Chile, 19.10.2005 - 24.01.2006
Chile, the land of beautiful nature. The famous Carratera Austral is the dream of anybody that does the Panamerica trip. The Chilean Lake District is hard to beat. Lets get out there and discover!
Getting in / Einreise
There are many border crossings between Argentina and Chile on our way south. We will add each with a headline.
Paso Pino Hachado
People were very friendly and everything was easy and fast. No problems at all and nobody asked for any money. We got 90 days and the car too. We had to throw away a lemon and we ate the oranges. Cheese, milk, salami and other food was OK.
Paso Cancha Carrera
The Chilenien Border is about 5km after the Argentinien just at the little village Cerro Castillo. Entry stamp was easy and fast as filling out the paper for the car. Seems like the man checking the food got a new list from his wife. This time we had to give away the Salami and the onions but we could keep the eggs and all the milk products.
Tierra del Fuego - San Sebastion
We told them that we will go directly to Rio Gallegos in Argentina. Seems to help, stamps in the passeport, paper for the car and no checking about food or anything else in the car.
Los Antiguos - Chile Chico
First nobody was in the office. A truck driver got a bit upset and was looking around for the officers. Afterwards everything went fast. As usual we have a lot of food with us, some hidden some placed to be taken away. This time he just asked what we have. Two apples, half a salami and onions. Fine he answered and we could leave with all we had. Guess he did not have the shopping list of his wife yet.
Traveling and driving in the country / Reisen und Fahren im Land
Get a good map or/and a GPS. The Map from Copec Gasstation are very good!
Insurance for the car is a must, we got one from www.gruposancristobal.com.ar/. High road tolls on the Pan Americana
There are many border crossings between Chile and Argentina on our way south. We will add each with a headline.
Paso Huahum
No problems and everything went fast.
Tierra del Fuego - San Sebastion
Exit stamp and giving back the papers for the car. Fastest ever, just 2 minutes.
Punto de Integration Austral - Routa 3, 67 km South Rio Gallegos
Lunchtime between Christmas and New Year is bad timing. A lot of people and officials that would rather be at home. Unfriendly but still no problems.
Futaleufu
No problems and everything went fast. Looked at and into the car before opening the gate. I guess it was just curiosity.
Overnight / Übernachten
We are traveling with a camper. Therefore we don`t really need a campground. However, we recommend to stay on official campgrounds in Argentina. Just because it is much safer than anything else. Especially if you leave the camper alone during the day. However, camping wild is excepted and at many places and generally safe too. You can also park overnight at most gas station, just ask to make sure. Bathrooms and sometimes even showers are available too.
Information
Tourist Informations all over the place.
Shopping
Shops and markets all over the place.
Internet Access
All over the place
Comment / Bemerkungen
Chile is an expensice country to be. There are many fences all over and wild camping can be hard sometimes. Official campings are expensive too. Good thing is that gas and diesel seems to be cheaper in the Patagonia.
Parque Nacional Torres del Paine is somhow a pain in the wallet! Entrance fee is more than 20US$ and camping could end up to 40US$ a site. With luck you get a site for 8US$ a person!
Links
Tourist Information: www.visit-chile.org
Chile Austral: www.chileaustral.com
Chile Patagonia: www.patagoniachile.cl
National Parks: www.conaf.cl
English News: www.buenosairesherald.com
Maps: www.omnimap.com
|
|
 |
|
28.10.2005 Besuche: 1174 |
|
|
|
|
There are many ferries in Chile. Unfortunately many of them are very expensive. We heard that the Ferry on Lago Pirihueico is still cheap and the Lake itself very nice. Indeed, the lake is nice but the price too! We paid 40 US$ for the 90 minutes ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
07.12.2005 Besuche: 690 |
|
|
|
|
No doubt, the landscape of the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine is fascinating. Mountains, blue lakes and a lot of Flora. Still, think about visiting the place if you are on a long trip trough South America. Entrance fee is outrageous, 20 US$ in ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
07.12.2005 Besuche: 916 |
|
|
|
|
No doubt, the landscape of the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine and its wildlife is fascinating. But there are those prices! Entrance fee is outrageous, 20 US$ in December 2005. Camping is 8 US$ a person and a refugio is more than 30 US$. ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.12.2005 Besuche: 586 |
|
|
|
|
The PingŸinera Seno Otway is a tiny colony of Magellan Penguins. About 10000 come back every year in late September. In March they will leave the area and swim back to the coast of Brazil and the Falkland Islands together with their ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.12.2005 Besuche: 928 |
|
|
|
|
Fuerte Bulnes is quiet a historical place. It was the first settlement in the area and was build to make sure that the Estrecho de Magallanes remains in the hand of Chile. The buildings today are not original but one can still imagine how it must ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27.12.2005 Besuche: 1096 |
|
|
|
|
The Chilean parto of Tierra del Fuego is remote. Only about 6000 people live their. I do not wanna know how many sheep. So you can count on being alone, seeing nothing else than rabbits, foxes, guanacos, cows, birds and last but not least ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21.01.2006 Besuche: 1519 |
|
|
|
|
The famous Carretera Austral stretches from Puerto Montt in the North until Villa O Higgins in the South. It got only build in the late 1980. The road to O Higgins even later.
The road got popular fast, first by people trying to find a new ... » weiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23.01.2006 Besuche: 2658 |
|
|
|
|
The famous Carretera Austral stretches from Puerto Montt in the North until Villa O Higgins in the South. It got only build in the late 1980. The road to O Higgins even later.
The road got popular fast, first by people trying to find a new ... » weiter
|
|
|
