Coyhaique

Coyhaique - Photos: Eduardo Epifanio

he provinces of Aysén, Coyhaique, General Carrera and Capitán Prat form the XI Región that extends between 49º South and from 71º East to the Pacífic ocean.

The limits are the lakes region to the north, Argentina to the east, the Strait of Magellan and Chilean Antarctica to the south, and the Pacific ocean to the west. There are an insular part and a continental part, with a total territory of 108.000 km2.

Between the Archipielago de los Chonos to the north and the Archipielago de Guayaneco to the south there is the Golfo de Penas, one of the most important in the country, with Peninsula de Taitao to the north. The insular and continental regions are separated in a north-south direction by Canal de Moralena. The sinking and ascension of the sea level after the last glaciation have given way to this landscape of fjords originated by the glaciars in the Andes Patagónicos, which reach a height of 4.058 m. in mount San Valentín or Mount San Clemente.

The region has an oceanic fresh and humid climate. On the slopes precipitations reach more than 3.000 mm.

Some of the most important lakes in Chile are in this region, although several of them are shared with Argentina, like General Carrera or Lake Buenos Aires, O'Higgins or lake San Martín and lake Cochrane or Pueyrredón. The main rivers (Aisén, Simpson and Baker) are short but plentiful. As regards natural protected areas, the two most important ones are Laguna San Rafael National Park with an extension of 1.742.000 ha. which comprehend glaciers San Rafael and San Quintín, and Río Simpson National Reserve.

Coyhaique is the capital of the Region, with a population of 42.000 inhabitants, an ideal spot to start interesting trips to the north or the south, since there are territories that have not been explored yet.

Other important cities of the region are: Puerto Aisén, Puerto Cisnes, Chile Chico, Cochrane, Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez and Puerto Chacabuco.

There are two possible circuits, one to Puerto Montt by sea or Quellón in Chiloé up to Laguna San Rafael, and another one along the Camino Longitudinal Austral that crosses some icredible landscapes with lakes, glaciers, milenary forests and an endless number of places of singular beauty.