Reasons to go

  • If you're looking for off-the-beaten-track hiking, you'll love the peace to be found on the trails
  • The reserve is remarkably untouched, making for breathtaking views of forests, valleys, waterfalls and hanging glaciers
  • You can see the highlights in day hikes, or take on a more challenging multi-day trek
  • The famous Carretera Austral passes through the park, making it easily accessible during a road trip 

Things to do

Trekking

Numerous trails weave around the park, but no matter which you choose, you're likely to have the path to yourself. Although its reputation as a trekking destination is growing, Cerro Castillo remains a hidden gem, where the trails are blissfully quiet. Start in Coyhaique or Cerro Castillo Village and take a day or join a multi-day trek where you'll camp among the peaks, waking up to the rocks bathed in pink and orange. 

Our favourite route is the Cerro Castillo Trail, a 45 km trail that takes four to five days to complete. You'll hike deep into the forest, crossing cool streams on foot and seeking out hanging glaciers. Keep an eye out for eagles and the elusive native Patagonian deer which make their home here. 

Cerro Castillo

Horse riding

The people of Aysén are incredibly proud of their gaucho culture, and you can still explore the old mountain paths the way they were originally travelled, on horseback. Travelling this way means you can cover more ground and reach the truly undisturbed areas, where the forests, mountains and rivers stretch as far as you can see.

You can even do a half-and-half trek, riding partway up the 1,600m climb towards the Cerro Castillo Lagoon before completing the last part of the ascent on foot.

Cerro Castillo

Riding to the Avellano Valley

On this five-day trip, you can travel on horseback, just  like a gaucho, into one of Patagonia's wildest, most remote locations.

You'll be able to explore the huge granite wall of the Avellano Towers, hanging glaciers and remote landscapes of Aysén that very few other travellers get to experience.

This is a fully-supported trip that is guided by gauchos and bilingual guides and make for a perfect equestrian expedition.

Riding in the valley on day one, Avellano, Aysén, Patagonia, Chile

Riding in the valley on day one

Road trips

The Carretera Austral stretches all the way from Puerto Montt down to Villa O'Higgins, and passes through the Cerro Castillo National Reserve. This famous highway is mostly a dirt and gravel road, but offers some wonderful sights and scenery along the way.

It's a great way to explore the Aysén region, but do make a stop off in the park to trek to Cerro Castillo.

Cerro Castillo
Customer review background image

What our customers think of Cerro Castillo

I would fully recommend Cerro Castillo to people. It is easy to get to and shockingly gorgeous but without nearly as many people as other parts of Patagonia. Definitely worth the visit. Read the full review

Travelled: February 2023

Sean Patrick McGinley - USA

Our back packing trip in Aysen Region in the pristine remoteness of Cerro Castillio and Patagonia Nacionale prior to arriving in Torres del Paine set the stage brilliantly and Patagonia Camp and Torres del Paine were perfect capstones to an overall 'Life Changing' trip to Patagonia. Read the full review

Travelled: February 2023

Nicholas Omirly - USA

Admiring the hanging glaciers over an enormous, vertical rock wall, we climbed over scree around the lake towards a col and then steadily up a relatively gentle slope on ochre-coloured shale towards the southern shoulder of Cerro Castillo.

Travelled: July 2016

Mark and Katie - UK

Review:

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Where to Stay in Aysen

Aysen offers a variety of charming lodges, all set in beautiful scenery with some spectacular views. With lodges throughout the region there are plenty of places to base yourself during your stay, or to stop of on your road trip. Many of these lodges also offer daily excursions including hiking, kayaking, fishing and horse riding.

Where to Stay?

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