The Aysen region is one of the great undiscovered destinations of Chilean Patagonia.
Here you will find the world renowned white-water of the Futaleufu river, the marble caves on Lake General Carrera, the San Rafael Glacier, the Quelat Hanging Glacier and stunning scenery.
This part of the country is the least densely populated, so if you want to get away from the crowds this is the place to come.
Access has always been difficult to the region – the principal airport Balmaceda and it was only opened up less than 30 years ago, with the construction of the Austral Road from north to south.
Bariloche is the jewel in Argentina’s Lake District Crown.
Beautiful mountains, forests and lakes make this area perfect for anyone who likes the outdoors.
You can kayak, bike and hike around the stunning scenery of Nahuel Huapi National park.
Or perhaps hike to amazing viewpoints with panoramas over a geographically stunning area of great beauty.
Bariloche also offers the Cruce Andino Lake Crossing into Chile. The best time to visit the area is October-April.
The central coast is a rugged coastline very reminiscent of California – here you will find a string of small fishing coves, holiday towns and cities.
The ramshackle city of Valparaiso, with its colourful houses perched on the hills overlooking the bay, is a cultural icon, with its Museum home of Pablo Neruda, the Chilean Nobel prize-winning poet.
The coastal town of Zapallar is a great place to get away from it all and recharge the batteries.
The Humboldt current means cold water temperatures and currents that are not conducive to sea swimming, but does provide some of the best seafood in the world.
There are plenty of seabirds, including pelicans, and seals as well as sea lions.
The Paraguayan Chaco is a semi-arid, sparsely populated area in Northern Paraguay, and is a rich ecosystem.
The local fauna includes jaguar, ocelot, tapir and giant armadillo and many more species of animals and birds.
Apart from the indigenous peoples, this area has various Mennonite settlements.
Among them is Filadelfia, founded in the early 20th Century and whose inhabitants still live their lives according to their beliefs, and are run by large cooperatives.
Chaco make for a fascinating visit.
The Chapada Diamantina is a National Park in the interior of the state of Bahia in North Eastern Brazil.
It covers an area larger than that of the Netherlands and is a series of flat-topped mountains interlinked by forested valleys, rivers, waterfalls and swimming holes.
The park can be explored on day trips from Lençois or on several day trekking itineraries.
The rainy season is December to March and a great time to see the waterfalls.
If you want to beat the crowds then go in April / May or August to October.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Get in Touch
+44 (0)131 378 5593
+44 (0)131 554 6025
info@andeantrails.co.uk
Gail Robertson, Scotland. Tailormade Patagonia, April 2026 We had a great trip. Certainly lived up to expectations. We had a bucket list of places to visit, especially Patagonia. Tom put together our trip based on our list. Friend recommended Andean Trails. We did look at other travel companies but liked the idea of a bespoke trip organised for us. Tom did a great job. It’s difficult to pick one highlight, but probably our stay in El Chalten. The weather there was glorious and autumn colours beautiful. Hotel was nice, all the walks we did we enjoyed. Atacama was pretty special too. Overall, the landscape and scenery were amazing. Guides were all great, as was organisation. Everything went to plan. Any query dealt with promptly. We particularly valued having the local contacts who kept in touch throughout. We feel we benefitted the local people by using local guides, visiting museums, markets, eating out in restaurants, staying in independent hotels etc. We had an amazing trip, Tom. Thank you. We would certainly recommend Andean Trails. We are already thinking about our next trip!!
Gail Robertson
Macrae family, UK. Galapagos cruise, April 2026 That was truly a holiday of a lifetime. We are grateful to Andean Trails for the suggestion of this tour and to the excellent Eco-Galaxy team. The boat was exceptionally comfortable and the team was attentive and expert. From the captain to the brilliant panga drivers and cruise director. The guide, Pablo, was outstanding. The itinerary was very well organised and we saw incredible wildlife on a scale I’ve not encountered anywhere. In addition to helping us to spot specific species, Pablo’s deep knowledge of the ecology, geology and history put that in all in a wider and deeper context. We particularly loved the snorkelling. A trip highlight was swimming with sea lions and turtles -which was beyond magical. In addition to taking us to brilliant sites, we recognised the attention to safety. It was our daughter’s birthday on board and the crew made a delicious cake and was very generous in making it a wonderful occasion. More broadly the food was absolutely delicious (my only suggestion would be to make lunch slightly lighter to protect our waistlines!!) Overall, the trip exceeded our expectations. It was such a privilege to spend time in this incredible place.
J.Macrae
