Caleta Tortel: Before I decided to visit this Chilean village at the end of the world, what struck me was its location. I invite you to take a closer look at a map of Chile to understand the complexity of this extraordinary territory of Patagonia.

The footbridges of Caleta Tortel in Chile

I always thought such a village must be worth visiting… And I was not disappointed. Caleta Tortel is a small village, isolated at the bottom of the Gulf of Peines or “Golfe de Penas”, wedged between two ice fields from north to south, at the mouth of one of the most beautiful rivers in Chile, the Baker River “Río Baker”.

Not so long ago, it was only accessible by sea. Today, a few kilometers of track from the southern route can give us access. The few people to venture there are the travelers who move further south, at the end of the southern route: Villa O’higgins, a unique village in the world, amidst landscapes of sad beauty. The 507 inhabitants (as I write these lines) live on cutting and selling cypress wood.

Village of the Chilean fjords

Here no fishermen. This village has the particularity of having no street or no path: it’s crossed only through bridges over 8 km and where it’s nice to stroll and walk. Place out of time, there are very few tourists; the hospitality of its inhabitants will seduce you. Spending a few days is a unique experience, totally different from anything you’ve ever known before.

Caleta Tortel offers original boat trips on small local boats. Two glaciers are accessible; it will take you a day of navigation for each of them, for a unique and authentic experience in the fjords of Chilean Patagonia.

Visit Caleta Tortel