Carretera Austral Sur · Villa O'Higgins · El Chaltén
Tours by e-Bike on the Carretera Austral
Ride across into Argentina, from Lake O'Higgins to El Chaltén.
We'll confirm availability by WhatsApp or email.
4 self-guided e-Bike tours
From a few hours around Villa O'Higgins to more than two weeks all the way to El Chaltén. They all leave from our base, at the end of the Carretera Austral.
The main trip
Carretera Austral to El Chaltén
The Carretera Austral Sur to where the road ends, and the crossing into Argentina to El Chaltén.
- ~704 km
- Self-guided
- Nov–Mar
EffortHigh
We put it together for you
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In both directions
Carretera Austral Sur, one-way
From Balmaceda to Villa O'Higgins, or the other way round. You leave the e-Bike where your trip ends.
- Up to 70 km a day
- Self-guided
- 4 drop-off points
EffortHigh
From CLP $650,000 + VAT
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Chile → Argentina
Villa O'Higgins – El Chaltén crossing
Two lakes, a forest and the Paso Dos Lagunas border. A mixed adventure by boat, e-Bike and trekking that you'll never forget!
- 123 km
- Mixed
- Tailor-made
EffortMedium-high
No fixed price: it's built around your dates
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Supported
Ruta Mayer and Lago Christie
You go up by 4x4 along the settlers' road. You ride back, downhill.
- 52.7 km
- With a support vehicle
- Minimum 4 people
EffortMedium-high
From CLP $140,000 per person
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Some trips are dreamed about for years. Ours was too.
We'll help you bring yours down to earth:
The route
Stages of 70 km at most, what one battery gives you. We plan them at your pace, day by day.
The nights
SURí micro-refuges, farmhouses, hostels and campsites. You sleep where the people of the route live.
The boats
We keep you posted on the Mitchell Fjord ferry barges. We arrange the boat crossings between Villa O'Higgins and Candelario Mancilla for you.
The electric bike
You charge it every night where you sleep and leave it at one of the four points along the route, up to Balmaceda.
A plan B
Out here, weather still sets the rules. If the lake won't let the boat out, plan B is already built into your trip.
Prefer a regular bike? We plan that trip too: we design the route and the experience, and a partner provides the bikes.
You bring the drive.
From cyclist to cyclist.
Before we propose anything, we want to get to know you: how you ride, how many km a day you like, who you're traveling with and what trip you're dreaming of. Then we fine-tune it together.
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.
We know everyone comes with the dream of a different trip, so we like to listen, get to know each other, understand what you're looking for and fine-tune it together so you can make it happen.
Drop it off where your trip ends.
You pick it up in Villa O'Higgins, our base, and leave it wherever you finish. If you're coming from the north, we hand it over in Balmaceda or Cerro Castillo. We collect it.
- Villa O'Higginsour base: pick it up or leave it here
- Cochraneleave it here, if you finish here
- Cerro Castillopick it up or leave it here
- Balmacedathe other end: pick it up or leave it here
- Border markerleave it here, if you're going on to El Chaltén
What about luggage? Heading north, we carry it for you. The cost depends on the volume and the dates: we quote it with you.
What people ask us before they come.
Do I need cycling experience?
Yes, on a mountain bike. The e-Bike helps you on the climbs, but the gravel, the descents and the wind are still on you.
How many kilometers do you ride a day?
70 at most on an e-Bike. A battery lasts between 40 and 70 km depending on the weather, the terrain, the wind and the weight, and we don't have spare batteries: that's why we plan short stages.
Where do I charge the battery?
Every night, in the main house of wherever you're sleeping, whether it's a micro-refuge, a farmhouse, a hostel or a campsite. The micro-refuges don't have 220 V; the house does.
Can I leave the e-Bike in another town?
Yes. You pick it up in Villa O'Higgins and leave it in Cochrane, Cerro Castillo or Balmaceda. If you're coming from the north, we hand it over in Balmaceda or Cerro Castillo. We collect it afterwards.
Do you carry my luggage?
Heading north, yes. The cost depends on the volume and the dates: we quote it with you.
From what age?
On tours, from 16, with their parents. For hourly rentals, from 12.
Do I need insurance?
Yes: every traveler brings their own travel and health insurance. We need it before we can hand over the bike. You don't need it to request a date; we ask for it after confirming.
Are the tours guided?
They're self-guided: you ride at your own pace, with phone support for the whole trip. If you want more support, you can add it: logistics and transfers, or someone from SURí with you on the road. It's quoted separately. Lago Christie comes with a support vehicle, and the one around Villa O'Higgins with a local guide.
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 in advance, we refund everything. Between 30 and 15 days before, we keep the deposit and refund the rest of what you paid. With less than 15 days' notice, there's no refund. If extreme weather or force majeure stops the trip from going ahead, we reschedule subject to availability.
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 is planned into your proposal.
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.
More practical questions? What to bring, the weather, the battery and the cyclist's code are in Plan your trip.
Shall we plan it together?
Tell us who's coming and how many days you have. That's enough for us to get started.
We'll confirm availability by WhatsApp or email.