Introduction xiPART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION 1Chapter 1 Background Information 3Geography 3, Climate 5, Natural history and conservation5, History of the Carretera Austral - an overview 13,Government and politics 19, Economy 19, People andculture 21, Language 23Chapter 2 Planning 24When to visit 24, Highlights 24, Suggested itineraries 26Chapter 3 Practical Information 40Tour operators 40, Tourist information 42, Red tape 42,Embassies 43, Getting there and away 43, Health 46,Safety 49, Women travellers 49, LGBTQ+ travellers 49,Travelling with a disability 49, Travelling with kids 50,What to take 50, Money and budgeting 53, Getting around55, Accommodation 62, Eating and drinking 64, Publicholidays 66, Shopping 66, Activities along the CarreteraAustral 66, Media and communications 71, Culturaletiquette 72PART TWO THE NORTHERN CARRETERA AUSTRAL 77Chapter 4 Puerto Montt 79History 80, Getting there and around 82, Touristinformation and tour operators 85, Where to stay 86,Where to eat and drink 88, Entertainment and nightlife91, Shopping 91, Other practicalities 92, What to see anddo 93Chapter 5 Puerto Montt to Villa Santa Lucía 97Towards Hornopirén 97, Hornopirén 112, ParqueNacional Hornopirén 119, Around Hornopirén 120,Towards Chaitén 122, Chaitén 122, Parque NacionalPumalín Douglas Tompkins 132, El Amarillo to VillaSanta Lucía 136PART THREE THE CLASSIC ROUTE 141Chapter 6 Futaleufú to La Junta 143Futaleufú 144, Palena - a detour 153, Puerto Ramírez159, La Junta and around 159, Raúl Marín Balmaceda - adetour 167, Lago Verde - a detour 170Chapter 7 La Junta to Puyuhuapi and Cisnes 174Puyuhuapi 174, Puerto Cisnes - a detour 186, VillaAmengual and a detour to Paso Río Frías-Apeleg 194Chapter 8 Puerto Aysén and Chacabuco 199Mañihuales and around 199, Puerto Aysén/PuertoChacabuco 202, Reserva Nacional Río Simpson 212Chapter 9 Coyhaique 215History 215, Getting there 216, Tour operators 219, Whereto stay 223, Where to eat and drink 227, Entertainmentand nightlife 228, Shopping 229, Other practicalities 230,Sightseeing and excursions 232Chapter 10 South of Coyhaique: to Cruce El Maitén via Lago General Carrera 235Lakes south of Coyhaique 236, Balmaceda - exiting theCarretera Austral 237, Puerto Ibáñez and the LevicánPeninsula - a detour 239, Cerro Castillo 245, Bahía Murtaand Puerto Sánchez - a detour 254, Puerto Río Tranquilo259, Cruce El Maitén 269, Cruce El Maitén to Chile Chico- a detour 271PART FOUR THE SOUTHERN CARRETERA AUSTRAL 287Chapter 11 The Deep South: Cruce El Maitén to Caleta Tortel 289Puerto Bertrand 289, Parque Nacional Patagonia 294,Cochrane 301, Caleta Tortel - a detour 309Chapter 12 Exiting/Entering the Carretera Austral: Villa O'Higgins and beyond 319Villa O'Higgins and around 320, Crossing into Argentina328, El Chaltén (Argentina) 333Appendix 1 Islands and Villages Inaccessible by Land 335Appendix 2 Language 339Appendix 3 Further Information 344Index 351Index of Advertisers 361.