Torres del Paine, the Lake District, and the Carretera Austral
Patagonia is an enormous region with dozens of microclimates and biomes. We’re highlighting three areas that demonstrate the diversity of terrain and climate. These are some of our favorite locations for biking in Patagonia and places most visitors have on their short lists.
Biking in Torres del Paine
Within Torres del Paine National Park, mountain biking is permitted on certain roads and trails. Day bike rentals and guided rides operate from the park’s main lodges, following the Y-290 road along the park’s southern edge, with views of the lake and the massif throughout. The wind in the park can be significant; gusts in some areas can topple a rider. Mornings are calmer. LANDED plans rides accordingly. Many of the full-board lodges offer mountain biking (or e-bike) excursions.
Pro tip: wear long pants and maybe even gaiters, as many of the trails are flanked by spiny bushes known locally as mother-in-law’s cushions (mulinum spinosum).
The Carretera Austral by Bike
The Carretera Austral (Ruta 7) is Chile’s legendary southern highway. It is one of the world’s great long-distance cycling routes. Cyclists from around the world come annually to ride sections between Puerto Montt and Villa O’Higgins, camping or staying in small guesthouses, crossing on ferries, climbing passes where the road is gravel and the view extends to glaciers and mountains beyond mountains.
LANDED designs supported biking programs along the Carretera Austral, usually a “highlights reel” focused on selected sections chosen for their scenery and terrain. Private vehicle support, top accommodations, guides, bikes, and logistical support are all covered. You’re left free to experience the moments. These are privately guided, tailor-made journeys, not one-size-fits-all group tours. The classic sections run between Chaitén and Puerto Aysén. Six to eight days of riding are recommended, but we can adapt to other timelines.
The Lake District
The Chilean and Argentine Lake Districts—from Pucon through the area south of Puerto Montt on the Chilean side, Bariloche and its surroundings on the Argentine side—offer mountain biking on trails and fire roads through temperate rainforest, above glacial lakes, and along the flanks of active volcanoes. You’ll find a wide range of trails here; there’s something for every level of skill and stamina.
Some of our best days have been in the forest singletrack of private reserves: ancient trees, mixed trail of rock and dirt, stream crossings, hidden lakes, and waterfalls.
It’s also possible here to do heli-biking. After choosing a route that fits your interests and capabilities, you’re airlifted to a mountaintop. The air tour is a highlight on its own, offering views of lakes, forests, and the Andes. From the landing area, you make your descent, often to a waiting picnic lunch.
Fitness and Logistics
Biking programs in Patagonia are designed for reasonably fit cyclists who are comfortable on varied terrain. You do not need to be a technical mountain biker; the riding is primarily on roads and packed gravel, not single track. What you need is a willingness to spend six to eight hours a day on a saddle in wind and occasional rain, and to find this more pleasurable than it sounds in the abstract. Most LANDED clients who have done it are the kind of people who find it very pleasurable indeed.
“We were in the back of the Baguales region, northeast of Torres del Paine. Our guide had urged us to try the e-bikes. I sniffed with the scruples of a purist, but agreed. When a heard of guanacos began running beside us, I was glad I had condescended; we threw our bikes into turbo mode and raced alongside the sprinting herd. That put the cap on another great day in Patagonia.” – John Montgomery, Co-Founder of LANDED
“Experiencing Patagonia was like seeing the primordial earth—raw, newly formed, majestic, powerful, and virtually uninhabited. From the windswept glacial moraines to the jagged mountain peaks to the awe inspiring fjords and the vibrantly colored lakes. It was a wild safari of another class with condors, pumas, guanacos, wild horses. The vastness and remoteness of the completely undeveloped space both scared and energized me; where I could commune with self, Mother Nature and the divine in a unique and unfiltered way.” – Jason G., LANDED Traveler
Request a private consultation with a LANDED expert travel designer to begin crafting your custom-tailored Patagonia itinerary.
