Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo

The Carretera Austral is more than a road, it is a 1,240-kilometre journey through some of the most pristine wilderness left on the planet. Carved through mountains, rainforest, and glacial valleys by the military government in the 1970s and 1980s, it connects the small towns and estancias of Aysén in a single unpaved ribbon that is part adventure, part pilgrimage.

From its northern terminus at Chaitén (rebuilt after the volcano's devastating 2008 eruption) to its southern end at Villa O'Higgins, the road passes through landscapes that shift from lush temperate rainforest to Patagonian steppe, crossing rivers on car ferries, winding along fjord edges, and climbing over mountain passes where the only company is a condor riding the thermals.

Cycling the Carretera Austral has become a bucket-list journey for long-distance touring cyclists, and road-trippers in campervans and 4x4s find a frontier atmosphere of simple hospedajes, wood-fired stoves, and a warmth of hospitality born from the isolation.

Queulat National Park, draped in dense Valdivian rainforest and perpetual mist, is home to one of Chile's most iconic sights: the Ventisquero Colgante, a hanging glacier that spills over a cliff face and calves into a forested gorge below. The sight of blue ice suspended between granite walls, with waterfalls streaming from its melting face into a turquoise lagoon, is genuinely awe-inspiring and accessible via a moderate hike and a suspension bridge that sways above the gorge.

The surrounding park is a labyrinth of trails through temperate rainforest so dense and primeval that sunlight barely reaches the forest floor, a world of giant nalca leaves, hanging mosses, and the calls of chucao tapaculos echoing through the understory.

The enchanted forest trail near the park entrance passes through a grove of ancient trees draped in Spanish moss that could be a set from a fantasy film.

Aysén is a fly-fishing paradise. Virtually every river, lake, and stream in the region holds populations of rainbow trout, brown trout, and landlocked salmon introduced in the early 20th century that have thrived in the cold, clean waters. Rivers like the Baker, Simpson, Ñirehuao, and Cisnes offer world-class wading and drift-boat fishing, and a growing number of lodges cater to anglers seeking trophy fish in pristine surroundings.

The region's estancias, vast cattle and sheep ranches that were the first permanent settlements along the Carretera Austral, preserve a gaucho culture of horseback riding, mate-drinking, and asado that feels closer to the Argentine pampas than to Santiago.

Some estancias now welcome guests for multi-day horseback treks through the backcountry, offering a window into a way of life defined by self-reliance, seasonal rhythms, and a profound connection to one of the world's last great wildernesses.