Villa O’Higgins to El Chalten, an adventurous border crossing from Chile to Argentina. For all adventure seekers and nature lovers crossing from Chile to Argentina (or the other way) at O’Higgins is a must-do activity. The scenery is unreal, the landscape is stunning with turquoise blue and emerald green colors. The walk is short and challenging but at the same time, it’s rewarding, the O’Higgins – El Chalten route was one of our favorite multi-day hikes in Patagonia.

Villa O’Higgins is the end of the Carretera Austral, the last point you can get by road on the Chilean side that makes everything (mostly food) here more expensive but still affordable. The walk was quite difficult due to the heavy luggage we were carrying but it was worth the effort. The walk to El Chalten was good preparation for trekking the O Circuit in Torres del Paine. The main advice here is to take your time, don’t rush, and enjoy the landscape.
The cost of the O’Higgins to El Chalten crossing
- Transport. Bus Villa O’Higgins to Bahamondez pier – CLP 2500/US$3; boat Bahamondez – Candelario Mancilla – CLP 60 000/US$65; ferry Punta Norte de Laguna del Desierto to Punta Sur (optional, you can walk instead) – ARS 17 500/US$50; bus Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto to El Chalten – ARS 8500/US$25.
- Food. CLP 14 000/US$15 pp.
- Camping. Candelario Mancilla – CLP 4500/US$5 pp., at the Argentinian immigration office – free.
Total: between US$115 and US$165.
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Villa O’Higgins the start of the route
How to get to Villa O’Higgins?
There are regular buses from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins but they don’t go every day, 2 or 3 times per week. Price about CLP 27 000/US$30 from Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins. Getting to Cochrane is easier there are daily buses from Coyhaique and Puerto Montt that go on the Carretera Austral and stop at several places. You can catch it from any town along the way.
As an option, you can rent a car but you won’t be able to go with it on the ferry and cross to Argentina. Note! Between Cochrane and Villa O’Higgins, there is a ferry cross from Caleta Yungay to Rio Bravo – traffic depends on the ferry schedule. In summer there are 3 ferries per day; 10 am, 1 pm, and 6 pm. The ferry cross is free for everybody.
The cheapest way of getting to Villa O’Higgins is to hitchhike. Hitchhiking works perfectly everywhere in Chile; you meet cool local people, get to know better the country, and are more flexible no need to worry about missing a bus or not getting a ticket.
If you like hiking you might enjoy visiting other places in Patagonia that offer great trails such as Cerro Castillo or Pumalin Park.

Facilities in Villa O’Higgins
Accommodation in Villa O’Higgins
There are several places to stay in Villa O’Higgins in case you want more privacy and tranquility.
- Mid-range | Puesto Cánogas Hostal |
- High-end | Posada Paso Mayer | Rumbo Sur Hotel |
ATMs and credit cards in Villa O’Higgins
In Villa O’Higgins, there are no ATMs, the last ATM on the way is in Cochran, you need to have enough cash to pay for accommodation and the boat, and all shops accept cards – Visas (not sure about Master cards). Rather try to exchange Chilean pesos for Argentinians at your hotel in O’Higgins or with other tourists that do the walk the other way around and come from Argentina.

Getting from Villa O’Higgins (Chile) to El Chalten (Argentina)
The route description
- Bus Villa O’Higgins – Bahamondez pier, 7km/4,3 mi.
- Ferry Villa O’Higgins – Candelario Mancilla (Chilean immigration), 1h45min.
- Walk Candelario Mancilla – Punta Norte de Laguna del Desierto (Argentinian immigration), 22 km/13,6 mi.
- Walk/ferry Punta Norte – Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto, 12 km/7,4 mi.
- Bus/hitchhike Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto – El Chalten, 40 km/24,8 mi.

Step 1. Bus Villa O’Hggins to Bahamondez (ferry pier), 15 min.
The pier is 7 km from the town to catch a ferry it’s better to take a bus otherwise you’ll have to start walking very early to get there on time. Most cyclists go on their own and leave the town at about 1h30min. before the ferry departure. Bus transfer is included in your boat ticket. The meeting point is in Villa O’Higgins at Ruedas Patagonia office at 7.15 am.
Step 2. Ferry Villa O’Higgins to Candelario Mancilla, 2h30min.
- Ruedas de la Patagonia CLP 60 000/US$65. Departure days depend on the weather conditions. You can buy your ticket on the website.
*Note! There is no extra charge for bicycles on the ferries. Motorcycles are not allowed.
Boats run from September to April. Always confirm departure times and prices with the company as they might change.
Be aware that due to the weather conditions, you can wait for a boat for 2-4 days if you’re short on time think twice before choosing this option. You can do day hikes from Villa O’Higgins while waiting for a boat.
Candelario Mancilla
Chilean Carabineros (immigration) is 1 km away from the pier, the office is open from early morning till 9 pm. Here you get your Chile exit stamp, The officers are very friendly if you have any questions about the walk ask them they know the area very well. If you have time and want to do an off-the-beaten-track hike you can go to one of the glaciers on the Chilean side – O’Higgins or El Chico. If you have extra luggage you can leave it at the Carabineros office for no extra charge.
Camping at Candelario Mancilla about 1 km uphill from the pier (you’ll see it on the top). Price CLP 6000/US$6 pp. Besides the campsite, there is a small restaurant where you can buy a cooked meal as well as home bread and jam. If you arrive early we’d suggest starting the walk towards El Chalten. If you arrive in the afternoon or evening it’s better to stay at Candelario and continue the next morning.
Step 3. Walk Candelario Mancilla – Punta Norte de Laguna del Desierto, 22 km/13,6 mi
From Candelario Mancilla to Argentinian immigration (Punta Norte de Laguna del Desierto) is 22 km;
- 17 km to the border, dirt road on the Chilean side, mostly flat, some ups, in the beginning, can be cycled.
- 5 km from the border to the lake and the Argentinian immigration office. This trail is a small path in the forest, with some ups and downs, difficult to cycle – you push your bicycle through the forest.
In total, it takes between 5-6 hours to walk 22 km, depending on how much luggage you have, weather conditions, and of course your fitness level. At the immigration office, you get an Argentinian entrance stamp. There is a free camping area next to the office where you can stop for the night.
Note! If you don’t want to walk with all your luggage or just realized you’re too tired to walk at all you can arrange transportation to the border with carabineros. Price around CLP 15 000/US$15. They can drop you at the border but from there you’ll have to walk the last 5 km on your own.

Step 4. Walk/ferry Punta Norte – Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto, 12 km/7,5 mi
From Argentinian immigration, you can walk along the lake for 12 km or take a ferry to Punta Sur de Lago del Desierto (South Point). The ferry takes about 1 hour, price is ARS 30 000/US$30 pp. All the cyclists take the ferry because the walk along the lake is very similar to the last 5 km to the Argentinian border control, and it’s impossible to cycle.
We decided to walk, after all, it was a beautiful trail with some amazing viewpoints overlooking the glacier, lake, and mountains. The path is clear and easy to follow but it takes time – about 5-6 hours due to constant up and downhill, sometimes quite steep.
The entire walk can be easily done in 2 days. On the first day – ferry O’Higgins to Candelario, then walk from Candelario Mancilla to Punta Norte de Laguna del Desierto and camp at Argentinian immigration. On the second day – walk Punta Norte to Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto. And from there take a bus to El Chalten.
Step 5. Bus/hitchhike Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto – El Chalten, 40 km/24 mi
Once you are at Punta Sur de Laguna del Desierto (South Point) you have two options to get to El Chalten which is 40 km away; take a bus to El Chalten for ARS 15 000/US$15 or hitchhike. The bus journey takes about 1 hour.
You can continue your Patagonia adventure by trekking in El Chalten, Laguna de los Tres is a not-to-miss hike. After El Chalten, you can visit Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate. You can get from El Chalten to Torres del Paine and do one of the hiking routes there.

El Chalten, the end of the route
El Chalten is a bigger town with better infrastructure compared to Villa O’Higgins. There are more accommodation options here you can find. Some nice campsites in El Chalten are great for meeting people.
- Hotels
- Hostels
- Campsites
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Shops
- Pharmacies
- Gear rental places
- ATMs
- Tour agencies
Accommodation in El Chalten
There are many accommodation options in El Chalten from budget camping and dormitories to luxury hotels.
Budget options – Hostel Rancho Grande – one of the top-rated hostels in the town – a big house located just outside El Chalten. There are dorm beds and private and family rooms.
- Budget | Hostel Wenuy |
- Middle price | Hosteria Los Ñires | Glaciar Marconi |
- Luxury | Hotel Lago del Desierto |
Useful items for O’Higgins to El Chalten crossing
For more details on gear and clothing for Patagonia for men and women check our Patagonia packing list post.
- Merino Wool Darn Tough Hiker Socks
- Rain Poncho
- PETZL – TIKKINA Headlamp
- Kindle E-book
- Neck Pouch/Passport holder
- Go Pro Hero 10
Recommended books and guidebooks
- Lonely Planet Argentina, Travel Guide. Kindle and paperback.
- Patagonia on a budget by Matthew Morgante. How to travel Patagonia on US$30 a day. Kindle.
- To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret by Jedidiah Jenkins. Paperback, Kindle & Audiobook.
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The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
António
Sunday 29th of December 2024
Hey, thanks for the amazing blog, it is really incredible, something from other world. I was searchng about the Argentinian immigration camping, because I was a bit confused but I didn't find anything about it. There is any website ? Thanks for the attention
Stingy Nomads
Monday 30th of December 2024
Hello Antonio. Thank you for the comment. I don't think there is a website for the campsite at Argentinian immigration. It's a very basic camping area with not much else. The campsite on the Chilean side at Candelario Mansilla has better facilities. Depending on where you're coming from it might be better to camp there. Good luck
Camila
Thursday 28th of December 2023
Thanks for sharing your experience ! It really helps me planning my trip. Do you know where can I find informations about the bus which go to el chalten from Punta Sur ? I can't find it... And I don't want to walk all the 36km lol Thank you !
Hélène Charbonnier
Friday 27th of January 2023
Hi! I just want to update some of here informations! There no longer three agencies that make the crossing between O’higgins and Candelario Mancilla, only the Ruedas de Pantagonia (including the transfert to the port) and it’s very hard to get one (you can wait for one week on summer) . You can payed the boat in card and many of the supermarket take cards too ! On my opinion, if you have to stay in order to wait the boat the more budget and pleasant option for the backpakers is Los pioneros, there is trees to stop the strong wind of O Higgins ! Best regards, Hélène, french backpaker
Stingy Nomads
Friday 27th of January 2023
Hello Hélène. Thank you very much for the update. I'll update the post based on your recommendations. It looks like getting from Villa O'Higgins to El Chalten is becoming more and more difficult. It's a great adventure but I'm not even sure it's worth all the trouble. Cheers
Marcello
Wednesday 11th of January 2023
Dear All, can you help to see if we can rent a vehicle CAR in Puerto Montt and drop it in Villa O'Higgins in February. I estimate 5 days to trravel with stops Thanks
Stingy Nomads
Thursday 12th of January 2023
Hello Marcello. I'm not sure if it's possible to drop off a rental car in Villa O'Higgins. I haven't seen any car rental offices in the town. If you want to rent a car in Puerto Montt and drive it on the Carretera Austral you'll probably have to drop it off in a bigger town along the route and continue to Villa O'Higgins by bus. Good luck
Laura
Saturday 31st of December 2022
Hi,
We did the crossing recently and here is some info for other fellow travelers: Only Las Ruedas is doing the crossing, the other companies are not operating. They also provide the transfer from Villa O'Higgins to Bahamondez. Due to bad weather conditions in the last few days, some departures have been delayed and there is a backlog of people waiting to cross, especially from Villa O'Higgins. Even if you have a reservation for a date, you might not get a seat for that day. Keep this in mind if you have a tight schedule. Good luck!
Laura
Sunday 8th of January 2023
Hi @Joaquim,
It was 60'000 CLP per person, which includes the transfer to the port.
Joaquim
Monday 2nd of January 2023
Hi @Laura,
Do you remember the price of the ferry? Thanks!
Stingy Nomads
Sunday 1st of January 2023
Hello Laura. Thank you very much for the update. Cheers