When we talk about Patagonia, thousands of incredible places come to mind. In this post, we’ll share four amazing hikes that are off the beaten path, perfect for experiencing true nature far from the crowds.
Cerro Castillo
The mountain that gives this national park its name is called Castillo because of its crenellated peaks, which resemble those of Torres del Paine. It also has its own glacier and an aquamarine glacial lake.
Located about 80 kilometers from the provincial capital of Coyhaique in Aysén, Chile, Cerro Castillo features the jagged peaks, glaciers, forests, rivers, and natural beauty found in Patagonia’s most famous destinations—but without the crowds. The day hike to the mountain viewpoint and Laguna Cerro Castillo starts from the small town of Villa Cerro Castillo and takes about eight hours round trip.
Hikers looking for a greater challenge can opt for a four-day hike that starts from Horquetas Grandes on the other side of the park and covers approximately 30 miles of rugged terrain featuring lenga forests, mountains, and glaciers. Among the wildlife you might encounter are huemules, deer, and guanacos.
Because the interior of the park is relatively undeveloped, the only accommodations along the hike are rudimentary campsites.
Cochamo Valley
The Cochamo Valley is known as the Yosemite of Chile. Rock climbers scale its dome-shaped granite mountains, which frame a valley filled with ancient forests, turquoise rivers, waterfalls, and lush meadows. You enter the U-shaped valley on a four- to six-hour, six-mile hike toward the valley’s center. There you have the option of staying at a lodge, Refugio Cochamo, or camping at La Junta campground. Both sites have basic amenities like restrooms and showers, but if you need internet and electricity, opt for the lodge.
From there, day hikes ranging in difficulty from easy to difficult take you to different areas of the valley, and most can be done without a guide. The most famous hike, Cerro Arcoiris, is a five-hour trek that takes you through the forest, past larch trees over 3,000 years old, the oldest and tallest trees on the continent, to a viewpoint with breathtaking views of the entire valley.
The best time to visit is during the summer months, from November to March. Most people choose to stay for several days, combining hikes both inside and outside the valley, to go on several hikes a day, enjoy the solitude, and look for wildlife. Pumas are in the area, but spotting them is rare. Condors, frogs, wild boars, and Darwin’s pudu—the world’s smallest deer—are some of the animals you’re most likely to see.
Dientes de Navarino
Known as the southernmost hike in the world, this 33-mile trek takes adventurers to the heart of the Dientes Massif on Navarino Island in Tierra del Fuego. This arduous hike begins in the town of Puerto Williams and winds in a circular pattern inland, crossing rocky valleys, virgin forests, rivers, peat bogs, and high-mountain passes. Depending on your walking speed, it takes between four and five days to complete, ending back at the starting point.
This trip is for backpackers who enjoy rugged nature, as you must carry everything with you, from camping gear to food. It can be done on your own, but don’t even consider it unless you have years of experience hiking and camping in rural areas. Strong winds, rain, and cold weather can be a major problem, even during the peak season from December to March.
From the summit of the Virginia Pass hike, you can see the cities of Puerto Williams in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina, as well as the Beagle Channel, the fjords, islands, and mountains of Tierra del Fuego, and the legendary Cape Horn. Navarino Island is famous for its "miniature forests" of mosses, liverworts, and lichens, some of which cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten
Among Patagonian hikes, this 12-mile, two- to three-day trek that crosses the border from Chile to Argentina is one of the least known. Starting at the end of the Carretera Austral, the Southern Highway, at the far end of Chile’s Aysén Region, you take a boat that passes by the O’Higgins Glacier to the Candelario Mansilla Farm. You can spend the night there, then hike through forests and mountains between Chile and Argentina until you reach the backside of the famous Mount Fitz Roy.
From there, you can take a boat across Lago de Desierto or hike 9 miles around the lake to the road, where you can catch a bus to the town of El Chalten. The hike is relatively easy overall, with clear trail markers, so a guide isn’t necessary. The only lodging along the way is the guesthouse and campground at Candelario Mansilla, so if you plan to take your time on the hike, bring camping gear, as well as food, water, and other supplies.
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