Carretera Austral to the End of the World
Duration
14 days
13 nights lodging
Distance
3,850 km
~275 km/day avg
Terrain split
58% off-road
42% technical tarmac
Satisfaction
4.98 / 5
68 verified expeditions
Route overview
Spanning the southern cone from the northern lakes of Bariloche to the legendary End of the World at Bahia Lapataia, the Patagonia Explorer is one of the world's most dramatic dual-sport endeavours.
Riders cross between Argentina and Chile several times, alternating the gravel ribbons of the Carretera Austral (Chilean Route 7) with the unforgiving crosswinds of Argentina's mythical Ruta 40.
Patagonian winds
Crosswind gusts routinely hit 90+ km/h on open pampas. We drill dynamic counter-steering and echelon riding tactics.
Dedicated 4x4 support
A Ford F-350 chase vehicle carries fresh knobbies, spare parts, medical gear and luggage throughout.
Route log
+18,400 m cumulative · 14.2% steepest
Bariloche arrival & fleet orientation
Bariloche · -
Fleet handover, ergonomics setup, gravel drills on the lake circuit and gear check.
Ruta 40 southbound into Chubut & Esquel
Bariloche - Esquel · 290 km
Open pampas, hard crosswinds and the first long ripio stretches of Ruta 40.
Carretera Austral & Queulat hanging glacier
Esquel - Puyuhuapi · 265 km
Border crossing at Futaleufú, then deep fjord gravel under the Queulat ice cap.
Lago General Carrera to Paso Roballos
Puyuhuapi - Cochrane · 240 km
Marble caves, a 1,450 m paso and a long descent into the Cochrane valley.
Mount Fitz Roy & Perito Moreno ice front
Cochrane - El Chaltén · 310 km
Back into Argentina, glacier viewpoints and the granite spires of Fitz Roy.
Strait of Magellan ferry & finish in Ushuaia
El Chaltén - Ushuaia · 420 km
Punta Delgada RORO crossing, Tierra del Fuego steppe and the finish at Bahia Lapataia.
Field kit
BMW R 1250 GS
Tubeless spoked rims, heavy-duty crash bars, Heidenau K60 Scout knobbies.
Yamaha Ténéré 700
Rally-biased off-road setup with long-travel KYB suspension and aluminium skid plate.
KTM 890 Adventure R
WP XPLOR suspension for aggressive gravel, low-slung tanks for stability.
Field dispatches
Rider notes
1 note · Every note is reviewed before publishing.
Test Rider04 Oct 2026
La traccia GPX è precisa fino all'ultimo waypoint. Consiglio di partire presto per il vento.