Kurt McCanles • lifeinwheeltime.com
Population
~500
Region
Aysén
Highlights
Capillas de Marmol
Lago General Carrera
Glacier Exploradores
Puerto Río Tranquilo is a village in southern Aysén on the shore of Lago General Carrera. Starting each November, tourists from all over the globe flock to the village to experience one of Patagonia's ancient wonders: Catedral de Mármol — a series of marble caves within Lago General Carrera's rocky coast. Self-guided tours of Catedral de Mármol (also known as Capilla de Mármol) are not permitted. During the summer, tour operators construct temporary "pop-up" booths along the village's main street, — kayak/boat tours of the caves can be organized from here. The caves are best visited in the morning (when light reaches further into the caverns revealing more dazzling marble). If you want to float inside the caverns, opt for a kayak tour as boats are too big to squeeze inside.
Besides kayak/boat tours of Catedral de Mármol, the most popular things to do in Puerto Río Tranquilo are: boat cruises on Lago General Carrera and guided trekking expeditions on Glacier Exploradores.
Best in Puerto Río Tranquilo
Eat
Panadería Laurita
Bakery with fresh bread (baked daily), delicious cakes and a friendly owner. Enjoy local prices and avoid the supermercado crowds by purchasing your bread (and other baked goods) here!
Stay
A cabaña
During summer, the handful of campsites in Puerto Río Tranquilo turn into tent-towns. Campsites seem willing to squeeze as many guests as possible onto their grounds, which are usually nothing more than small patches of backyard grass. Despite the crowds, these same campsites continue to charge above-market rates. For adventurers returning from expeditions in the Patagonian wilderness, staying at one of these campsites can feel painfully confining. If you must stay in Puerto Río Tranquilo, we highly recommend forming a group of four or more and renting a cabaña.
Explore Nearby
Catedral de Marmol
The most popular tourist activity in Puerto Río Tranquilo is the marble caves on Lago General Carrera. The caves can only be viewed by booking an official tour with one of the tour companies in Puerto Río Tranquilo (you'll find many pop-up tour operations lining the main street in high season). Expect to pay somewhere between $7,000 and $30,000 CLP (depending on length of tour) for the boat ride out to the caves. You can also rent kayaks (usually paid for by the hour) with the same tour companies.
Valle Exploradores Detour
Ruta X-728 stretches ~80 km from Puerto Río Tranquilo toward the Pacific Ocean. The route intersects with the Carretera Austral immediately north of Puerto Río Tranquilo. The road is 100% ripio and follows rivers, Río Norte and Río Exploradores, and passes lakes, Lago Tranquilo and Lago Bayo. There are ample wild camping spots and natural water sources along the route. Rain is very common in this valley.
The Glaciar Exploradores viewpoint, operated by CONAF, is about 50 km from the junction with the Carretera Austlra. Here, there is also limited access to Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael. To get closer to the glacier and visit more of the national park, a guided tour is required (these can be organized in Puerto Río Tranquilo).
Bike route from Puerto Río Tranquilo to Cochrane