Chile — Carretera Austral & Patagonia Adventures | Company Adventure Co.
Chile · Carretera Austral & Patagonia
Chile.
Glaciers. Gravel. No guardrails.
ADV Moto — 9 or 14-Day Expeditions
The Carretera Austral is one of the last great road-building projects on earth — 770 miles of gravel, pavement, and ferry crossings through some of the most dramatic terrain the planet has to offer. Glaciers, fjords, ancient forests, and Andean passes. Southern Chile is built for ADV bikes.
- DURATION
- 9 or 14 Days
- BASE
- Puerto Montt, Chile
- MACHINE
- Africa Twin / GS 850
- ROAD
- Carretera Austral
- GROUP SIZE
- 6 Riders Max
The route at a glance
PMC
Base — Puerto Montt
770 mi
Carretera Austral
Villa O'Higgins
Road End
Nov – Mar
Season
770 Miles of Gravel
Carretera Austral · Southern Chile
Why Southern Chile
The Carretera Austral.
770 miles of the world's edge.
Chile's Route 7 — the Carretera Austral — runs from Puerto Montt south through Patagonia to Villa O'Higgins, where the road ends and the ice begins. It was carved through the wilderness by hand over decades. Most of it is still gravel. The scenery is relentless — glaciers, hanging valleys, turquoise rivers, and Andean peaks that drop straight into the Pacific fjords.
We base the 9-day tour out of Puerto Montt and ride south, covering the best sections of the Carretera before turning back. The 14-day full expedition pushes all the way to Villa O'Higgins and includes the legendary Lago General Carrera crossing and the Cochrane sector. Both tours run on fully kitted Africa Twins or BMW GS 850s with a bilingual guide and full support truck.
Your Machine
Honda Africa Twin
1100cc · DCT Available
Your Machine
BMW GS 850
853cc · Boxer Twin
What's included
Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.
ADV Bikes Provided
Honda Africa Twin 1100 or BMW GS 850 — fully kitted for expedition gravel riding. Panniers, crash bars, hand guards, GPS, and Patagonia-spec tires. Show up with your gear.
Carretera Austral Routes
Queulat Hanging Glacier, Lago General Carrera, Cochrane, the Marble Caves, and the Villa O'Higgins road-end. Routes that most riders spend years planning on their own.
Fully Supported
Bilingual guide at the front, support truck with tools, spares, and fuel. The Carretera is remote — gas stations are 100+ miles apart in places. We plan for everything.
Small Groups
Six riders maximum. Every departure is intimate, fast-moving, and guide-led. No waiting. No compromises on pace or route.
All-Inclusive
Machine, fuel, lodging, all meals, guide, photographer, and airport transfers from Puerto Montt (PMC). One price. No surprises.
November to March
Southern Chile's summer window runs November through March. The Carretera is passable year-round but the long days, wildflowers, and stable weather make austral summer the only time we run this route.
The route
Day by day.
Day 1
Puerto Montt Arrival
Fly into Puerto Montt (PMC). Transfer to the hotel, machine walkthrough, gear check, and route briefing over dinner. The Carretera Austral begins at the edge of town — you'll see the sign on the way in.
Day 2
Puerto Montt to Chaitén — First Gravel
The Carretera begins. South from Puerto Montt through the lake district, first ferry crossing at La Arena, and the long gravel run to Chaitén. The volcano that destroyed the town in 2008 still looms over it. Camp on the edge of the bay.
Day 3
Chaitén to Puyuhuapi — Queulat Sector
The Queulat sector — one of the most dramatic stretches of the Carretera. The hanging glacier at Parque Nacional Queulat drops directly into the valley below the road. Arrive in Puyuhuapi, a tiny German-founded village on a fjord, for the night.
Day 4
Puyuhuapi to Coyhaique
The ride to Coyhaique — the largest town on the Carretera and the last real city until the road ends. Mixed pavement and gravel, river crossings, and the Simpson Valley. Coyhaique is the resupply point and the last night in a proper hotel for a while.
Day 5
Coyhaique to Puerto Río Tranquilo — Marble Caves
South toward Lago General Carrera — the second-largest lake in South America. The Marble Caves at Puerto Río Tranquilo are a short boat ride from the road: turquoise water, marble walls, and light that changes by the hour. Camp on the lakeshore.
Day 6
Lago General Carrera Circuit
A full day on the lake circuit — the road hugs the northern shore of Lago General Carrera with views into Argentina across the water. The turquoise color is unlike anything in the northern hemisphere. 9-day riders begin the return north from here.
Day 7
Puerto Río Tranquilo to Cochrane
South to Cochrane — the last real town before Villa O'Higgins. The road gets rougher and more remote. The Cochrane sector is where the Carretera shows its teeth: deep gravel, river fords, and passes that test every rider. 14-day riders only from here.
Day 8
Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins — Road End
The final push to Villa O'Higgins, where the Carretera Austral ends and the Patagonian ice field begins. The last 50 miles are the roughest on the route. Arrive at the road-end marker, take the photo, and camp at the edge of the world.
Days 9-14
Return North — Full Expedition
The return north covers different sections and alternate routes missed on the southbound run. The Carretera looks completely different heading north — the light, the weather, and the perspective all change. Return to Puerto Montt on day 14 for the final flight out.
What's included
- Honda Africa Twin 1100 or BMW GS 850 (your choice)
- Fuel for the full route
- Bilingual guide (English/Spanish, front of pack)
- Support truck with tools, spares, and emergency gear
- All lodging (boutique hotels and expedition camps)
- All meals from Day 1 dinner through final breakfast
- Airport transfers from/to Puerto Montt (PMC)
- Ferry crossings on the Carretera
- Expedition photographer
- Helmet and riding gear available on request
Not included
- International flights to/from Puerto Montt (PMC)
- Riding gear (boots, pants, jacket, gloves) — rentals available
- Travel insurance (required — must cover remote expedition riding)
- Argentina visa fees if applicable
- Gratuity
Pricing
Choose your expedition.
Honda Africa Twin or BMW GS 850 and riding gear included. All-inclusive from Puerto Montt. International flights not included.
9 Days
Carretera Loop
Puerto Montt south to Lago General Carrera and back. Queulat hanging glacier, the Marble Caves, and the best sections of the Carretera Austral. Nine days of the world's most dramatic gravel road.
- Honda Africa Twin or BMW GS 850
- Queulat Hanging Glacier
- Marble Caves at Puerto Rio Tranquilo
- Lago General Carrera circuit
- All ferry crossings included
- All lodging and meals
14 Days
Full Expedition
The complete Carretera Austral from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins — where the road ends and the ice begins. The Cochrane sector, the road-end marker, and the full return north. The definitive southern Chile ride.
- Everything in Carretera Loop
- Cochrane sector gravel
- Villa O'Higgins road-end
- Patagonian ice field views
- Five extra ride days
- Priority date selection
A 25% deposit holds your date. Balance due 60 days before departure.
From the field
“The Carretera Austral is everything the internet says it is and then some. The Queulat glacier on day three stopped me cold. I've never seen anything like it from a motorcycle.”
“Lago General Carrera is the most surreal color I've ever seen. Turquoise doesn't cover it. We rode the whole north shore in silence because nobody could think of anything to say.”
“Villa O'Higgins on day eight. The road just ends. There's a sign and then there's ice. I sat there for 20 minutes. That's the moment I understood what this trip was about.”
FAQs
Good questions.
Chile · Carretera Austral & Patagonia
The Carretera
is waiting.
9 or 14 days. Two machine choices. 770 miles of the world's most dramatic gravel road — from Puerto Montt to the end of the earth. Reach out and let's build your expedition.