Mirador De Guadal Lodge

Set in an area of 10 hectares of native woods on the shore of Lake General Carrera, and only 10 minutes away from Carretera Austral, the eight cabins of Mirador de Guadal offer comfort, privacy, and a spectacular view of the lake and the snowcapped mountains. You will be welcomed by a warm and attentive staff, which will make your stay even more enjoyable. 

Puerto Guadal is located on the southwest shore of Lake General Carrera, 1800 kms south of Santiago, and 290 kms from Coyhaique. Coyhaique is the capital city of the region of Aysén, in the Chilean Patagonia, 40 kms away from Balmaceda airport. The road from Coyhaique to Puerto Guadal offers great views of the scenic Patagonian landscapes, and according to some experienced travelers, it is one of the most impressive stretches of Carretera Austral.

Services Available

• Restaurant
• Activities

Cabins

Mirador de Guadal has a capacity of 20 people in three different types of cabin: standard, superior, and family cabins. They are built with Coigüe and Lenga, native woods that reflect quality, comfort, simplicity, and the beauty of the native forest. They were recently remodeled and redecorated to give them a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Besides, all of them have names related to the nature of the surroundings.

The cabins are located in a tranquil, intimate setting, offering spectacular views of the lake and icebergs from their private terraces with access to the Lodge's private beach.

Features:

• Superior and standard cabins are for one or two people. Superior are more spacious and have more elegant decoration.
• Family cabins house 3-6 people. They can also be booked as 'superior' for two people.

Restaurant

Just like the cabins, the restaurant was built with native woods like cypress and lenga, providing a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Its broad windows let enjoy enjoy spectacular views of the lake and glacier while having  breakfast, lunch or just enjoying a 'pisco sour' at sunset.

It is open all day and offers a menu a la cartè with traditional Chilean and international dishes, including vegetables and herbs taken from Mirador de Guadal's greenhouse. The wine list reflects the passion of your host: they were carefully picked from the best Chilean and Argentinean vineyards.

Excursions

There’s a wide variety of activities and tours available to show you the most beautiful places of the region. Sailing, kayaking, rafting, trekking, horseback riding and sport fishing are some of the options. As an alternative you can stay one day in the lodge where the cottages and the rustic restaurant give a warm and comfortable environment for relaxing. 
Every activity includes a guide who can use the lodge’s car or you can take a self drive where you drive your own car (if it’s appropriate for the road) and the guide goes with you.

Trekking

The secrets of the Meliquina Snowdrift: Full day –Difficulty: Easy/intermediate. After breakfast you’ll leave in a van to the valley of Los Leones River. From there you’ll go walking along the Meliquina River. Only the first part of the road goes uphill. You’ll go through beautiful lenga tree forests and will have an amazing view of the river and the snowdrifts of the Northern Patagonian Icefield. After a couple of hours you’ll be in front of the Meliquina Snowdrift where you’ll have a great view of the snowdrift, its lake and valley. Here you’ll enjoy a lunch box, walk around and enjoy the tranquility of the area before going back to the van.

Looking for the petrified shellfish: Full day –Difficulty: easy/intermediate. After breakfast we’ll leave in a van to Tierras Altas, one hour away from the lodge. From there, we’ll start the trekking uphill through lenga tree forests with spectacular views of the General Carrera Lake and the Montaña Contreras ranch with its snowdrifts. After an hour we’ll get to the Verenadas where the cattle is fed. From there we’ll keep on going uphill to the rocks where the petrified shellfish are.  It’s hard to imagine that in ancient times this area was part of the Pacific Ocean. We’ll have our lunch box enjoying a panoramic view before going back to the car.

Trekking to the Exploradores Snowdrift: Full day – Difficulty: Advanced. Early after breakfast, you’ll leave to Puerto Tranquilo. From there you’ll take the route that will lead you to the Pacific coast and after 50 km you’ll get to the place where the trekking to the Exploradores Snowdrift starts. You’ll walk for half an hour before getting to the base of the Snowdrift and another hour to get to the white ice. There you’ll put metal tips to your boots so as to walk safely on the ice. Led by an expert guide you’ll take a tour to the amazing snowdrift, you’ll be able to touch de ice and enjoy the snowdrifts around you in an unforgettable experience. You’ll enjoy your lunch box in the snowdrift and after four or five hours of trekking it will take you an hour to get back to the van and go back to the Guadal viewpoint.

Trekking to Tierras Altas looking for the Escondida mine: Full day –Difficulty: Intermediate. After breakfast you’ll leave the lodge heading to Los Maquis Waterfall which is composed by other cascades, the most stunning is 25 meters high. From there you’ll follow the course of the Maquis River before getting to the Escondida mine, former zinc mine of great importance during the 1970’s. You’ll go round the mine and the remains of its buildings, and then you’ll walk to the hills where you’ll find a mysterious lenga tree forest. Here almost all the trees are totally covered with “barba del Viejo” (old man’s beard), a type of lichen which gives them a curious appearance. After enjoying your lunch box, with a wonderful view of the lenga tree forest, you’ll start the return trip to the lodge. This activity can also be done in half a day, following only the course of the Maquis River.

National Park Jeinimeni: like walking on another planet: Full day –Difficulty: Intermediate. Around 11 o’clock you’ll leave to the Jeinimeni National Park, near Chile Chico. Arriving in Chile Chico you’ll go on a short visit to the city before leaving to the National Park. After enjoying the lunch box you’ll start an exciting tour of 4 -5 hours. The trail you’ll follow goes through the valleys with a Patagonian steppe where nature stands out by its variety of geological formations. The most outstanding is the “Piedra Enclavada” rock that looks like an obelisk of almost 30 meters of height in the hillside of the valley. From here you’ll continue to las Manos cave, formed naturally, and where the ancient Patagonian indigenous, the Tehuelches, left their first traces 8000 years ago. Finally, you’ll cross to place very similar to the moon with beautiful rock formations, mazes and natural sculptures. After another half hour-walk, you’ll get to the van and drive back to the lodge.

Horseback riding

The secrets of the Meliquina Snowdrift: After breakfast you’ll leave in a van to the valley of the los Leones River. There the guide will be waiting for you with horses. You’ll go along the Meliquina River, through beautiful lenga tree forests with a spectacular view of the river and the snowdrifts of the Northern Patagonian Ice field. After about two hours you’ll be in front of the Meliquina snowdrift with views of the lake and its valley. Here you’ll enjoy the lunch box, walk around the surroundings and enjoy the tranquility of the place before going back to the van.

Adventure trip to the Leones snowdrift: Early after breakfast you’ll leave the hotel in a van or by boat to the los Leones River where the guide will be waiting for you with horses. You’ll follow a path horseback riding through the dense valley of the snowdrift before getting to the Leones Lake where you’ll have an amazing view of the three snowdrifts that join there. After enjoying your lunch box you’ll continue exploring the unspoiled surroundings. If wanted to, and if time is enough, you’ll have the chance to cross the lake by boat to the hillside of the snowdrift. Around four o’clock in the afternoon you’ll go back with the horses to take the van back to the lodge.

Looking for the petrified shellfish and the Escondida mine: After breakfast you’ll leave for Tierras Altas, 30 minutes away from the lodge, where the horses will be waiting for the first part of the tour. You’ll go to the Escondida mine, an old zinc mine that had great importance for the economy during the 1970’s. From here you’ll go to a mysterious lenga tree forest. Here almost all the trees are totally covered with “barba del Viejo” (old man’s beard), a type of lichen which gives them a curious appearance, then you’ll head to where the petrified shellfish are. It’s hard to imagine that in ancient times this area was part of the Pacific Ocean. After enjoying your lunch box, you’ll go back to the lodge.

Los Maquis River and Mepilla small lake: You’ll go in two short trips in the surroundings of the lodge. In the morning you’ll go along the course of the Maquis River. In the afternoon you’ll explore a recently opened road heading to the Bertrand Lake. First, you’ll pass by the Melipilla small lake, and then you’ll go ride a horse through a large lenga tree and coigüe forest. Finally, you’ll get to the end of the trail where you’ll have beautiful views of the Bertrand Lake and its snowdrifts. From here you’ll go back to the lodge.{/slide}

Boat excursions

Discovering the Bertrand snowdrifts: Full day –Difficulty: Intermediate. After breakfast you’ll go by van to the quaint town of Puerto Bertrand on the shores of the Baker River. From here you’ll take a boat that will sail through the Bertrand Lake with its spectacular green and blue colors just below the Bertrand snowdrift. You’ll leave the boat on the shore and go from there to the Fuentes snowdrift where you’ll enjoy a lunch box. From the top of the snowdrift you’ll have amazing views of the region, including the General Carrera Lake.

Adventure trip to the Leones snowdrift: Full day – Difficulty: Intermediate/advanced. After lunch you’ll leave the lodge by van or boat to the Los Leones River from where you’ll advance in the Leones Valley. You’ll advance as much as possible before leaving the van or the boat and will keep on walking through an enormous valley of the snowdrift until reaching the Leones Lake where you’ll have an amazing view of the three snowdrifts that join at the end of the lake. After enjoying your lunch box, you’ll climb in the surroundings exploring an unspoiled environment. If you want to, and if the weather makes it possible, you’ll have the opportunity to cross the lake by boat to the hillside of the snowdrift. Around 4 o´clock in the afternoon you’ll go back to the hotel.

The hidden beauty of the Lakes Bertrand and Plomo: Half day – Difficulty: Easy, though the walk uphill to the waterfall has and intermediate level of difficulty. After breakfast, in a van you’ll leave to the town of Puerto Bertrand on the shores of the Baker River. From here you’ll cross by boat the Bertrand Lake to a small access that will take you to the Plomo Lake. You’ll sail in the lake and will have the chance to see the Solares snowdrift surrounding you. Then, you’ll go back to the Bertrand Lake and head to the snowdrift of the Montaña Contreras Ranch. Here you’ll leave the boat and go uphill to the Tayo waterfall. After returning to the boat you’ll go back to Puerto Bertrand where you’ll have a comforting coffee before going back to the Guadal viewpoint.

Exploring the Costa Carrera: Half day – Difficulty: Easy. During this excursion you’ll sail along one of the most beautiful areas of the General Carrera Lake. First, you’ll go to the “drain” of the lake, here the Carrera Lake joins the Bertrand Lake. In this point you’ll have an amazing view of the Bertrand snowdrifts, and from there you’ll go through the northern side of the General Carrera Lake with a stunning view of the San Valentin snowdrift which is the highest part of the southern area of the Andes mountain range (4058 m). After passing by the Leones River, you’ll get to the Capillas de Mármol (marble cathedrals) an intriguing geological formation of marble islands whose walls were eroded by the turquoise waters of the lake. After visiting the Capillas de Mármol, you’ll cross the lake to get to one of the most beautiful beaches of the area, from there you’ll have an amazing panoramic view of the Carrera Lake with all the snowdrifts in front of you. Going back to the lodge will take you about 20 minutes from there.{/slide}
 

Kayaking and rafting

Kayaking and rafting in the Baker River: Half day – Difficulty: Intermediate. After breakfast or lunch you’ll leave to the town of Puerto Bertrand, from there you’ll get to the Baker River, one of the longest in Chile (200 km), going to the Pacific Ocean in Caleta Tortel. The river is perfect for whitewater rafting (class III). The van will be waiting for you where the rafting ends and will take you back to the lodge.{/slide}

Sport fishing

Fishing in the General Carrera Lake: Full day. Early after breakfast you’ll take a boat to one of the best fly fishing places in the southwest area of the beautiful General Carrera Lake. In this area “catch and release” is an obligation and you can fish rainbow trout. Once you’ve had lunch in the lodge you’ll go to the southeast area of the lake, near the Maquis, San Martin and Fachinal Rivers. After fly fishing you’ll go back to the lodge. (This activity can also be done in half a day, in the morning or in the afternoon)

Fishing in the Baker River: Full day. In this tour you’ll head to the Baker River, famous for the opportunities for fly fishing. In the van you’ll go to the town of Puerto Bertrand on the shores of the Baker. You’ll fish till lunchtime, after that you’ll go by boat to one of the best places in the course of the river. You go back to the lodge in the afternoon.

Fishing in the Cochrane Lake: Full day. Early in the morning after breakfast, you’ll leave to Cochrane and the National Reserve Tamango. You’ll fish in the Cochrane Chico Lake and then you’ll go to the Cochrane Grande Lake. Lunch on the shores of the lake and return to the lodge in the afternoon

Relaxation and nature

Nacional Reserve Tamango, looking for the Huemules: Full day – Difficulty: Easy. At 10 o’clock you’ll take a van to the town of Cochrane by the southern Carretera Austral (austral road) passing by Puerto Bertrand and the shores of the Baker Lake. During the two-hour tour you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the constant change of the environment and to see the waterfall where the Neff River joins the Baker. After a short visit to Cochrane you’ll continue to the National Reserve Tamango, and once you’ve had lunch you’ll cross the Cochrane Chico Lake with its incredible blue colors. Almost at the end of the lake you’ll disembark and go on a trip through the park looking for huemules, a Chilean type of deer.

Unspoiled nature in the Jeinimeni National Park: Full day – Difficulty: Easy. Early after breakfast you’ll leave to Jeinimeni National Park via Chile Chico. An hour and a half away from Chile Chico starts one the most beautiful tours one could take in the Patagonia. You’ll enjoy pure nature, cross rivers by jeep and go trekking through amazing unspoiled valleys having the chance to admire the fauna and flora of the area. You’ll also have the opportunity to see a great variety of animals such as flamingoes, swans, condors, foxes and huemules. You’ll cross valleys and rivers, visiting lakes and looking at the majestic peaks of the Tronadores, Jeinimeni and Pico Sur snowdrifts. After a long day you’ll go back to the Guadal viewpoint.

Camino A Chile Chico Km 2 Puerto GuadalCarretera Austral Sur