Boardwalks
Cypress wood.
Jose Cardenas Vejar — CC BY 3.0 · Jose Salas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gabriel Urrutia Galaz — CC BY-SA 2.0
A unique village at the far end of the Carretera Austral, where the Baker River meets the sea between Patagonia's Northern and Southern Ice Fields, with no streets or cars: its wooden houses cling to a densely forested slope, linked by kilometres of boardwalks and stairways built of local cypress. You leave the car at the village entrance, then walk the raised boardwalks over water and forest, between houses, little wooden squares and piers, with the green-grey glacial water carried down by the river all around. The village is protected as a heritage zone. From the piers, boats run long trips to two glaciers flowing from the Southern Ice Field, through wild channels and fjords. The village is very quiet, with small guesthouses and simple restaurants. The road there is long and remote, so plan to stay a night or more. Steps are many and slippery in the rain. The Carretera Austral is long and partly unpaved, with big distances between villages, so carry enough fuel and cash.
Cypress wood.
Glacial water.
By boat.
Mouth of the Baker River, about 9 hours south of Coyhaique on the Carretera Austral
No, cars stay at the village entrance, and all getting around is on foot along the boardwalks and stairways.