THE TURBULENT WATERS OF GENERAL CARRERA LAKE
Its name in the Tehuelche language is Chelenko, and it literally means "stormy waters." This is what the inhabitants of Patagonia call the largest lake in Chile and the second largest in South America, Lake General Carrera, which is shared with Argentina and where it is known as Lake Buenos Aires. In total, it has a surface area of 1,850 square kilometers, and this true natural lake treasure located 4 hours south of Coyhaique, in the Aysén region, lives up to its name in the indigenous language every day: the wind often raises huge, forming similar waves to those of the sea, generating tremendous respect for those of us who appreciate it from a distance or from a boat, although on certain occasions it decides to calm down, and its waters look like a cup of milk. Whether on days of fury or days of calm, General Carrera deceives and dazzles us at the same time with its turquoise and icy waters.
The colonization of this corner of the Carretera Austral occurred mainly in the early 1900s, with people gradually inhabiting the Chelenko coastline. Later, the eruption of the Hudson volcano in 1991 endangered everything that had been established in this area, especially in terms of housing; however, the Patagonians of that time managed to face the natural disaster with nobility without renouncing the beauty of the lake. This is how this remote part of Chile was populated until it became an important pole of tourist attraction.
VISITING FROM TRANQUILO
Today, the tourist who arrives for the first time should head towards Puerto Río Tranquilo, 223 kilometers south of Coyhaique and which is considered the gateway to the lake. Located on the western bank of the General Carrera, this small town of 600 inhabitants and only a dozen streets is the starting point for practically all the excursions and tours that take place in the area of the Carretera Austral, such as sailing a Marble Chapels, the San Rafael Lagoon tour and the ice walk in the Exploradores Glacier, among other tremendous tourist attractions.
It is a place with a tourist essence and whose services are well implemented thanks to the presence of tourist agencies, cabins, inns, hotels, camping sites and restaurants where you can eat delicious food, almost all spread out along its main street, which is the Route 7 itself. It offers what is necessary to supply the traveler before continuing the trip, since it has a service station to refuel, with public bathrooms and a store where you can buy maps. Of course, it must be taken into account that the town does not have an ATM and only has a neighboring cashier, so it is essential to bring cash.
The most requested tour here is the one to the Marble Caves, which lasts two hours and can be extended by one if you choose the option to also visit the Marble Caverns in Puerto Sánchez. It is estimated that in a normal year prior to the pandemic, around 40,000 people set sail each year for this natural monument that has formed over millions of years along the cliffs of the lake. When we are in Tranquilo, the local guides recommend navigating the General Carrera in the morning because it is calmer. In the afternoon, on the other hand, it lives up to its name Chelenko, "stormy waters", being capable of shaking any boat. And that is scary!
Chelenko invites us to get closer to its blue waters. He enchants us not only for their beauty, but also for the environment. The clouds, the sun, the wind and the rain that this place receives every day give it an atmosphere and an always different and surprising appearance. From a boat it is possible to look around and observe forests and the snowy Andes, among other beauties of the area. That is why many come to contemplate or do outdoor activities in complete calm, such as fly fishing. Trout abound in the lake.
A MICROCLIMATE EAST OF THE ANDES
When we head south along the Carretera Austral, we get ready to surround General Carrera Lake until we reach the town of Guadal, after which we head towards Chile Chico (4,600 inhabitants) along Route 265, 110 kilometers to the east on the southeast of Chelenko. As if we had moved to another very distant point in our country, here the landscape begins to change radically. It seems that we are not in Aysén. The forests are left behind and what we begin to see is pampas and yellowish grasslands.
It is not surprising, since it is known that Chile Chico has a microclimate more similar to that of the center-north of the country than that of Patagonia, with little precipitation (approximately 750mm per year) and many sunny days per year, which It allows it to be a good place to grow some typical products of the central zone of Chile, such as cherries. They say that its curious name is due to the fact that it is the only Chilean city that was located east of the Andes Mountains.
From here the ferry crossing to Puerto Ibáñez is made, which is located on the north shore of General Carrera Lake. Today it has a viewpoint on the Las Banderas hill called the Plaza del Viento and a renovated waterfront, as well as a good tourist offer in accommodation and gastronomy for those who want to move from here to the Patagonia National Park, especially to the Jeinimeni National Reserve. , or for those who wish to cross the border into Argentina. General Carrera Lake is abundant in terms of activities, landscapes and sensations. You will want to stay!
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