Ride2Tale — Carretera Austral by Motorcycle: From the End of the World Northward

"The most beautiful view of our entire trip. It's magical, unreal. How is this even possible?"

The Carretera Austral — we'd heard about it for months, a legendary road. Everyone told us it was incredible… so we were beyond excited to start this new leg of the journey. We rode it in reverse, south to north, under skies that ranged from glorious to wild. From the unexpected ferry out of Puerto Natales to the blue caves of the Capilla de Mármol, including days that rank among the finest of the whole trip.

The Unexpected Ferry and Dolphins Among Glaciers

For weeks, this ferry had been stressing us out. Puerto Natales to Puerto Yungay. Every time we'd tried to book online it showed full until April. And with the unpredictability of travel, committing to a specific date was impossible. We showed up at the counter the day before, around 3pm, hoping for a spot. We were ready with our best pitch — but there'd been a cancellation, and we could board without even needing to negotiate. Lucky break.

Three nights in reclining seats, though — a bit rough. Our cruise was punctuated by PA announcements calling people to the dining room: "grupo 1 a 40." The food wasn't bad, but the portions weren't exactly going to put weight on anyone. The first day was grey and cold, which gave the misty fjords a particular kind of charm. The second day was extraordinary: we watched the sunrise surrounded by glaciers, with chunks of ice scattered across the water. The boat had to maneuver carefully to thread between the blocks. Then the dolphins. First one, then two, then nobody was counting anymore. They ran alongside the boat, and everyone rushed up on deck despite the cold, blankets on their backs. A moment outside of time. On the afternoon of the second day we arrived at Puerto Eden. Two hours to spare, we could go ashore — but we were stuck at the port, a barrier blocking access to the village. Disappointing. We bought a small tart for the afternoon and headed back to the ferry, where we spent a sunny afternoon chilling on deck.

Villa O'Higgins: Starting at the End

We disembarked after three nights of barely sleeping. The boat dropped us directly on the other side of the lake, near Villa O'Higgins, because one of the regular ferries was out of service. The first 100 km of the Carretera are dusty, very green, and rolling — an immediate change of scenery after weeks of arid Patagonia. We love this shift in landscape, even though we're just on the other side of the mountain.

We push 7 km past the town to find the official sign marking the start — or rather the end — of the Carretera Austral. We take a photo in front of the blue-turquoise lake and have lunch with Léa, a young German biker we met on the ferry. Then off to the campsite: we crash for a two-hour nap, completely wiped out after three days of crossing.

The Rio Bravo Ferry and Tortel on Stilts

This morning we race against the clock to catch the Rio Bravo ferry. Just as we see the boat arriving, we're blocked by roadworks. Fortunately, someone waves us through. We ride past the car queue, but a group of bikers gives us an earful: "¡la fila, la fila!" We pull to the side — and in the end, the big pickup in front of us doesn't fit. The two motorcycles do. Too bad for them. During the crossing, those same bikers concede it's genuinely tough to get a spot, since one of the two ferries running the crossing is currently broken down.

For lunch, we stop at Tortel — a real find: the village is accessible only by wooden staircases, the houses perched above the water, the coastline an improbable turquoise blue. We don't linger long given the time, but the image stays with us.

The Perfect Day: Paso Roballo and the Turquoise Lake

An exceptional day. While riding north along the Carretera, we branch off toward Patagonia National Park, heading all the way to Paso Roballo at the Chilean border. From the park entrance, it's pure joy: breathtaking scenery, snow-capped mountains, lakes, Patagonian light. We're laughing after every bend. We arrive at the border post without really wanting to cross into Argentina. Adeline asks if we can just picnic and turn back. The brigade chief is incredibly friendly — he parks the bikes under cover and offers us coffee.

In the afternoon, we pick the Carretera back up. The road is closed for roadworks for part of the day, but we arrive at the reopening and pass a long line of cars. We stop at Puerto Bertrand in front of a turquoise lagoon. Then, near the end of the day, we ride alongside a lake. End-of-day light. An impossible color. The most beautiful view of the whole trip. Magical, unreal.

Capilla de Mármol: Two Hours in the Blue

Puerto Rio Tranquilo lives up to its reputation. We book a boat tour to the Capilla de Mármol — the marble caves carved out by Lake General Carrera. Two and a half hours surrounded by turquoise blue water, in caves where the waves have polished the rock into shades of pink and orange. No photo does it justice. We're back by 2pm and treat ourselves to a restaurant: hake fillet with an incredible sauce for Adeline, burger for Thomas. The afternoon is spent reading by the lake, napping. We've decided to slow down and take our time.

Toward Coyhaique: Food Truck, Rain, and a Strange Innkeeper

After this stop, the Carretera reasserts itself: ripio and asphalt alternating, scenery still beautiful but more enclosed than on the Argentine side. Near Villa Castillo, we come across a food truck: La Cocina del Sol. Thomas's mum Brigitte had mentioned it the night before — she'd seen a TV report about it. Too much of a coincidence not to stop. Chicken burger, caramelized onions, avocado: budget resolutions out the window, we treat ourselves.

A few days later, we arrive in Puyahuapi in the rain. After 45 km soaked through, we're drenched and frozen. Because that's the Carretera too: rain that shows no mercy to bikers, but that makes this landscape what it is. We decide to stay at Hosteria Rayen. The manager is something else: he sends Thomas outside to take off his rain jacket, tells Adeline her Spanish isn't good enough, and refuses to hand over a room key. No locking doors here. We're not exactly comfortable, but the room is clean and the bed is warm, so we let it go.

Chaiten in the Downpour and the End Draws Near

We take advantage of a break in the weather to head toward Chaiten. The sun is back but it's cold. After lunch by the sea, we push on to the tea room La Panera Bakery. The owner is wonderful — raspberry tart and pain au chocolat. A comforting moment after a morning of shivering.

Then the rain catches up with us again, and the night of camping is a rough one: howling wind, rain in waves, mattress deflating three times. In the morning, the tent is folding in half in the wind. We pack everything up in a hurry and decide to get a room in town rather than camp at Caleta Gonzalo, where we need to catch a ferry the next day.

The next day, the rain doesn't let up — but at least we slept warm. We board a last ferry toward Hornopiren. It's actually two consecutive crossings, one of them four hours long, with a traditional music singer who gets all the Chileans dancing in the cabin. The atmosphere on board is electric — it warms things up. When we arrive in Hornopiren, there's snow on the peaks. It's beautiful and we're not in any rush to leave.

Last stretch: Puerto Montt and Puerto Varras, still in the rain… the Carretera has been true to its reputation right to the end. Despite everything, we're a little sad to have already reached the finish — and with it, the end of Patagonia.