Blog 15 / From Argentina to the Carretera Austral in Chile and further south to Coyhaique

To avoid further boring driving through the boring Argentinian Pampa we have to cross back to Chile. The highlight of this border crossing is the falling off of the refrigerator’s door in the camper van – quite typically for the status of the equipment, a little worn out and always good for surprises, so Leatherman and repair tape are helpful quite often.

The famous “Carretera Austral” is the main- and actually the only road to Chile’s south. Erection was a prestige project of former President Pinochet, but still today – beside strong activities by the actual government it is still mostly a gravel road of very different quality and ends up as a dead end street in Villa O’Higgens. Punte Arenas can be reached by road still via Argentina only.

We get to Ruta 7 “Carretera Austral” in the village Villa Lucia. The results of the catastrophic ice and mud slide from a nearby glacier three years ago still are visible over miles. The village was destroyed nearly completely and appx. 30 people were killed.