Border Crossing: From Villa O'Higgins, Chile to El Chalten, Argentina
Did you end your Carretera Austral road trip in Villa O'Higgins? Read our step-by-step guide on crossing borders when traveling on foot or on a bike from Villa O'Higgins, Chile, to El Chalten in Argentina. Here's everything you need to know before traveling from Chile to Argentina (or vice versa).
Crossing the Chilean borders to Argentina from Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten was one of the best adventures on our journey around Patagonia.
Furthermore, this is also one of the best (or rather unusual) ways to cross the borders between Chile and Argentina.
We know this is probably not the most common way how to travel between those two countries that share such a wonderful region, but this trip, in the end, reminded us why we travel.
The whole day was so pure, genuine, views along the road mind-blowing, we had to push our limits again, and simply put, the energy we put into this journey paid off thousand times as now we have memories we will never forget.
Crossing borders is never easy.
At least for us, there's always some stress involved as we never know what is going to happen, although we always try to be as ready as possible, especially for specific border crossings like this one.
We know that not many first-time travelers visiting Patagonia look for information on how to cross borders between Villa O'Higgins and El Chalten on foot.
But for those few adventurers, we've decided to put together this travel guide, as we are super-excited to share with you our knowledge and help you plan this trip better.
It is quite common that schedules in this part of the world vary.
So although we work hard to keep this blog post as updated as possible, we always recommend checking the most up-to-date information in either Villa O'Higgins or, if you travel in the opposite direction, in El Chalten.
How to Cross Borders From Chile to Argentina: Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten
If you reach Villa O'Higgins, you have a unique opportunity to cross borders to Argentina and carry on via Argentina's hiking capital El Chalten and Perito Moreno Glacier, to Chile's shining star, Torres del Paine National Park.
Yes, traveling in Patagonia is a lot about crossing borders, but the good news is it is quite simple.
Villa O'Higgins, as we've already mentioned, is located at the end of Carretera Austral, one of the best scenic drive in the world.
And it is located where the road literally ends, so you have to get here either on foot, bike, by hitchhiking, or a bus that arrives two to three times a week.
This whole border crossing process can take you one or two days (or even longer if you want to take things slowly), depending on your Patagonia itinerary, priorities, and travel style.
If you have a tent and camping equipment with you, you can generally take as much time as you want and wander off the beaten path.
But without it, your best bet is to try to reach El Chalten in only one day which is completely doable.
You can read more about Villa O’Higgins in our separate blog post, and we've also put together a complete guide on The best things to, so in El Chalten, so you'll arrive ready.
Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten Step-by-Step Guide
Apart from the fact that this border crossing will take you through some of the most beautiful scenery we've ever seen, there's no denying this is also a long journey that requires a few transport alternatives.
But don’t worry, we will guide you step by step from Villa O’Higgins all the way to El Chalten in Argentina. It is essential to check the weather forecast, though.
Weather in Patagonia can be incredibly harsh, and you should be well-prepared.
On the other hand, we believe you'll have all your equipment on your back, so just make sure the windproof and waterproof layers are on the top.
Also, pack a snack and plenty of water.
Feel free to follow our itinerary on crossing the border from Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten.
If you travel in an opposite direction, it is completely fine to use this guide, too. Just read it in reverse order.
Take a Bus From Villa O'Higgins to Puerto Bahamondez
Getting from the last village on Carretera Austral to Argentina's hiking capital requires an early start as you have a really long day ahead of you.
From Villa O'Higgins, you need to take a bus to the port Puerto Bahamondez which is 7 kilometers from the village.
The bus cost CLP 2500, takes about 20 minutes, and leaves Villa O'Higgins at 7:30 AM.
Bikers or people who want to save some money can walk to the port on their own, but we do not think it is worth it, especially if you plan on hiking the whole distance in one day - it is better to save energy for later.
You need to book the bus in the Robinson Crusoe office either online or on the spot.
This tour operator also offers organized border crossing that includes all the transport and one-night accommodation.
Although we think this trip is absolutely doable independently, it is good to know this alternative exists.
Update 9/2022 - It seems that Robinson Crusoe is not currently operating. Turismo Ruedas de La Patagonia seems open. Please let us know in the comments section about your experience to help other travelers.
Take a Ferry to Candelario Mancilla Across the Lake
From Puerto Bahamondez, a three-hour boat ride will take you to a small settlement on the other side of the lake, Candelario Mancilla, where you will arrive around 11 AM.
The ferry costs CLP 36 000, and like all other services, you can book it in the Robinson Crusoe office or Las Ruedas office.
The ferry runs in the season three times or four times a week (off-season only once a week), and although you can book the date in advance, the departure date will be 100% confirmed only one day before because it is weather dependent.
The ferry is a much bigger boat than the one you will take to visit the Marble Caves in Puerto Rio Tranquilo.
If you want to enjoy the cruise and views from the top deck, be prepared to get sprayed with some nice cool water too.
So don't forget to bring a windproof jacket with you to the upper deck.
When on the ferry, you can opt to visit O'Higgins Glacier, but you must book it in advance in the office for an additional CLP 55 000.
In case you want to see the glacier, it means you will get back to Candelario Mancilla around 5 PM, and you will have to spend a night either in the campground or at the adjoining farm.
If you think the tour is pricey or don't have enough time, you can visit another beautiful glacier on Carretera Austral in Queulat National Park, the Hanging Glacier.
Walk or Ride a Bike From Candelario Mancilla to The Border
In Candelario Mancilla, the real adventure starts because to reach the Argentinian border located on the bank of Lago Desierto, you must either walk or ride your bike.
First, about 1 kilometer from Candelario Mancilla, right on the top of the first hill, is the Chilean border office - do not forget to get your passport stamp here.
Otherwise, you will need to walk back 22 kilometers from the Argentinian border only to get the stamp - the rules are pretty strict.
If you decide on walking, you have three options on how to proceed:
Walk the Entire Trail on Your Own
You can walk 22 kilometers to Lago Desierto with all your baggage without any help.
However, it is almost impossible to make it in one day, as the next ferry leaves at 5:30 PM.
Be prepared that there might be delays before you reach this point that will leave you will with less time than you calculated.
So if you want to hike this trail the hard way, you should bring a tent.
Walk the Longer Part of the Trail Without a Backpack
You can contact a man living in Candelario Mancilla, Ricardo, who can take your luggage in a car for the first 15 kilometers and you can walk this part light and then carry on with your luggage.
The guy doesn't wait in the port unless you make a reservation in advance. We got incorrect information in the office where they told us he would be there waiting for the boat and passengers.
So when we realized no one was there, Martin had to run to the farm (about 1 kilometer) and look for him: fortunately, he was at home and helped us out.
The cost per luggage is CLP 5 000, and he will leave it next to the big sign Argentina (there is no shelter, so cover your bags adequately!).
Walk Only the Short Part of the Trail With a Backpack
The same guy can drive you for CLP 10 000 in the car for the first 15 kilometers, and you will need to walk only the last 7 kilometers with all your backpacks.
Again, contact him first.
When biking, you can also ask for help with your luggage.
The most important thing to know is that you must dismount your bike and push it for the last 5 kilometers as the path is narrow, rocky with many roots and streams crossings along the way.
Cross Lago Desierto by Boat
When you reach Lago Desierto's shore, do not miss Argentina's border office, where you need to get a stamp on your passport. From the pier, the ferry leaves at 11 AM or 5:30 PM.
The ride takes less than an hour and costs CLP 28 000.
We found out that all transport, including the bus, two ferries, and the last bus is better to reserve in Villa O'Higgins not only to have everything in order before your journey but also the price is slightly lower than when booking on the spot.
There's a campground right on the shore in case you have a tent and don't make it for the afternoon ferry.
It is also possible to walk 12 kilometers along Lago Desierto's shore if you want to save some money and extend your adventure. You cannot bike on this path.
Take a Bus or Hitchhike to El Chalten
When you reach the other end of Lago Desierto, take a bus to El Chalten at 6:30 PM.
Because the road is unpaved, 40 kilometers take almost two hours, and the price is steep for the service provided - CLP 17 000.
You can also try to hitchhike as lots of one-day visitors come from El Chalten to relax on Lago Desierto's shore and return later in the afternoon.
It was a long day to reach El Chalten from Villa O'Higgins, but we could make it in one day (we had to get a ride by car as we didn't travel with camping equipment).
Apart from the landscape (you will get a glimpse of Fitz Roy from the opposite side), it was truly an adventurous experience.
We believe it is better to book all services in Villa O'Higgins (you will get 10% off when you book all transport at once in the Robinson Crusoe office or online) and not stress about it later.
You can, of course, follow this itinerary when traveling the opposite direction from El Chalten to Villa O'Higgins; you only need to find out the bus and ferry schedule from this side.
Where to Stay in Villa O'Higgins
You can arrive in Villa O'Higgins without any reservation and try to find a bed in local hospedajes (there are not that many like along the rest of Carretera Austral).
Although from our own experience, it is not very pleasant to look for a room in the cold, rainy, and windy weather, we recommend you book your accommodation in advance.
Be warned that prices are higher here, and not just for accommodation.
If you're looking for the cheapest option in Villa O'Higgins, go for the El Mosco hostel. It offers private rooms, dormitories, or camping sites, but you must contact them directly to make a reservation via Facebook.
Budget | Ruedas de la Patagonia - Basic but clean cabin offers WiFi, kitchen, and private bathroom. It is small thus often booked up long in advance, so do not hesitate to secure your spot.
Mid-range | Puesto Canogas Hostel - One of the best options available in the village. Rooms are clean, and this hotel offers great bang for a buck.
Luxury | Robinson Crusoe Deep Patagonia Lodge - By far the most comfortable and luxurious option where you can stay in Villa O'Higgins. The staff is helpful rooms are bright and quiet with private bathrooms. The lodge also runs Robinson Crusoe travel agency which turned out to be helpful with the border crossing.
Chile - Argentina Border Crossing - Our Experience
We arrived in Villa O'Higgins after traveling two weeks the Carretera Austral road on a rainy and windy day - what a surprise in Patagonia.
We found a hostel, did grocery shopping, cooked dinner, and went to the Robinson Crusoe office to touch base with them as we wanted to cross borders to Argentina in two days.
They explained how it works, told us the buses and ferries schedules, and made a pre-booking.
The next day, we decided to hike Altavista Trail to stretch our legs and prepare ourselves for another long and demanding day.
It was a beautiful day spent in unspoiled nature, which reminded us of our hiking adventures in Pumalin National Park and beautiful. Patagonia National Park, as there was literally no one around.
In the evening, we had to visit the office again to confirm our reservation - the ferry ride is confirmed after 4 PM one day before departure as it is weather-dependent.
If you're not lucky, it can happen that you will have to spend more time in Villa O'Higgins only to wait for a good weather forecast.
Everything looked good, so we were ready to set off the next day.
Weather in Patagonia is unstable, even in the summer, but the day of our border crossing was weather-wise one of the best we had in Chile and Argentina.
Full of sunshine, without a single cloud in the sky, and even without strong winds!
The last time we had such beautiful weather was during our hike to turquoise Cerro Castillo Lake.
The best thing about Villa O'Higgins is its size - we could leave our hostel only 5 minutes before the bus departed. After about 20 minutes, we arrived at the port, and the ferry ride could have started.
The lake crossing was very scenic, with many mountains and even floating icebergs around.
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Right after we got to Candelario Mancilla, we realized that something was not as we had planned. The guy who was supposed to wait for our bags (according to a company) was nowhere around.
Originally, we planned to walk 22 kilometers to Lago Desierto.
But since the boat arrived late and Martin had to literally run to a farm to look for someone who could help us with luggage, there was no way we would have made it in less than 5 hours (and we did not have camping equipment), we had to drop this plan too.
Luckily, Martin met Ricardo at home, and he was willing to drive us with our bags to the Argentinian border.
It is actually only a sign in the forest, but the road ends here, and from here, we had to walk another seven kilometers to Lago Desierto, where the border office is located.
At first, we were quite disappointed that we wouldn't be able to hike the full length of the trail, but later we found out that it leads mostly in the forest anyway, and we did not miss much, rather the opposite.
We had plenty of time to enjoy late lunch on a point with excellent views of Fitz Roy.
The seven-kilometer-long hike with all our stuff weighing almost 20 kilograms each was surprisingly not that hard.
The terrain is quite easy with some muddy sections, but overall the hike's profile is flat, and we reached Lago Desierto about 45 minutes before our other ferry ride was scheduled.
We got another passport stamp in an office where only one staff member had a simple paper book to fill our details in.
From here, the journey was completely smooth.
The ferry arrived on time, and we could have enjoyed another beautiful scenic ride, this time on the Argentinian side. Then we switched to a bus waiting for us, and only then did we realize that we had made it.
When we arrived in El Chalten by bus at 9 PM, we discovered that no one was awaiting us in the accommodation we thought we had booked, and it took us quite long to find a hostel with two empty beds that late.
When we finally found it, we had to go shopping for food only to find out that the selection in El Chalten was poor, overpriced, fruit and vegetables were rotten and we were not even able to find eggs in the whole village.
We felt quite desperate and tired but at last bought some food (pasta, eggplant and tomato sauce), cooked it quickly, ate it even quicker and given the circumstances that it already was 11 PM, we went straight to bed.
Fortunately, there is plenty of things to do in El Chalten, and the town is considered a t op hiking destination for a reason.
The landscape in Los Glaciares National Park is breathtaking, and we planned to hike to Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna Torre, which were some of the best day hikes in Patagonia.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
Where to Stay in El Chalten
You really don't want to walk around El Chalten at 9 PM and look for the available accommodation when the traveling season in Patagonia is in full swing as we did.
It took us almost an hour to find two beds in a not-very-good-looking dormitory because El Chalten is crowded, especially from December to March. Therefore, we recommend booking a room in advance.
Here's our choice of the best hotels in El Chalten.
Budget | Lo de Guille - A modern and well-equipped hostel offers both dorm or private rooms with a shared bathroom, working wifi, and breakfast included.
Mid-range | Pudu Lodge - One of the best hotels in El Chalten is not exactly in the center, but the town is so small that you can easily reach everything on foot anyway. The lodge is near all the most famous hiking trailheads.
Luxury | Destino Sur Hotel and Spa de Montana - Excellent new hotel with a gym, spa treatments, and beautiful mountain views from every room. It's one of the best accommodations you can find in El Chalten when looking for a bit of luxury.
What to Pack
Packing for the trip from Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten is pretty straightforward as we believe you'll have all your stuff with you anyway.
Still, there are a few things you should have all the time with you, possibly in the best quality available, because Patagonia is a real outdoor destination where you'll always appreciate your trustworthy equipment.
Here are seven essential things you should pack, wear, or keep in handy.
Rain Jacket | We've said it many times and repeated it. We cannot imagine traveling around Patagonia without a quality waterproof jacket. Sure, nothing beats a rain poncho, but it is always better to pack this layer for hiking.
Down Jacket | Patagonia is a cold destination, and even if you think you will warm up on the trail, we always like to wear it when we want to take a break.
Beanie | The wind can be cold, and a small beanie can be a real deal-breaker.
Gloves | Gloves are great for early mornings, especially if you are used to using walking sticks.
Hiking Boots | If there's one thing you really should not save on, it is the hiking boots.
Sunscreen | The sun in Patagonia is strong, even when it is cloudy, so make sure you reapply the sunscreen several times during the day.
Lip Balm with Sunscreen | The same applies to protect your lips.
We've also created a useful post Patagonia packing list where you can find a more detailed packing guide.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
