Carretera Austral to Puerto Tranquillo

 I was glad to get off that ferry! We boarded Wednesday evening and departed Saturday morning. I was looking forward to real food! 

From Puerto Yungay the Carretera Austral (Ruta 7) is a small, although well-maintained dirt/gravel road.  It took us up and over, down and around.  The views were breathtaking. Snow capped mountains, lush valleys, rivers and lakes filled with turquoise glacier water. This must be where so many kids’ movies and cartoons got the inspiration for their landscapes. Previously I just assumed they were created from imagination, but no, it was probably here.

We stopped for breakfast in Cochrane. Yay, real food! Real eggs, fresh bread and actual coffee were a delight. We finished our day in Puerto Río Tranquillo, about 150 miles down the dirt/gravel road. We took a boat ride in the glacier-filled lake to see some interesting marble caves. The day ended with dinner - yes, real food again! Oh and real beds…