Excursions & Hikes

Patagonia Excursions: trekking, fly fishing, kayak and more.

We invite you to explore the legendary Chilean Patagonia in the Aysén region and admire the majestic nature in its original state, where tourists can spot wild birds together with exotic species of mammal that enhance the beauty of the scenery in this area. You have the option of participating in various activities that allow you to connect yourself with your most pure state of being.

Every day, our guides prepare a variety of activities and trips through the landscapes of Chilean Patagonia, which are included in the price of the programs, in order to discover and make the most of the area surrounding Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa.

It could be an adventure sailing by kayak through the channels and between islands, going out in search of seals and Chilean dolphins, walking through the woods and mountain ranges of incredible vegetation to admire the Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier) and millennial glaciers, bird-watching, including the pleasant chucao tapaculo or the black woodpecker, or visiting the picturesque town of Puyuhuapi and learning about its culture and its handcrafted rug factory. We are in charge of ensuring that every guest enjoys their stay to the absolute maximum.

Excursions at Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Hanging Glacier “Témpanos Lagoon” Trail

A walk for everyone. After crossing the fjord by motorboat to the Carretera Austral (Southern Highway), the journey will continue for 15 minutes by vehicle towards the South, to the Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier) sector. An easy route without slopes, apt for all ages and physical conditions that offers the chance to enjoy myriad views of the valley, provided by the advance of the moraine coming from the area’s snowdrifts. After walking approximately 600m along the path that accesses the edge of the Témpanos Lagoon, magnificent panoramas will appear from the Hanging Glacier together with its impressive ice slides. A guide will allow you to make the most of the trip with information about the flora, fauna, and geology of the area.

Difficulty: Low
Duration: 3 hours 

Mirador Path, in Queulat National Park

The trip starts by crossing the fjord by motorboat to the quay on the Carretera Austral, to then continue for 15 minutes by motor vehicle to the Ventisquero Colgante area of Queulat National Park. The River Ventisquero runs throughout the glacial moraine valley molded by the Hanging Glacier. A short distance from the area’s authorized parking area, and after having passed the hanging bridge that crosses the river, the path that penetrates the start of the woods opens out and then goes round the valley created by the moraine. High views of the lake appear during the journey as well as the beautiful panoramas of the exuberant evergreen woods that develop on the northeast side of the path. This last, clean, and easy ascent, although quite steep at the start, brings you to the viewpoint that allows you to appreciate the Hanging Glacier and the waterfalls that flow from it, with heights that surpass 150m. Gigantic blocks of ice frequently break off, and upon hitting the rocks and precipitating into the Témpanos Lagoon generate thunderous roars. The viewpoint is accessed after 3.3km through the dense woods, enjoying the surprising flora and fauna of this area of Chilean Patagonia.

Duration: Half-day
Difficulty: Medium

Enchanted Forest on the Queulat Pass

With extraordinary botanical variation, this path is located on one of the highest points of the Carretera Austral, one hour by motor vehicle from the jetty of the Lodge. The extensive and steep snowcaps of Queulat, together with the damp vegetation that cover the lower valleys, represent the spirit of this journey. The summits and snowdrifts are terrific on the slopes located to the south of Queulat National Park. The walk starts by penetrating through the lush forest, together with bizarre lichens, fungi, mosses, algae, ferns, and numerous flowers that accompany this route. The path advances for almost 2km before reaching the River Cascadas. The climb continues across the valley, which upon opening offers spectacular panoramas of the area. Then the  Los Gnomos Lagoon appears, from which the river originated. The shores are approached by an impressive and steep granite structure upon which the snowdrift sits. The footprints of time can be recognized on the rocks, showing the movement of the mass. Often chunks of the millenary ice fall into the lagoon.

Duration: Half- to full-day
Difficulty: Medium to High

Los Pumas Trail

In the northern area of Queulat National Park is this 5.6km path that climbs steeply through the natural woodland, and in its last stretch reaches the Los Pumas Lagoon. The path develops through a staggered route, combining beautiful views of the Lake Risopatrón and the deep green forest, and giving way to the so-called Bosque de Transición y de Altura (Woods of Transition and Height). The journey crosses in its highest part – 1,060m – a wide plateau with spectacular panoramas of the mountain chain that wraps around the narrow Ventisquero Sound. With a pit of approximately 70 hectares and an area of almost 2km, the lagoon accommodates clean and well-oxygenated waters, a source of life with a wide diversity of species and aquatic development.

Duration: Full-day
Difficulty: High

Los Canelos Path

A walk that starts directly from the Lodge, through the Canelo Woods, passing by viewpoints that make it possible to see spectacular views over Dorita Bay and the Puyuhuapi Channel, as well as finding a variety of the area’s ferns and native trees. Los Canelos Path is a stretch of the old path that led to the nearby Puyuhuapi settlement, a part of our local history. We have taken care to keep part of the route open, being careful not to alter our symbiosis with the area. The route advances through the shelter of the friendly canelo woods where, according to legend, silver-colored leaves house “spirits of the past”. The return journey can be done in a kayak, in approximately 30 minutes, through the calm Dorita Bay.

Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Low to Medium

South Path “En busca del Chucao”

A trip of medium difficulty by a path that advances through the Patagonian woods, between coigües, tepas, and mañíos, perfect for bird watching, due to  the wide variety of birds that inhabit this area: chucao, kingfishers, black woodpeckers, huet-huets, rayaditos, hummingbirds, and many others.

Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Low to Medium

Patagonian Fjords by sea kayak

Cai-Cai and Tentenvilú – mythical snakelike creatures – fought their way relentlessly through these mountain ranges and Patagonian fjords. The same ones that we now invite you to explore by sea kayak from Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa. We sail for 1–2 hours through the calm waters of the Puyuhuapi fjord, traveling past islands, islets, and fjords, and observing a wide variety of marine birds such as herons, black-necked swans, wandering albatross, coots, steamer ducks, penguins, and many more.

Motorboat hire

The scenery offered by the Puyuhuapi Channel and the Jacaff Channel is sublime, and a visit to their islands and bays in dinghies is just exceptional, with the possibility of spotting bird colonies and, with a bit of luck, marine mammals like seals and bottlenose dolphins. Includes boatman.

Flyfishing

It was the indigenous Chonos who, for centuries, used this corner of the world to develop the art of fishing. Puyuhuapi has its legacy as a place ideal for fish, in which infinite rivers and lakes give life to the magic of the fjords, channels, and islands. Ask for full-day fishing programs in the Lake Risopatrón and River Risopatrón, or for fishing in the River Queulat and the fjord.