Cochamó Valley

Valle Cochamó is in X Region of Chile. Landscape A u-shaped valley lined with 1000-meter granite walls and peaks. Rivers and streams form waterfalls and pools throughout the valley. Flora and fauna The huge and rare alerce trees should be on your list to check out. Climate This area receives a huge amount of rain every year. The best time and dryest, however, is January through mid March. The weather can be good from December to the end of March. Fees/Permits There are no entree fees or permits needed. Getting There If you are heading to Valle Cochamó from Santiago (Chile) or Bariloche (Argentina), you must get to Puerto Montt. Once you arrive to Puerto Montt, there are three buses daily to the town of Cochamó or Cochamó-River bridge. You can also utilise the town of Puerto Varas as a starting point. It has several travel agencies and the local bus service passes through here also. The trailhead is located 8 kilometers up river following a gravel road. It's possible to hire a car in town to drop you off at road's end where the trail begins. At the end of the road or trailhead, cross a small bridge and pass through a gate. From that point, hiking into the valley takes four to five hours. The trail is well marked and never crosses the Cochamó River. The hiking is relatively easy except for crossing through some trenches, pools and streams, which can become harder to cross when it rains. Water proof hiking boots are highly recommended. Gaitors help significantly on rainy days. Continue to La Junta River, the center of activities and accommodation in the valley. See Huge granite walls, waterfalls, rivers, granite arches, Alerce forests, caves, pools - basically some of Patagonia´s most amazing mountain valley. Do The Cochamo Valley is one of the most pristine places in northern Patagonia, with its historic Cochamo Trail - up to the border with Argentina - having been in use for more than 100 years. Once traversed only by gauchos, missionaries and the occasional bandit (Butch and Sundance being the best-known of the latter), the trail is today being explored and used by travelers from all parts of the world. This is, in large part, due to the 'discovery' of this hidden gem by maverick traveler and journalist Clark Stede, was one of the early European visitors to this remote valley, in the waning years of the Pinochet regime. He was just 'passing by' in his aluminium yacht, but once he glimpsed the valley and his peaks - he decided to stay. Working with young local huasos, he explored the Cochamo Trail and other long-unused byways, and decided to lead and guide horseback explorations of this magnificent valley, thus bringing international tourism to little-known Cochamo. Today, the Cochamo Valley - specifically the upper La Junta section - is a famous rock climbing destination with many granite walls and domes ranging around 1000 meters. There are many new routes every year and thousands of new long lines waiting to be done. For most other types of outdoor travelers, the multi-day horseback trekking and hiking activities remain the most popular and common way to access this natural treasure trove. In addition to rock-climbing, the Cochamo and La Junta valleys offer visitors a rich feast of nature - crystal-clear pools and streams; towering ancient trees; scattered, occasional encounters with traditional mountain homesteaders; and dozens of hikes - ranging from easy to moderate to challenging. Relatively unknown until recently, the valley receives more and more hikers and climbers each year, which brings its own set of challenges - ill-prepared or ill-equipped visitors; littering and trash; unauthorised camping and fires. Whether the growing number of local and international visitors will respect the fragile environment and local inhabitants and their property, and do what they can to keep this "Yosemite of Chile" clean and unspoiled, remains to be seen. Rock Climbing - Big Walls and cragging Thousand meter granite walls border the valley along the Cochamó River. Valle Cochamó's rock provides route potential beyond the imagination. The area has already become a world class climbing destination, with first ascents from people from almost every continent on the globe. If you're into long routes, sport routes, bouldering, establishing new routes or just hanging in a gorgeous landscape, Valle Cochamó is one of South America's best. Hiking Many visitors come to Cochamo to trek the four to six hours into La Junta, the heart of Valle Cochamo. From there, many day hikes reach spectacular peaks, waterfalls and 3000-year-old alerce trees. The main trail continues all the way to Argentina passing a rock arch, lakes and mountain passes. Checkout the trail info at Cochamo.com/trekking and ideas for fully guided and supported programs at [[1]] Horseback treks Numerous visitors also choose to travel through the Cochamo Valley's native rainforest up to magnificent La Junta valley on horseback - a time-tested and traditional way of accessing this hard-to-reach natural gem. Day rides and multi-day trips, combined with hiking, lodge stays, or camping, provide an unsurpassed opportunity to experience the "huaso" traditions and culture - along the centuries-old Cochcamo Trail. Natural waterslide. La Junta River offers an amazing natural waterslide. Photos on [2] Checkout videos on Cochamo.com. Nature Trail. On the south/east bank of the Rio Cochamo, there is a well-marked Nature Trail, maintained by Campo Aventura, pointing out the local trees, and going past two beautiful waterfalls. More information on this trail, along with a booklet, is available. [[3]] Arco Iris. The 'arc of the rainbow' is one of the more popular trails. It is a vigourous hike, with a small section requiring ropes - and the reward is well worth it. Stunning, 360-degree views of a lush valley and imposing peaks. El Arco The 'arch" is a destinal approximately 10 - 15 kms up river from the La Junta basin and valley. It gets it's name from a lone Alerce tree growing atop a natural rock archway, through which a waterfall courses. In the higher reaches of El Arco are hundreds of millenary Alerces, the second-longest living tree in the world, renowned for its ability to remain strong and usable in home-building, boat-building and other uses for decades, even in an intensely wet and cold climate. The Cochamo-Puelo circle route - more commonly referred to as the Gaucho Trail (after Campo Aventura's in-house 10-day program) or 'el circuito.' This is an unforgettable journey - in the words of a Chicago Tribune artiles, it is " a chance not just to see mountain scenery far removed from the well-trampled tourist track and romp through a bit of history but also to ride back to an earlier age, a time of hand-hewn log cabins and crystal streams and partnership with a horse to whom you trust your life." For more information on this trail and the riding and hiking possibilities, refer to [4] Climbing With in the valley, granite walls rise more than 1,000 meters, holding some of the countries most classic free climbing routes. Sport climbing and cragging exist throughout the valley's basen, including the overhanging Pared Seca which stays dry when it rains. Chekout the route info at Checkout the trail info at Cochamo.com/climbing and at Escalando.cl. Eat & Drink You can get breakfast, pizzas and, most importantly, home-made beer. Try Tabano Pale Ale. Delicious international and traditional fare, wine, beer available at the two lodges run by Campo Aventura, at the start of the trail and in the La Junta Valley. Lodging In La Junta area, you can stay in bunks or get a private room at the Refugio Cochamó. Camping You can camp in the campground in La Junta.. For those seekign seclusion and peace, there are additional camping facilities at the mouth of the Rio Cochamo and also in the La Junta valley (with hot showers, indoor plumbing, & firewood) Backcountry There are plenty of hikes in the valley. Recommended is the Cerro Arco Iris peak hike. This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!