Andean Crossing by Bicycle: Epic Adventure

The Andean Crossing route for cyclists begins at 9:00 am at Puerto Pañuelo, 25 km from the center of San Carlos de Bariloche. On the way to the port, you can appreciate the typical architecture of the region, wide gardens that dress the entire route of Bustillo Road up to the Port. We recommend caution as it is a high traffic route with little space outside the roadway. Once at the Port, you must pay the boarding fee and you can board the catamaran to sail Lake Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest. This navigation will start at 10:00 am and during an hour of travel you can appreciate the majestic Andean landscapes, the changes in vegetation from an Andean Forest to the dense Valdivian Jungle.

Arrival at Puerto Blest. Here begins the first bicycle section to Puerto Alegre. It is the shortest section of the entire journey, with an extension of 3 km.

Once at Puerto Alegre, you will board with your bicycle on a modern boat to sail Lake Frías, a glacial lake whose waters come from the Frías glacier of Cerro Tronador, giving it an intense emerald green color. During the 20 minutes of navigation, you can enjoy a beautiful view of Cerro Tronador and its hanging glaciers. The boat will arrive at Puerto Frías, where you will disembark to carry out customs and immigration procedures.

Once the procedures are completed, you will prepare for the most challenging and difficult section of the journey, crossing the Andes Mountain Range through the Perez Rosales International Pass. You will travel 27 km on inhospitable roads appreciating the splendor of the dense mountain vegetation, Cerro Tronador, and its glaciers. It is important to know that during this section there will be no services until you reach the Ecological Village of Peulla. Although there is no traffic on this section except for the transport of the Andean Crossing companies, we recommend riding with great caution, especially on the descent from the Border Landmark to Peulla, as it is possible to gain great speed, which on a loose gravel road can be dangerous. Upon arrival at Peulla, you must carry out customs and immigration procedures for Chile. The ecological village of Peulla has 2 modern hotels where you can stay overnight to continue the journey the next day. You can also do adventure activities such as rappelling, horseback riding, and photographic safaris among others.

Cyclists who decide to continue their trip to Puerto Varas the same day can have lunch in Peulla and then continue their journey sailing Lake Todos los Santos on the “Lagos Andinos” boat for approximately 2 hours, appreciating the imposing volcanoes that emerge along the route. The presentation time at the Port of Peulla is at 3:30 pm without exception.