Description
For the experience and environment, yes! But it is necessary to evaluate well if the children will have the physical capacity to complete the daily days in a good way. It is important to bear in mind that if we go with children, they will be the ones who will set the pace and the places to which we will arrive (D2 & D3). We may have to shortener the daily schedule or do alternative activities. In any case, for days 1 and 4 it is possible to hire horses to ride, thus we save two days of effort and we can focus on the two days that we will have to explore. In any case, we recommend that children are at least 12 years old if they are going to walk on their own and that they are accompanied by family members!Cochamó is one of those places that can bring together the best of southern Chile: the simple life of its people immersed in infinite possibilities for an outdoor life experience.
The valley rises along the Cochamó river, ending in the Reloncaví fjord and connecting Chile with Argentina through “Paso El León”.
Its steep granite walls, which reach 1,000 vertical meters, are surrounded by thousand-year-old Alerce trees and evergreen forests, rich in wildlife and with infinite streams and waterfalls that can only be visited on foot or on horseback.
Life in the valley allows us to reconnect with green energy and focus on exploring with respect, to ourselves, and to the place where we are immersed.
In this four-day trek, we will visit the classic points of the valley. On our first day, we will go from the end of the car road to the area of “La Junta”. A trek following the marked furrow that the horses have forged, through mud and forests we will arrive at the campsite on the banks of the Cochamó River. The place that has been a base camp for many adventurers these last two decades and from where we can start our second day.
The ascent to Cerro Arcoiris does not present major technical difficulty. But it is a journey of crossing forests and steep climbs, with the aim of being able to marvel at the view from the heights, seeking to be able to size the magnitude of the valley and its granite walls.
On our third day, we will approach one of the classic valley granite walls in the Trinidad valley. We will seek to reach a small lagoon fancied by the “Gorila” and “Trinidad” hills. A journey of mud and green to discover the secrets that these forests keep!
The program includes transportation from Puerto Varas, meals (D1, dinner; D2, breakfast and dinner; D3, breakfast and dinner; D, breakfast) and camping in La Junta (the rate per person, tents and kitchen items). Pack-horses are also included for the common equipment (meals, tents, etc.); If possible, you can also send some personal equipment in them (such as sleeping bags and mats), so on the trail
To consider: The essential ingredient that makes Cochamo special is water, in all its different forms, including rain. The one that can make the trails muddy, but can also condition the climb of Cerro Arcoiris due to the slippery rock, but we have a lot of options to make an excellent plan B. Also, the water is guilty of making the “Toboganes”, a natural slide on the river (only 15″ from the campsite). The months of January and February are when most people visit the valley, sometimes too much. The best time is during the southern hemisphere spring and fall.
One more day can be added to the itinerary, either as a reserve day or to do the trekking to the “Anfiteatro” (~ 6 hours / 14km), one of the emblematic walls of Cochamó. Let us know if you would have interest in it! (+$120.000CLP if it is 1 person; +$ 90.000CLP per person if there are 2 or more).