Cerro Castillo in Patagonia, Chile, is one of the best hikes in the world.

Why? hiking guidebook Lonely Planet 2006 travel guidebook Footprint 2004 travel guidebook Amazon_Chile160x600	World > South America > Patagonia > Chile > Cerro Castillo One of the best hikes in the world is Around Cerro Castillo Also known as: Castle Hill Castle Mountain Cerro Castillo 2675m (8776ft) is the highest peak in the central Patagonian Andes; stunning glacier, lakes & jagged basalt mountains. It's remote. It's uncrowded. If the weather turns bad, as it likely will, it may be epic. WHY WE LIKE THIS HIKE CHILE is mostly coastline fantastic glacier vista but no risk of altitude sickness fantastic views from Laguna Cerro Castillo good fishing nearby it does not get the massive precipitation of the coastal peaks a good & picturesque highway — the Careterra Austral — brings you to the trailhead slight chance to see the rare hemul deer, symbol of Chile Castillo is more famous with mountaineers than hikers these central Patagonian Andes have terrific potential for hiking as yet not much developed most hikers in Patagonia are en route to the much more famous Paine & Fitz Roy treks ... add a comment here Cerro Castillo CONSIDERATIONS this hike is in the middle of nowhere both Paine & Fitz Roy are far better developed hikes with easier access there are no easy ways to get to this hike. Public transport is limited. rated medium-difficult. If you reverse the recommended route, it is more challenging. plan on terrible weather — rain, sleet, snow highly likely tent hiking only, no hut (refugio) built yet a 4-season tent with good tie-downs would be ideal Dec to March are the best months the days are long in Patagonia during their summer — it is light until at least 10PM it can get cold, though hypothermia is not a big risk during the hiking season some boulder scrambling, route finding & creek fording many good off-trail sidetrips parts of the main trail pass through private property Chile is the most expensive country to travel in South America. Budget at least US$30 a day. Closer to US$50 is more likely. Days on the trek will save you money. ... add a comment here Those who find Chile overpriced yearn to cross the border into Argentina as quickly as possible. LOGISTICS Cerro Castillo is in Patagonia about 46 degrees south the nearest city is Coihaique, Chile unfortunately there is no easy way to travel to Coyhaique — check options on the interpatagonia.com How to Get There webpage map source escalando.cl Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes is the essential guidebook the normal trekking route is 62km (38.5mi) plus sidetrips we recommend 4 days, 3 nights sidetrip to Laguna Duff well worth the effort this hike is ideal if you have private transportation (rental vehicles available in Coihaique) public transport is neither frequent nor convenient irregular vans & buses take you south from Coyhaique: 64km to Laguna Chiguay campground & Conaf Guarderia Chiguay which will give you last minute advice on the trek. 75km to a bend in the highway called Las Horquetas Grandes, if you wish to start the long hiking route immediately. 98km to the town of Villa Cerro Castillo, from where you can do short hikes directly to the mountain. we recommend the full route starting either at trailheads #1 or #2 above — though the short hikes out of Villa Cerro Castillo are excellent too for those rushed for time you may be delayed by a day or two when public transport does not show up for reasons unknown you can try hitchhiking — but there is very little traffic no special trekking permit is required no fees for the rough campsites no toilets we stayed overnight in Villa Cerro Castillo which offers several pleasant options we stayed also in Coyhaique (which suffers a disagreeable reputation in guidebooks) & quite enjoyed the town. No problems. INDEPENDENT OR GUIDED? Almost everyone hikes independently here. We are unaware of any trekking agencies offering Castillo trips. We did meet a large British youth group having an extended camping stay. LOCAL INFORMATION CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal) responsible for Parks in Chile. Try the Conaf office in Coyhaique when you get there. CONAF Guarderia Chiguay at one of the trailheads will give you last minute advice on the trek. ... add a recommendation here We asked around in the town of Villa Cerro Castillo. Folks there were quite helpful, keen on increasing tourism. BEST TREKKING GUIDEBOOKS Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes Lindenmayer & Tapp, 2003 Trekking and Climbing in the Andes - Pitkethly, Harper & Saunders, 2002 ... add a recommendation here BEST TRAVEL GUIDEBOOKS Lonely Planet Chile Hubbard, Barta & Davis, 2005 Footprint Chile Green& Janek, 2004 Footprint Backpackers' Latin America, Vol 1: Patagonia Dilks & Janek, 2005 Lonely Planet Healthy Travel Central & South America Young ... add a recommendation here OTHER RECOMMENDED BOOKS Enduring Patagonia Gregory Crouch In Patagonia Bruce Chatwin Baja to Patagonia Larry Rice Nowhere Is a Place: Travels in Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin, Paul Theroux, Jeff Gnass Patagonia: Wild Land At The End Of The Earth by Tim Hauf, Conger, Jr. Beasley, Gregory Crouch The Voyage of the Beagle Amabel Williams-Ellis, 1931 ... add a recommendation here BEST MAPS IGM Chile 1:50,000: Lago Elizalde (Section I, No 132), Balmaceda (Section I, No 133), Villa Cero Castillo (Section J, No 10) On-line maps: Water Drop Films Cerro Castillo - Punta Arenas GoChile.cl regional map add a link here BEST WEBSITES After this site, the best links are GoChile.cl Cerro Castillo National Reserves TrekkingChile.com (English, Spanish, German) Senderodechile.cl Navimag Ferries ... add a link here BEST PHOTOS & TRIP REPORTS Mike DiLorenzo trip report 2005 Rick McCharles Cerro Castillo 2-day 2004 Cerro Castillo trek Sherpalito zusk 2-day trekking 2005 Linde Waidhofer Patagonia in autumn nature photos Blue Moon Patagonia Nomadom.net Chile photos ... add a link here