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All Routes

Walk overview

General Argentinian route information

Rio Villegas to the waterfall

  1. Buses and Rio Villegas
  2. Hiking along the Rio Manso road
  3. Suspension bridge across the manso
  4. Meadows and flatlands along the Rio Manso
  5. Fences to avoid on the Rio Manso
  6. Rio Manso - easy camping
  7. The waterfall marked on the map

The waterfall to the Argentine - Chilean border

  1. El Manso: Rafting campsite, restaurant and minimart
  2. Argentinian customs - Gendarmeria Nacional
  3. The case of the missing refugio
  4. Crossing the Argentina-Chile border

General Chilean route information

Paso El Leon to Torrentoso

  1. Chilean Carabineros, border crossing and the hamlet of El Leon
  2. A rangers' forest camp
  3. Conditions along the route
  4. The turn towards Torrentoso

Torrentoso to end of Lago Vidal Gormaz

  1. Torrentoso turning
  2. Camping at the south end of Lago Vidal Gormaz
  3. Along Lago Vidal Gormaz
  4. Food supplies at the north end of the lake
  5. Route to virgin rainforest

Lago Vidal Gormaz to La Junta

  1. Lakes in the rainforest
  2. Junction of two rivers and two paths
  3. El Arco refugio and natural bridge
  4. La Junta refugio

La Junta to Cochamo

  1. Granite cliffs and La Junta campground
  2. Trail conditions along the last leg of the path
  3. End of the path from Argentina
  4. Main road to Cochamo and Campo Aventura
  5. Cochamo and civilization
Map of the area containg image map links to detailed information: all of the links are also available from the text links elsewhere on the page Cochamo and civilization Main road to Cochamo and Campo Aventura End of the path from Argentina Trail conditions along the last leg of the path Granite cliffs and La Junta campground
part x Section 6: Click on the "i"s above for information and photos of the route. part z

y. Granite cliffs and La Junta campground

The granite cliffs at La Junta

About 30 minutes from the La Junta refugio clearing is the official camp spot. It was pretty horse-fly filled when we passed through, so we just kept on going, passing one two-person tent on our way. Not too busy. The cliffs are pretty impressive, steep, shining granite with the occasional waterfall running down the front. This area has been reported as highly climb-able by two English climbers from the peak district so the area may become far busier in the future. If you are planning to walk in here to climb, then hike from the Chilean side, as you can hike to this spot in 6-8 hrs or much less with a horse. The picture of a granite cliff shown here (left) is only one example of the general locality, this area of the valley is composed granite of cliffs similar to this one.

The 'official' La Junta campspot and refugios