Patagonia National Park

There are six beautiful day hiking trails in the park, which can be explored solo or with a guide.

Favourite trails include the 14 mile (23 km) Laguna Atlas trail with its tremendous views of the Chacabuco Valley, the 10 mile 16 km) Aviles Valley hike with its impressive hanging bridge. Shorter hikes are also available to lookouts for scenery and birdlife.

For more of a challenge, try a multi-day camping treks such as Jeinimeni to Aviles, where you've got great chances of seeing huemul deer, guanacos and condors, hiking over mountain passes and along epic valleys.

One measure of the success of the rewilding of Patagonia National Park are the great numbers of guanaco that can be seen here. And more guanaco have led to a big increase in the puma population. Although there is no organised puma tracking in the park, it’s not uncommon to see them here. Even huemul deer can sometimes be spotted.

The Chacabuco Valley is a particular haven for birdwatcher: nearly 100 bird species have been recorded here. With options for walking tours or easier short walks accompanied by a vehicle there is the opportunity for everyone to catch glimpses of some of these birds including the Southern Canastero, Black-Necked Swan and the Chilean Hawk.

Snaking through Patagonia National is a road which passes by the flamingo-filled waters of Lago Seco, expansive views of snow-capped Cerro Kristine, and clay-red peaks covered in glacial ice. Patagonia has some pretty spectacular roads, but at Swoop we believe that this is truly one of the finest, simply for the never-ending views along the way.

Pack some sandwiches and your walking boots and spend a day exploring the entire 46 miles (74 km) of this remote road. There are plenty of places to stop along the way to admire the breathtaking views, and always keep your eyes open for wildlife. So few cars pass this way that it's not unknown to see huemul deer close to the road, in your own private safari drive. 

Many of Patagonia National Park's trails are perfect for exploring by mountain bike. Each offers tremendous views, as they loop around lagoons, through nothofagus forest, along the Baker River and high up on exposed plateaus. Some offer the chance to see the sun-bleached ruined estancias that were part of the ranching culture here before the creation of the national park. 

Although you cannot directly rent bikes from the Patagonia National Park headquarters, our local partners offer programmes direct from the lodge inside the park. 

There's only one lodge located within the park boundaries, but it's one of our favourite places to stay in Aysen.

Tucked inside the Chacabuco Valley, Explora Patagonia National Park is a cosy and comfortable base, with beautiful views of Mount Tamanguito. Drink local wine at the living room bar, lounge by the fire, or venture to the patio by night to view an endless spread of stars.

Wildlife abounds around the lodge, with wild guanaco often found grazing in the grounds – it's not even unusual to see pumas here. 

There are two campsites within Patagonia National Park. 

The gently rolling lawns of West Winds aren't just popular with campers, they're also a favourite for local guanaco herds. The campsite is just over a mile (nearly 2 km) from the park headquarters, accessible by car or a 30 minute walk.

The campsite at Stone House has a perfect location right at the confluence of the Aviles and Chacabuco rivers, surrounded by waving poplars, which block the mid-valley winders from campers. This campground can be used as a jumping off point for explorations to the Aviles Valley and Jeinimeni Reserve.

The nearest accommodation options outside the park are in the town of Cochrane, around 30 minutes away by car south along the Carretera Austral highway.

The park is also easily accessible from Puerto Rio Tranquillo and Puerto Guadal on Lago General Carrera, where you might stay to have the Marble Caves on your doorstep. Further afield, Cerro Castillo and Caleta Tortel are options within a half day of Patagonia National Park