Gonzalo: 4–6 hours, runs once daily in summer. Book weeks ahead in December–February.
- Fiordo Largo / Río Bravo: a shorter crossing further south, included in through-journey bookings.
- Book via navieraustral.cl — the website is in Spanish, but Google Translate works well.
Fuel gaps
The most critical planning consideration on the Carretera. There are sections with over 200km between fuel stations. Our Atacama camper carries 90L in its main tank — enough for 600km of mixed driving — but we still recommend carrying a 20L jerry can on this route.
- Puerto Montt → Hornopirén: 100 km, one station en route
- Caleta Gonzalo → Puyuhuapi: 100 km, no stations
- Puerto Cisnes → Coyhaique: 180 km, one station at Villa Manihuales
- Cochrane → Villa O'Higgins: 230 km, no stations
Important
Never leave a town with less than a full tank. Fuel on the Carretera is also more expensive than in major cities — budget accordingly.
Tyres and mechanical
Our campers carry a full-size spare tyre and a puncture repair kit. Gravel roads are hard on tyres — especially if you drive too fast. The correct speed on ripio is 40–60 km/h. Faster than that and you'll wear the tyres faster, damage the suspension and have a worse drive. Slow down.
Mobile signal
There is effectively no mobile signal south of Coyhaique except in towns. Download offline maps (Maps.me or iOverlander for camping spots) before you leave. Our campers have GPS navigation built in.
