Things to do in Puerto Rio Tranquilo

Take the Marble Chapels Navigation tour and visit this natural wonder, including the Marble Cathedral and caves on General Carrera Lake. Meet at the designated point and head to the dock, where you’ll board the boat for the Marble Chapels Navigation. During the tour on General Carrera Lake, have the opportunity to visit this natural sanctuary, which includes the Marble Chapels, the Marble Cathedral, and various caves and formations created over the years by water erosion. After 1.5 hours of exploring and taking photographs, return to the dock to conclude the tour.

Puerto Tranquilo is a small, tourist-oriented town in Patagonia, situated on the shores of Lake General Carrera. This location on the Carretera Austral and its proximity to Laguna San Rafael National Park make it a popular travel destination. The town's most famous attraction is likely the marble caves at Lake General Carrera. The peak tourist season in Puerto Tranquilo is from December to February, when the town is bustling with visitors, many of whom are Chileans. Outside of this high season, the town sees very little activity, and many businesses close during the winter months. Lake General Carrera is the largest lake in Chile and the second largest in South America, following Lake Titicaca. In Argentina, it is known as "Lago Buenos Aires," and it reaches depths of up to 580 meters. The calm bay on the Río Tranquilo, in contrast to the often rough waters of the lake, was used as a landing stage early on. This tranquil bay gave the town its name, which translates to "harbor on the calm river." Amuze yourself on this tour by visiting this amazing area.

On this tour you will be able to explore the marvelous marble formations found in the Capillas de Marmol Natural Sanctuary, Chilean Patagonia. Start the experience from the Chileandes agency, located at Calle Pedro Lagos #240, Puerto Rio Tranquilo, Carretera Austral. From there we will go to the bay, where we will do the equipment check, safety talk and kayak induction, we will give recommendations and indicate the route. We enter the water, the experience begins with the natural environment that surrounds us. After paddling through the area of Capillas, Catedral and Marmol caves, we return to the bay and then to Puerto Rio Tranquilo. In our experience is included the professional technical equipment to perform the activity (windbreaker jacket, life jacket, paddles, skirt, kayak wilderness Systems). Transfers Agency <> Bahia Entrance fee to the Capillas de Marmol Natural Sanctuary. Certified tour guide with Spanish/English language skills.

Depart from Coyhaique and travel along the Southern Carretera Austral to Lake General Carrera, specifically the town of Puerto Tranquilo. Admire a landscape dominated by lenga, coigüe, and ñire forests, covering the entrance to Cerro Castillo National Reserve, featuring forests, mountains, and the valley of the Ibáñez River. Further on, observe the emerald-green Laguna Verde, surrounded by jungle. Cross El Manso Bridge and see the flooded valley with tall grass and dead trees from the 1991 eruption of Hudson Volcano. Pass through Portezuelo del Río Cajón (altitude 600m), descending to Murta, on a branch of Lake General Carrera. Continue along the lake's blue waters to Puerto Río Tranquilo. Here, navigate to the stunning Marble Caves Natural Sanctuary, where the lake's constant waves have eroded and polished limestone, creating beautiful caverns of whimsical shapes. At sunset, return to Coyhaique.

Begin the adventure in Puerto Río Tranquilo, where you will be taken through the routes of Patagonia to Bahía Exploradores to board the catamaran. Enjoy a breakfast of tea, coffee, coffee with milk, or hot chocolate, accompanied by a ham and cheese sandwich or jam aboard the boat. You can also choose cereal with yogurt, all served with cookies or sweet pastry. For lunch, choose from beef stew with rustic potatoes, lentil stew topped with braised meat, lentil stew (vegetarian option), or rice with braised meat in its juice. All meals are accompanied by juice or soft drinks. Take a unique opportunity to experience the awe-inspiring San Rafael Glacier up close, exploring one of Chile's most remote and pristine national parks. This full-day adventure is perfect for nature lovers looking to immerse themselves in the stunning landscapes and wildlife of Patagonia. As you cruise, enjoy a traditional toast with millennia-old ice. After your cruise, return to Puerto Río Tranquilo.

Take the Glacier Exploradores Hike within the typical Patagonian landscape of Laguna San Rafael National Park. Cross one of the characteristic landscapes of this part of Patagonia, and see Tranquilo Lake, Bayo Lake, and La Nutria waterfall. Be picked up from your accommodation in the urban area of Puerto Río Tranquilo. Drive to the glacier located 52 km from Puerto Río Tranquilo, within Laguna San Rafael National Park. Hike up a trail to the first viewpoint, then cross a moraine in front of the glacier. This rocky trail takes around 2 hours, after which you’ll reach the clean ice. On the glacier, using crampons, explore the ice formations, lagoons, and out-of-the-world ice caves that constantly change. After enjoying the landscapes and taking photos, head back to the vehicle and return to Puerto Río Tranquilo, where the activity ends.

Begin your tour with early morning pickup from your hotel in Coyhaique. Travel through the southern Carretera Austral, passing by several interesting points, like the Verde Lagoon, the Conde Stone, Portezuelo Ibáñez, and the Cuesta del Diablo Lookout Point, which offers views of Cerro Castillo. After that, pass by the Murta Valley and then reach Puerto Río Tranquilo, on the shores of General Carrera Lake. In this place, take a boat to visit the Marble Caves, rock formations eroded by the water movement over the years that created a true spectacle of nature. The boat ride lasts around 1 hour, in which you will be able to get closer and take pictures of the formations, including the Marble Cathedral. Finally, have some time for lunch before starting the return to Coyhaique to end the activity.

We invite you to explore by kayak the famous Chapel, Cathedral and Marble Caves, an impressive natural monument formed by the erosion of water on marble rocks. This extended version of the Marble Tour takes you kayaking along the coast, a route of 8 km of distance navigating to get to see the Caverns that are located further north of the Sanctuary. A complete experience of approximately 5 hours of duration. We meet at the Chileandes agency located at Pedro Lagos 240, Puerto Rio Tranquilo, Carretera Austral. Then we will go by van to the bay from where we will set sail and start our adventure. Already in the bay we equip ourselves and make the safety talk indicating the route we will follow. Once in the water we will visit the Sanctuary and we will go further north to get to know more marble caverns, which we will be able to enter to have a unique and close experience. After paddling 8 km we finish our route returning to the bay to unequip ourselves and go to the agency, our last destination. Once at the Chileandes Agency we say thank you and say goodbye wishing you enjoyed our service. Full equipment: You will be provided with all the necessary equipment for the activity, including kayaks, paddles, life jackets and other safety elements. Transfer: The transfer to the beach from where the kayak trip starts is included. Certified tour guide: You will have a specialized tour guide to accompany you throughout the activity and provide you with information about the area. Extras: In addition, you will be provided with a dry bag to store your belongings, a snack to recharge your batteries and water.