Cochrane (population 2,217) is 345 kilometers south of Coyhaique and 225 kilometers north of Villa O’Higgins.

Once literally the end of the road, the tidy town of Cochrane may still have more horses than automobiles, but, says one immigrant, “If you park your horse in front of the bar now, you’ll get a ticket for shitting on the sidewalk.” Tidy enough for a frontier settlement, thanks to its neatly landscaped Plaza de Armas and broad paved streets, its main appeal lies in the surrounding countryside of Reserva Nacional Lago Cochrane, sometimes known as Reserva Nacional Tamango, north and northeast of town. If and when Valle Chacabuco achieves protected status, Cochrane could see a major outdoor recreation boom.

Cochrane is still an obligatory stop for southbound wanderers, partly because it’s the last accommodations and food for nearly 300 kilometers and partly because it’s home to Casa Melero, Patagonia’s greatest general store. It’s the place to buy camping gear, canoes, chainsaws, chocolate, fine wines, fishing gear, and almost anything else you can’t find between here and Antarctica. Cochrane was also, apparently, the end of the line for the traveling salesman who peddled the lurid red bedspreads to so many cheap Carretera Austral hotels.

Getting There

Buses Don Carlos (Prat 281, tel. 067/522150) goes overland to Coyhaique (US$17, 10 hours) and intermediates Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Interlagos (San Valentín 466, tel. 067/522606) goes to Coyhaique daily at 9 a.m. (US$16, 10–11 hours).

Buses Los Ñadis (Los Helechos 420, tel. 067/522196) goes to Villa O’Higgins (US$19, 6 hours), a subsidized route on which local residents have priority, Monday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Transportes Alé (Las Golondrinas 399, tel. 067/522448) goes to Puerto Guadal and Chile Chico (US$21, 6 hours) Thursday and Sunday at 1:15 p.m. Buses Acuario 13 (Río Baker 349, tel. 067/522143) goes to Caleta Tortel (US$9, 3 hours) at 9:15 a.m. daily except Monday and Saturday.