Trekking to the Patagonia National Park: Jeinimeni to Aviles

Day 1: Arrive in Coyhaique

Today you'll be met at Balmaceda Airport and transferred to your hotel in Coyhaique. Later you will have a briefing with your guide team about the upcoming hike and equipment.

Accommodation: Raices B&B or Nomades Hotel

Day 2: Travel to Chile Chico

After a relaxing morning in Coyhaique, you'll travel around two hours to Puerto Ingenerio Ibanez, where you take the local ferry across Lake General Carrera to the town of Chile Chico. Ferry times will be confirmed close to the day of travel.

Tonight you'll stay in Chile Chico before heading out on your trek tomorrow.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Chile Chico

Day 3: Trek to Lake Jeinimeni; Raleigh Camp

Today you'll leave Chile Chico and head by car to the Jeinimeni area of Patagonia National Park. You'll hike along a generally flat gravel road, bordering Lake Jeinimeni to reach a major river crossing before Raleigh Camp on the shore of Lake Verde. You'll relax and spend your first night here.

Length of hike: 4km/2.5 miles

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Raleigh Camp

Day 4: Trek over the Gloria Pass; Hermoso Camp

After breakfast in a small shelter made by volunteers, you'll begin your journey to Valley Chacabuco and the Patagonia National Park through the Gloria Mountains.

You'll begin your day walking along the river bed of the Jeinimeni, before ascending over the Gloria Pass to breathtaking views of Lake Verde. This is the hardest day, with a steep but short incline as you reach the pass.

From here you descend to Lake Verde and have fantastic views of the Hermoso Valley. You spend the night at Hermoso Camp - a shelter made by Conaf and previously used by gauchos.

There's the opportunity to take a side-hike to one of Jeinimeni's beautiful hanging glaciers in the afternoon.

Length of hike: 8km/5 miles

Elevation gain/loss: +425m/1,425ft / -400m/1,300ft

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Day 5: Trek through the Hermosa valley; Camp at Aviles River

Late in the morning, you'll break camp and trek through the Hermoso Valley and it's weaving streams. It's a great location for taking in all the surrounding mountains as you head towards Mt Jeinimeni. Along this stretch there are many stream crossings, so you'll need to keep your water shoes ready and be prepared to get wet!

When you reach the lenga forest, you'll have a short rest for lunch before heading into the beautiful emerald forests to the final camp on your trek. Along the way you'll pass by numerous abandoned shelters which were previously used by gauchos when the park was one of the largest sheep ranches in Aysén. You'll camp at one of these, near the Aviles River. You'll have the opportunity to spot Magellanic woodpeckers and, if quiet, perhaps be lucky enough to see a mountain lion.

Length of hike: 15-17km/9.3-10.6 miles

Elevation gain/loss: +275m/975ft / -370m/1,200ft

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Camp at Aviles River

Day 6: Trek in the Patagonia National Park; Cochrane

The is your final, but most exciting day of hiking through the Aviles Valley. You'll have entered the Chacabuco Valley and will begin hiking along the Aviles River. The trails in the Patagonia National Park are well-maintained and two suspension bridges have been built over the Aviles Gorge which all goes to make this the easiest day of trekking on the trip. You'll have great views of both Mt Pinturas and Mt Kristine and will see guanacos around every corner.

As you head into the valley, the vast Patagonian grasslands are truly beautiful. You'll finish your trek at the Stone House campground.

There will be a short visit to the museum designed by Douglas Tompkins in the park headquarters before you'll drive about 90mins to Cochrane where you'll stay the night. A hot shower and a meal out await you!

Length of trek: 19km/11.8 miles

Elevation gain/loss: +365m/1,211ft / -760m/2,500ft

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Cochrane

Day 7: Trip to the marble caves; Coyhaique

This morning you'll drive back to Coyhaique with a stop at the magnificent marble caves at Puerto Tranquilo en route. 

After lunch there's another four hours on the road to get to Coyhaique where you'll stay for your final night of your trip.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Coyhaique

Day 8: Transfer to Balmaceda

After breakfast today, you'll take a transfer to Balmaceda for your onward travel.

Meals: Breakfast