Chile Guide
The Carretera Austral
Lago General Carrera
Just beyond the southern boundary of Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo, a 31-kilometre side road shoots south from the Carretera Austral to the tiny village of Puerto Ibáñez, on the northern shore of Lago General Carrera. This lake, encircled by rocky, sharp-peaked mountains, is the second largest in South America, and stretches east into Argentina, where it is known as Lago Buenos Aires. With its craggy, brush-covered shores, turquoise bays and balmy climate, comparisons with the Mediterranean are not out of place. Regular ferries connect Puerto Ibáñez with the small town of Chile Chico, on the opposite shore, making an attractive alternative to following the Carretera Austral around the lake. From Chile Chico, a 128-kilometre road skirts the lake's southern shore, joining the Carretera just beyond the village of Puerto Gaudal.