It is the last town on the Carretera Austral that marks the end of this mythical route through southern Chile. In addition to the sign at the end of the highway, there are many attractions to do in Villa O’Higgins.
The town of Villa O’Higgins marks the end of the Carretera Austral. To the south it is no longer possible to continue by vehicle due to the presence of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, which makes it impossible to trace a route.
Reaching Villa O’Higgins or completing the Carretera Austral is no easy task. In this area in the extreme south of Chile, adverse weather conditions with wind, rain, snow and ice make it difficult. In addition, many sections of the southern end of the Carretera Austral are unpaved, with many curves, so drive with caution.
However, the landscapes surrounding this site are spectacular, with many treks to do in the surroundings, glaciers and lakes. In addition, to reach Villa O’Higgins is to set the milestone of setting foot on the most extreme southern point of the Carretera Austral.
🔎 Check out our guide to travel the Carretera Austral, whether you do it by car, motorcycle or bicycle.
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How to get to Villa O’Higgins, the last town on the Carretera Austral
First of all, it should be noted that Villa O’Higgins can hardly be reached by plane and there is not even an airport nearby to do so. There is only one small aircraft that flies on Mondays and Thursdays from Coyhaique to Villa O’Higgins, but its capacity is minimal and residents have priority.
From the Chilean side, the closest is Balmaceda airport, located 535 kilometers from Villa O’Higgins. From the airport, if you decide to rent a car, it takes about ten hours to get there due to the difficulty of the Carretera Austral with many gravel roads. Of course, it is surely worth doing it in several days, as there are several mandatory stops such as the Marble Cathedrals near Puerto Rio Tranquilo, Cochrane and Caleta Tortel.
If you want to drive to Villa O’Higgins from Coyhaique or further north, you will have to cross by barge the stretch between Caleta Yungay and Rio Bravo in the Mitchell Fjord. The barge Padre Antonio Ronchi is the one who carries out this navigation, carrying people and vehicles, both free of charge. It takes about 45 minutes to make the trip.
Barge schedule from Puerto Yungay to Río Bravo
- During the low season (April to October) it has two daily services: it departs at 12:00 and 15:00 hours from Puerto Yungay and at 13:00 and 16:00 hours from Río Bravo.
- During the high season (November to March) the frequency increases to four daily services, at 10, 12, 15 and 18 hours from Puerto Yungay and at 11, 13, 16 and 19 hours from Río Bravo.
Is it possible to get to Villa O’Higgins by bus?
Yes, but the frequency of services is not daily and you can only do it from the town of Cochrane or Caleta Tortel. Aldea buses depart from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 8:30 am. From Caleta Tortel the minibus company Isabel makes the trip to Villa O`Higgins on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 16:30.
I recommend taking the bus from Cochrane, as you can reach this city by public transport from Coyhaique or Chile Chico, the latter being an ideal destination if you are crossing from Argentina through the Chile Chico-Los Antiguos pass. From Caleta Tortel it only goes down to Cochrane.
The option if you are coming from Torres del Paine or Puerto Natales, is to take the ferry that sails through the Chilean fjords from Puerto Natales to Caleta Tortel, and from there connect by bus to Villa O’Higgins. The ferry Tabsa is in charge of the route. In this case, keep in mind that the duration of the ferry trip is about 40 hours and you will probably have to sleep one night in Caleta Tortel to take the bus to Villa O’Higgins the next day.
While the town marks an important landmark for the traveler, there are many activities to do in Villa O’Higgins that we recommend below.
Trekking in Villa O’Higgins
1. Trekking through the Mosco Glacier Park to La Bandera and Del Valle viewpoints.
The lowest difficulty trekking to do in Villa O’Higgins. You start at the Cerro Santiago viewpoint, located about 10 minutes walk from the center, and then continue the climb to the viewpoints of La Bandera and Del Valle.
We recommend you start with the Bandera trail and then join the Del Valle trail and make the descent to the village. It is a total of five kilometers and will take you four to five hours to complete.
During the hike you will enjoy the forest and views of the Mosco and Mayer Rivers and Ciervo Lake.
2. La Dormilona viewpoint
Much more demanding than the previous ones, it can be done without a guide and reach the vicinity of the Mosco glacier. It is about 20 kilometers, with a total of 10 hours of walking. As for the scenery, it is much more impressive than the previous ones, with fabulous views of the mountains, surrounding lakes and the glacier.
There is the possibility of walking an extra stretch to get closer to the Mosco glacier, but in this case you must do it with authorized guides.
3. Submarino Hill
We only recommend this trek if you do it with a guide. With 14 kilometers and 10 hours of duration, the stage culminates in a rock formation similar to a submarine. Along the way you will encounter fabulous views such as those of the Mosco Glacier.
4. Altavista Hill
Trail that borders one of the slopes of Cerro Altavista and from where fabulous views of the confluence of the Mayer River and the Mosco, Lake Cisnes and Ciervo are obtained. It is a trekking that can be done without guides and has a duration of approximately twelve hours.
5. Lake O’Higgins Viewpoint
Another low-difficulty trek that crosses the Augusto Grosse Bridge over the confluence of the Mayer River with the Mosco. Then it borders the Mayer River until it flows into Lake O’Higgins. You can continue to Puerto Bahamondez, where the Carretera Austral officially ends. It is a total of 14 kilometers round trip from Villa O’Higgins.
You should not leave Puerto Bahamondez without taking a picture of the sign at the end of the Carretera Austral with its 1,247 kilometers.
6. Padre Ronchi Museum, one of the things to do in Villa O’Higgins.
This small museum in the center of Villa O’Higgins has the particularity of being an old church led by Father Antonio Ronchi, who did outstanding social work in the area, serving not only as a place for ceremonies but also as a food collection center.
Inside you can see old elements that were used for the connectivity of the town, such as radios, the priest’s clothes and the explanation of his social work. It is really very interesting.
7. Crossing to Argentina from VIlla O’Higgins to El Chalten
We only recommend it for the more adventurous, in our case it is a great pending that we left. It is only possible to do it during the summer, from November to April, because the pass is through high mountains, surrounded by glaciers and lakes.
In total there are about 130 kilometers of travel that can not be done by vehicle, but only walking or cycling.
The journey begins with the navigation by barge on Lake O’Higgins from Puerto Bahamondes to Candelario Mancilla, still on the Chilean side. This trip takes about three hours, spending the night at the only lodging in Candelario Mancilla, the Estancia Santa Teresita campground. This site has space for tents and also some beds inside.
Attention: due to weather conditions such as snow, rain or wind, the barge service on Lake O’Higgins is often suspended, so it is very common to wait at the campsite for up to four or five days until the service is resumed if you are traveling to Villa O’Higgins.
From Candelario Mancilla, continue on foot, by bicycle or horseback to Laguna del Desierto. It is about 20 kilometers in total
Once arrived at Laguna del Desierto, the best option is to embark again to cross the lagoon. There is also the option of staying at a campsite on the shores of the Desierto Lagoon and crossing it the next day. Before arriving to Laguna del Desierto, you must go through the immigration control to enter Argentina, from 8:00 to 18:00.
Finally, once you cross the Desierto Lagoon, you can take a transfer to El Chaltén.
What can you see in the Patagonian Andean crossing from El Chaltén to Villa O’Higgins? On the Chilean side the O’Higgins glacier and on the Argentinean side the Vespignani glacier and the Huemul glacier. Apart, of course, from a dreamlike high mountain landscape with snow-capped peaks and the O’Higgins and Laguna del Desierto lakes.
You have to estimate between four to ten days total time from El Chaltén to O’Higgins, always considering the delay of the barges due to weather factors.
Where to eat in Villa O’Higgins
Being a small town and located in an area of difficult access for transportation, the reality is that there are not many options to eat in Villa O’Higgins, unlike what happens in the north of the Carretera Austral where the options are wider. Two places we recommend you to eat in Villa O`Higgins are the following:
- Lago Cisne: one of the few dining options with a menu that includes meat and fish. Pleasant place with its wooden architecture.
- Ventisca: a great place at the end of the Carretera Austral to taste home-brewed beer accompanied by a homemade hamburger or a “tabla de picadas”. Background music and excellent ambience, we recommend it.
Accommodation in Villa O’Higgins, hotels we recommend
Due to its location, hotels in Villa O’Higgins are not cheap, and there is a scarce supply of accommodation. Two recommendations we give you are the following:
- Puesto Cánogas Hostel: a small and simple place with excellent service, good heating and breakfast. The economic option we recommend.
- Rumbo Sur Hotel: if you want a superior place, we recommend this one without hesitation. Spacious, wood-paneled rooms with comfortable beds for resting. Beautiful patio and mountain views. Ideal for resting.
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