La Junta Cochamo Valley an alternative to Torres del Paine

One of the best kept secrets of Chile, La Junta an adventurers paradise. A two hour ride from the town of Puerto Varas is Cochamo located on a fjord. Another 10km by foot will get you to the camp site in La Junta. There are no plastic wrapped tour packages or busses to shuttle thousands of tourists in and out. Every step in this hidden paradise, takes you further into the real paradise of Patagonia. 

If you are a nature lover you are going to fall in love with La Junta. It's the Yosemite of South America, the giant granite domes that skirt the valley, cristal clear water in its rivers and immense forrest are absolutely breath taking. It is still cemented in its natural beauty, far from the hoards of tourists. Thanks to the lack of public transport.

The hike from Cochamo, can be a bit challenging when it rains the trail can be pretty muddy, so checking the weather before hand is a handy tip!

There's but one camping ground in the valley. There is hot running water for a shower and washing dishes and place to make a fire. You are expected to carry all the trash you take in back out with you. There is now also a B&B for those that just cant take sleeping in a tent, however its still rustic. Mobile phones have no coverage out here and there are no ATM's. So your experience out here is with out interruption, I think of it as a huge plus.

The most common mistake trekkers have mentioned was staying for only one night. My advise is 4-5 days, if you have two weeks you still wont run out of places to explore out here.

Hiking the area expect to see granite walls, alerce forests, spectacular views and peaks. Climbing the granite walls, you will need to bring your own gear. Hours from any city, supermarket or hospital, it's important to have everything you need before you arrive. Puerto Varas is a great base to get you all you need before starting this adventure.

One thing to keep in mind,  it is not a national park. No rescue team nor paramedics are at hand to come rushing to an emergency. One should always tell someone of your route and expected return.