Carretera Austral Sur · Paso Dos Lagunas

From the Carretera Austral to El Chaltén

Chile and ArgentinaSelf-guided by e-Bike

Duration: 12–16 daysdepending on your pace
Distance: ~704 km~581 on the Carretera Austral + 123 on the crossing
Price: fromUSD 2,800
per person · based on 2 people, 10 days, lodging and e-Bikes
Effort: Higheven with the motor

Request a date Start the trip

We'll confirm availability by WhatsApp or email.

The route on Ride with GPS and the crossing map

The bends of the Cuesta del Diablo drop into a wide valley, with the spires of Cerro Castillo in the background — The Cuesta del Diablo, with Cerro Castillo in the background

The red ferry barge on Mitchell Fjord, between snowy peaks reflected in the water — The ferry barge crosses Mitchell Fjord

The wake of the launch on the turquoise water of Lake O'Higgins, with snowy peaks in the background — Heading for Candelario Mancilla, across Lake O'Higgins

Fitz Roy glowing orange at sunrise, at the end of a gravel road — Fitz Roy at sunrise, on the way to El Chaltén

The only trip that links it end to end, with an e-Bike, boat crossings and a local network waiting for you at every stop.

Two Patagonian landmarks, one in Chile and one in Argentina, joined in a single bike trip. You ride the Carretera Austral to Villa O'Higgins, where the road ends, cross two lakes with Candelario Mancilla in between and arrive in El Chaltén, facing Fitz Roy.

A rider in a helmet on his e-Bike, at a lookout above Lago del Desierto, between mountains — Emi, a great friend who gave us the road.

At a glance

Carretera Austral to El Chaltén is a self-guided e-Bike tour on the Carretera Austral Sur, from Balmaceda to Villa O'Higgins, where the road ends, and the binational crossing to El Chaltén, in Argentina, via Paso Dos Lagunas, by boat across Lake O'Higgins and Lago del Desierto. We put it together at your pace, with stages of 70 km at most.

Updated October 2026 · Javi Pérez, ridingSURí, Villa O'Higgins

You start: In Balmaceda, next to Aysén's airport
You finish: In El Chaltén, Argentina. Buses leave from there to El Calafate, which has an airport
Format: Self-guided: we plan the route, coordinate the people who host you and we're on the phone
You sleep: In SURí micro-refuges, farmhouses, hostels and campsites
The e-Bike: You pick it up in Balmaceda or Villa O'Higgins; if you go on to El Chaltén, you leave it at the border marker
Season: November to March 30: that's when the boats on the Argentine side stop running
Age: From 16, with their parents

The trip

Four stretches, from the steppe to Fitz Roy.

This is how we did it on a real trip, in September 2026. We adjust yours to your pace: more days, fewer km or a rest day wherever you like.

Stretch 1From the steppe to Lago General CarreraBalmaceda → Puerto Río Tranquilo 188 km · +2,670 m

A wide valley with a river winding between forests and grassland, with hills in the background — The Ibáñez valley, from the north lookout at Villa Cerro Castillo

The spires of Cerro Castillo above a valley with a turquoise river and flowering scrub — Cerro Castillo falls behind, on the way to Bahía Murta

A stony riverbed below a hill, with sunbeams between the clouds — A river near Bahía Murta

You leave the steppe and drop down the Cuesta del Diablo into the Ibáñez valley. The Camino de las Ardillas puts you right in front of Cerro Castillo; then come the Portezuelo del Jofre and Bahía Murta. You reach Puerto Río Tranquilo by boat, through the Marble Caves, with the bikes on board.

E-Bike
Boat to Río Tranquilo

You sleep: Farmhouses, a campsite and the SURí micro-refuges in Bahía Murta.

From cyclist to cyclistIf you land after midday, don't race the light: ride down the Cuesta del Diablo in daylight.

Stretch 2Where the Baker beginsPuerto Río Tranquilo → Cochrane 119 km · +1,690 m

The turquoise water of the Río Baker between trees, with a trail and a clearing — The newborn Baker, at Puerto Bertrand

The Río Baker winds through a wide green valley — The Baker valley, close to Cochrane

A lagoon among golden grassland, with low hills and clouds — The Chacabuco valley, in Parque Patagonia

You ride along Lago General Carrera to Lago Bertrand, where the Río Baker begins. You follow it to its confluence with the Nef and reach Cochrane. A day off the bike is a good idea there: Parque Patagonia is right next door.

E-Bike

You sleep: Puerto Bertrand and the SURí micro-refuges by the Río Cochrane.

From cyclist to cyclistThere are more ups and downs than the map suggests. Save battery for the afternoon.

Stretch 3The most remote stretchCochrane → Villa O'Higgins 272 km · +2,910 m

Snowy peaks through tree branches, above a valley — On the way to Tortel, with snow between the trees

Two riders in helmets with panniers ride the gravel, between rock walls and forest — With panniers, heading for Puerto Yungay

The sun on the water of Mitchell Fjord, between hills and clouds — Mitchell Fjord, from Puerto Yungay

South of Cochrane, the road gets wilder and the towns fewer. Tortel is explored on foot, along boardwalks. A ferry barge crosses Mitchell Fjord, and then come the last kilometers to Villa O'Higgins, where the Carretera Austral ends.

E-Bike
Mitchell Fjord ferry barge

You sleep: A farmhouse on Lago Vargas, a hostel in Tortel, a family in Río Bravo and the SURí micro-refuges in Villa O'Higgins.

From cyclist to cyclistSouth of Cochrane, set off with food, water and a long day ahead. There's almost nowhere to buy anything.

Stretch 4The crossing to El ChalténVilla O'Higgins → El Chaltén 123 km · +307 m

View from the handlebars of a SURí e-Bike: the gravel runs along the lake below a rock wall — Along the lakeshore, heading for Puerto Bahamondes

E-Bikes with panniers strapped to the deck of a launch, on Lake O'Higgins — The e-Bikes cross Lake O'Higgins

An e-Bike with panniers leaning at the foot of the iron border marker that reads Chile — At the border marker: this is where you leave the e-Bike

Two lakes and a border. On the Chilean side you ride an e-Bike. At the border marker you leave it, cross the forest on foot and Lago del Desierto by boat, to the south end, facing Fitz Roy.

E-Bike · 7.9 km
Boat · Lake O'Higgins
E-Bike · to the border marker
On foot · ~5 km
Boat · Lago del Desierto

You sleep: Candelario Mancilla, at the home of the family who lives there, or in Villa O'Higgins if you have to wait for the boat.

From cyclist to cyclistPassport, warm clothes, water and food always stay with you. Your luggage travels separately.

Where you sleep

A cozy place and someone waiting for you.

It's not a hotel trip. You sleep where the people of the road live, and every night you charge the battery right there. We tell you where in your proposal, day by day.

A SURí micro-refuge lit up at night among the trees, by the Río Cochrane — SURí micro-refuge by the Río Cochrane, at night

A wooden SURí micro-refuge by the rocks and water of the Río Cochrane, by day — By the Río Cochrane, by day

A farmhouse with a shingle roof and green grass, with snowy peaks behind — The farmhouse at Lago Vargas

SURí micro-refuges

Small, in a family's backyard: Bahía Murta, Río Cochrane, Villa O'Higgins and other points in the network. LED light and USB charging; shower, bathroom and kitchen in the house.

Charging: in the main house; the refuge doesn't have 220 V.

Farmhouses

Villages and valleys where there's nothing but a house with its door open. You eat whatever's cooked that day.

Charging: in the house

Hostels

In the bigger towns along the road, like Tortel or Puerto Río Tranquilo.

Charging: at the hostel

Campsites

Where there's nothing else, or where the place calls for it. With a bathroom and, sometimes, a barbecue shelter.

Charging: in the campsite's house

See the micro-refuges at surirefugios.com ↗

Your e-Bike

The same one we ride.

Before you set off we fit it to you, explain the assist and you try it out in the village. You'll get one of our SURí bikes, depending on your size and availability.

A green e-Bike with panniers, parked in front of a wooden cabin in Villa O'Higgins — One of our e-Bikes, with panniers

A rider standing next to his e-Bike in a meadow, with hills behind — The bike fitted to you, ready to go

Helmet, gloves, knee and elbow pads on a wooden table — The gear that goes with you

Brands: Kona, Orbea, Giant and Trek
Motor: Bosch or Yamaha
Sizes: S, M and L. Tell us everyone's height when you request a date
Range: 40 to 70 km per charge, no spare battery
Charger: It goes with you: you plug it in every night where you sleep
Gear: Helmet, gloves, glasses, pads, repair kit and first-aid kit

Look after it: there's no e-Bike service along the Carretera Austral; the only one is in Coyhaique, and it's basic. Meet our e-Bikes →

The battery

How far the battery goes.

Between 40 and 70 km per charge. It's an estimate: wind, cold, climbs, gravel, weight and how you use the assist all change it. We don't carry spare batteries, so the stages fit within that range and you charge every night where you sleep.

What one battery gives you: 40 to 70 km
Km each day
Over 70 km: by e-Bike it's split in two

Kilometers and elevation gain per day from a real trip we put together in September 2026, on a regular bike, without the rest days. They're a reference: every trip is planned around the group, the weather and the season.

Is it for me?

What the trip asks of you.

The e-Bike helps you on the climbs. The rest is up to you.

High

High, even with the motor. Several days in a row of 40 to 70 km, with climbs and wind.

You ride a mountain bike.
You can ride several days in a row, in wind and rain.
You're 16 or older; minors with their parents.
Your size is S, M or L.

Let's plan your trip

Let's talk, cyclist to cyclist.

We know what you want to know before a trip like this: how many km a day, how much total climbing, where you charge the battery and where you can rest. We help you design your itinerary around those numbers, at your pace.

What's your pace?

Pick one and we'll tell you how many days it takes.

Let's meet on a video call

Or write to us at hola@suripatagonia.com. We're at the end of the road: if we're slow to reply, it's the signal, not a lack of interest.

How your trip comes together

You write to usOn WhatsApp, by email or with "Request a date".
We get to know each otherOn a video call: the trip you're dreaming of, how you ride, how many km a day you like and who you're traveling with.
We propose your tripA day-by-day itinerary, put together for you.
We adjust it togetherWe go back and forth as many times as it takes: dates, days, budget, where you sleep and the availability of boats and refuges.
You confirmWith a deposit. Then you fill in your traveler form and send us your insurance.
You travelWe send you our good-practice guide. And we'll be waiting for you here.

Every trip is different: we fine-tune it with you, back and forth, until it's the trip you dreamed of.

How payment works and what happens if you cancel is in the FAQ. The buffer nights for the crossing are included in your proposal.

What's included

We sort it out before you arrive.

Includes

The trip designed with you, day by day, and coordination with the people who host you at every stop
Your e-Bike with charger, helmet, gloves, glasses, pads, repair kit and first-aid kit
E-Bike drop-off and pickup
The boat crossings on Lake O'Higgins and Lago del Desierto
The night of waiting if the boat doesn't sail
The accommodation and meals listed in your proposal
Phone support for the whole trip

Not included

Nothing that isn't in your final proposal.

Quoted on request: luggage transfer between stages, transfers and connections, camping gear, experiences and someone from SURí with you on the road.

Want more support?

Self-guided doesn't mean you'll be on your own.

You ride at your own pace, without a guide beside you, with us on the phone. If you want more support on the road, you add it.

More logistics

Supported

Your luggage moved between stages, quoted by volume and dates
Transfers and connections for the trip

Get a quote here

Someone from SURí with you

Accompanied

Everything in Supported
Someone from SURí with you on the road
For groups with different paces, or for anyone who wants to take it easier

Get a quote here

Price

What it costs.

From

USD 2,800

Reference price per person, based on 2 people, 10 days, with lodging and e-Bikes.

The final price depends on how many days you ride, how many of you there are, where you sleep and whether you add days off the bike or extras. We send you a fixed price in your proposal, with the day-by-day itinerary.

Request a date Ask on WhatsApp

Goes up or down withThe days, the group, the type of lodging and the extras

In your proposalThe fixed price, how payment works and what happens if you cancel

DatesNovember to March 30, when the boats on the Argentine side stop running. We fit them to the Lake O'Higgins boats: Mondays and Thursdays; in January and February, Saturdays too

Questions

What people ask us before they come.

Question not here? Message us on WhatsApp: we answer ourselves, from Villa O'Higgins.

Can you ride the Carretera Austral on an e-Bike?

Yes. With stages of 70 km at most and the battery charged every night where you sleep. We've been renting e-Bikes in remote Patagonia since 2020 and we know where you can charge on every stretch.

How many days do I need?

Between 12 and 16 days. At an easy pace, 35 to 45 km a day, the full trip takes 14 to 16: we cover some stretches with vehicle support, so you ride to enjoy it, not to race. If you have 12 days, there's a compact version with more supported stretches.

Is the whole trip by e-Bike?

The Carretera Austral and the Chilean side of the crossing, yes. From the border marker to El Chaltén it's different: you walk about 5 km through the forest and cross Lago del Desierto by boat. The last 37 km, from the south end to El Chaltén, we arrange with you.

Where do I pick up and drop off the e-Bike?

You pick it up in Balmaceda or in Villa O'Higgins, at either end. If another place along the road suits you better, we'll arrange it. If you're going on to El Chaltén, you leave it at the border marker and we collect it.

What if the boat doesn't sail?

It happens sometimes: the lake decides. If it can't be crossed, you wait in Villa O'Higgins or Candelario Mancilla and leave on the next sailing. That night of waiting is part of the trip.

What if I get hurt or the bike breaks?

You activate your travel and health insurance; we give you support by phone. If the bike breaks, you take it to a workshop for a basic repair: there's no e-Bike service along the Carretera Austral, only a basic one in Coyhaique.

Is there phone signal on the route?

Not on long stretches. We're at the end of the road: if we're slow to reply, it's not lack of interest, it's Patagonia.

How do I pay and what if I cancel?

To confirm, we ask for a 35% deposit, and the rest 30 days before you set off. If you cancel more than 30 days ahead, we refund everything. Between 30 and 15 days before, we keep the deposit. With less than 15 days, there's no refund.

See terms and conditions

Why SURí

We're where the road ends.

We put the whole thing togetherThe only trip that links the Carretera Austral with El Chaltén end to end, with an e-Bike, boat crossings and a local network.
At the end of the roadWe're in Villa O'Higgins. We've been renting e-Bikes in remote Patagonia since 2020, when we started in Candelario Mancilla.
People waiting for youEight families at eight points along the road. They host you; we coordinate.
If the lake won't let the boat out, there's a planThe night of waiting is planned into your proposal. You don't find out about the problem on the dock.

Choose your pace. We'll take care of the rest.

Request a date WhatsApp

Looking for another way to ride it?

La Ruta del SURí

A route designed especially for you, to leave the Austral behind and discover a Patagonia that will surprise you even more.

Discover La Ruta del SURí

A valley with a braided river between forests and snowy peaks — La Ruta del SURí