Today you start your journey, boarding your flight to Chile and Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport Santiago (SCL), arriving the following day.

After your arrival in Santiago, Chile, you will need to clear customs and immigration before heading to the domestic terminal (just upstairs) in order to catch your internal Chilean flight to the capital of the Chilean Lake District, Puerto Montt (PMC), where you will be met by your Saddle Skedaddle guides.

Following arrival, we transfer you to your hotel in Puerto Varas (transfer time 30 mins approx.). Situated around 20 Kms from Puerto Montt it occupies a lovely position on the shores of one of the largest natural lakes in South America, Lake Llanquihue.

From here the perfect cone of Osorno Volcano and the snowcapped peaks of Calbuco volcano and Mt. Tronador are clearly visible from the lakefront. It’s a great place to take things easy after a long flight(s) and with this in mind, the day is spent resting-up from your travels and preparing the bikes for the journey ahead.

Our evening meal is taken in one of the great restaurants that exist in Puerto Varas. With the area renowned for seafood, we’ll make sure this is an option. At a convenient point during the meal we’ll discuss the programme for the tour in a little more detail and be happy to answer any questions you may have.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 375 Metres Approx.

Following breakfast we load up our bikes and leave Puerto Varas in our support vehicle. This initial section takes us via Puerto Montt at which point we hit the Carretera Austral and begin our way southwards.

On reaching the northern edge of the Reloncavi Estuary and the small town of Caleta La Arena, we board the ferry for the scenic 45-minute crossing to Calete Puelche where we disembark.

It’s here that we unload the bikes and commence our cycling journey. Today’s ride is around 54kms (37kms unsurfaced and 17 surfaced) and sees us taking an unsurfaced coastal road via the small town of Contao to Hornopirén, the North Gate of the Austral Highway, which serves as a great introduction to this amazing area.

Hornopirén is both the name of the town and nearby 1572-metre volcano. The name is derived from horno, the Spanish word for oven, and pirén, the native Mapudungun word for snow, loosely translating to snow-oven. Our accommodation tonight is on the outskirts of town at a family run guesthouse. (We’ll transfer the last 15 mins or so to Hornopirén to avoid a busy section of road.)

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

After an early breakfast we start our journey to Caleta Gonzalo via ferry, where we navigate through the Comau Fjord between Hornopirén and Leptepu. This stunning fjord is flanked by high mountains and steep banks and runs from Caleta Pichanco in the north to Caleta Leptepu in the south.

Upon disembarking in Leptepu, we hop aboard our support vehicle for the 10 km overland trip to Caleta Fiordo Largo. It’s from here that our next ferry departs for Caleta Gonzalo. This is a much shorter journey than this morning, (approx. 45 minutes) that sees us crossing the Reñihue Fjord.

Our accommodation tonight is at well-appointed Cabañas on the edge of Pumalin National Park. The Cabañas are situated on the rocky shore of the Reñihue Fjord and boast unparalleled vistas. Aesthetically pleasing, they were designed by The North Face founder, Doug Tompkins, and are the perfect place to stay the night. Doug (who died suddenly in 2018) along with wife Kris have been instrumental in the conservation of this and many other wilderness areas in Chile, especially along the Carretera.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 915 Metres Approx.

Back on the bikes once again today we’ll be heading to Chaitén, which is around 54kms away and is reached on a combination of tarmac (24 miles) and dirt roads (30 miles). During the ride we’ll pass by Lago Rio Negro and then smaller Lago Blanco before reaching the coastline that leads us pretty much all the way to Chaitén.

Situated across the Golfo de Corovado from the Chiloé Island, it boasts spectacular views of the Chaitén and Corcovado Volcanoes, with much of the surrounding territory protected due to its National Park status.

Our accommodation tonight is at a small hotel close to Rio Chaitén. For those looking to stretch their legs a little, the walk to the mirador makes a nice post meal stroll and offers great views of the city and across to Chiloé.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 430 Metres Approx.

Another great day on the bike as we head to Lago Yelcho. The terrain remains very similar to yesterday with the road well surfaced throughout. Heading away from Chaitén and the coast we soon find our ourselves winding our way through an area of lush vegetation, criss-crossing streams and rivers as we skirt Parque Pumalin. Today’s ride ends at the caserio (hamlet) of Puerto Cárdenas situated at the northern shore of Lago Yelcho. Nestled between the mouths of the Malito and Futaleufú Rivers it is a lovely spot. Our accommodation tonight is a superb lodge/chalet style hotel at the edge of the lake and where we take our evening meal. With the area famous for fly-fishing they’ll be no doubt plenty of pescado on the menu. It’s a great place to stay after today’s ride with its cosy bar, perfect for catching up and chatting about the last few days with your fellow riders and guides.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,450 Metres Approx.

A long day on the bike today, though well-surfaced for most of the way to help you eat up the miles. Today is not however without its challenges, with the most notable Cuesta Moraga hill that we’ll encounter before we arrive at the small town of Villa Santa Lucia. The climb tops out at around 650m and although steep in places the views from its lofty vantage point are superb and well worth the effort. Safely down we reach Villa Santa Lucia, a small outpost situated close to the volcano of Chaitén – a great spot to take a well-deserved break!

From here you are able to head eastwards towards Argentina via Palena or Futalefu. But for us, we’ll be continuing our southwards direction to La Junta with the section after the climb a great downhill into the valley below. The dominant mountain now will be Peak Macizo Nevado (1951 metres) to our left and to our right the lush vegetation of Parque National Corcovada.

It’s a truly stunning area and a delight to cycle through! For the majority of our trip so far we’ll have been cycling in the Los Lagos region, but today we’ll enter a new region – Aysen, and end our ride with a mostly flat section that takes us to the town of La Junta. Set in lush grounds at the edge of Rosselot Lake National Reserve, our lodge/hotel is the perfect place to finish the day.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 680 Metres Approx.

A nice undulating route today that ends with a real mid-trip treat. This much shorter day of cycling (all on tarmac) sees us cycling through a landscape of huge cliffs, towering waterfalls, and dense verdant vegetation. Continuing this paved portion of the route, we weave our way through Rosselot via the waterfalls of Alcantarilla and the idyllic fly-fishing waters of Rio Risopatron. As we reach Lago Risopatron,the surface deteriorates somewhat before we speed our way down to the Pacific Ocean and the sleepy fishing village of Puyuhuapi.

Our accommodation tonight is a superb eco-lodge on the shores of a fjord that carefully balances sophistication and simplicity. To reach here, we’ll hop aboard a small boat in order to cross a tranquil bay (20 minutes) to reach the lodge which is not only famous for its enviable position but also for its thermal waters, open-air hot springs, and Spa facilities. Enjoy!

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 925 Metres Approx.

Suitably refreshed, we’ve a cracker of a day ahead for you! Fantastic fjords, fairytale forests, and the Quelat Pass too.

From Puyuhuapi we initially transfer with our journey following the eastern shore of the Puyuhuapi Fjord (a great place to spot dolphins, seals, numerous seabirds) and skirt Parque Nacional Queulat – a superb start to the day.

We then follow the Río Queulat before heading up the largest ascent of the Carretera: the Queulat Pass. The pass involves 21 switchbacks for an ascent of 500 metres in under 10 kms!

Just after the top of the pass, there is a speedy descent that passes Bosque Encantando (the Enchanted Forest) of around 20kms on the way down to the X25 Junction. From here it’s mostly flat for the rest of the day for another 50kms until arriving close to Villa Amengual from where we transfer by vehicle (1hr) to Coyhaique.

Coyhaique is the regional hub of Aysén and whilst certainly more developed than the small towns we’ve travelled though over the last few days, it still retains its charm. Wonderfully positioned in the middle of an impressive mountain range of snowy peaks, it’s a place that never fails to impress.

Our small boutique hotel (where we’ll stay for two nights) is located on the banks of the Coyhaique River. With great mountain and forest views yet only a short stroll from the city centre, it’s a great place to base ourselves.

*Please note that the Quelat Pass is currently undergoing major construction and there may be alterations as to where we commence our cycling today!

• Meals: Breakfast

There is lots to do in and around Coyhaique with a range of outdoor activities on offer so with this in mind we’ve scheduled in a day off the bike to enjoy the area.

For those looking to chill-out completely, you’ll find a nice selection of cafes and small restaurants around the Plaza De Armas where the arts and crafts fair is also located. Here you’ll find great quality handmade products using native wood, leather, stone and wool, and is the perfect place to pick up a few souvenirs.

Our evening meal will be taken at one of the fine restaurants in the centre where over una copa de vino, you’ll be able to chat about how much or how little you’ve done today.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,190 Metres Approx.

A big day ahead that starts with an early wake-up and transfer of 30 minutes to avoid some potentially sections on busy roads. Ahead of us is another wonderful day’s riding with the vast majority taking place on well surfaced roads (65kms tarmac and 5kms unsurfaced) as we make our way to Puerto Rio Tranquillo, a village of shingled houses on the western shores of Lago General Carrera. Today it is possible to spot the amazing Cerro Castillo, one of the most iconic mountains for this area and it will stay with us for the next 3 days, as well as being able to see and admire some of the North Icefields glaciers.

It’s a challenging day with 3 big climbs but the scenery along the way is superb and will keep you enthused and excited as you cycle alongside Río Ibáñez and through the lush Valle Murta, where the glacial waters of the Río Murta flow into one of Patagonia’s jewels: Lago General Carrera. Our accommodation for tonight is a well-located B&B, just in front of the lake, and will be reached after an end of the day transfer (2 hours).

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 825 Metres Approx.

The morning starts in style by taking a small boat to check-out the amazing Marble Cathedral caves of Lago Carrera – a special highlight on this part of the journey!!

Today’s route is unsurfaced for the entire day and whilst not involving any steep climbs is a real roller-coaster of ups and downs.

In order to head along the lakes southern shoreline we leave our faithful friend the Carretera Austral in order to take the small lakeside road towards Chile Chico and end our ride just before the small hamlet of Puerto Guadal.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,460 Metres Approx.

Today we embark on another stunning ride with the route unsurfaced as per the previous day.

Another day that that will live long in your memory as we take on the Las Llaves Pass, with our companion for the day the vivid clear waters and turquoise colours of Lago General Carrera that contrast spectacularly with the dry pampas and moonscape valleys, especially as we near Chile Chico. It’s also a great area to spot Andean Condors so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for these amazing birds today.

We’ll transfer the last section (approx. 1 hour) to Chile Chico. Positioned on the southern shore of Lago General Carrera and only a few kms from the Jeinimeni border crossing with Argentina, it tends to be a sunny little place due to its geographical position and is nicknamed the “Sun of Patagonia”. Our cosy accommodation, as you would expect, is close to the lake and a welcome site after this amazing day on the bike.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 670 Metres Approx.

Following an early breakfast, we board the ferry (approx. 2-3 hrs) that will take us across Lago General Carrera (the largest lake in Chile and second largest in South America) to Puerto Ibañez.

From here, we’ll start our ride, with the first 15 Kms taking us up a twisty, windy road. It’s a much shorter day today of around 30 kms (all on tarmac), but one that is nevertheless as spectacular as they always seem to be in this part of the world for your final day fix of towering mountains, dense forests, rivers and streams

After lunch we’ll transfer to our lovely lodge close to Coyhaique (transfer approx 1 hour) – offering us great views of the Divisadero mountain range and the peak of Cerro McKay (816 metres).

Our final evening meal will be taken at the accommodation with celebratory drinks and delicious food rounding off another great day on the bike and our classic cycling journey through this incredible part of the world!

• Meals: Breakfast

Having rested at our lodgings and after a final glimpse of the mountains, we make our way (approx. 50 kms/45 mins) to Coyhaique’s Aeropuerto Balmaceda (BBA) for onward travel to Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez Airport (SCL) and international connections.