Refugio Cochamó — Hotel in Cochamó

There are a number of hikes in to the Andes in this area, but a lot of them are in national parks and the access and facilities can be haphazard. The land and refugio here are privately held (which comes with its own set of problems), so the trail and facilities cater more to higher volume public use. That said, higher volume still means you likely won't see too many other people going in or coming out.||||Drove from Puerto Montt, which took about 3 hours (main road can sometimes have work crews on it, this slows you down). Parked at the houses just off the road at the trailhead and hired a horse to take extra clothes and gear to the refugio (this needs to be planned out ahead of time). Trail itself is reasonably easy to follow (there's one spot that's a little overgrown, but stay high and you'll be ok). Took about 5 hours leisurely walking to get to the refugio. Last hour or so is thru grassy fields with great views of the mountains (if it's not too cloudy).||||The refugio is very comparable to those you'll find in the States or Europe. There are two private rooms each with a double bed (and door) and hostel "group" mixed sleeping for about another 10 people. There is a working shower with hot water (evenings only), a large great room with wood burning stove, and a kitchen with sink, burners and utensils. The staff also cooks breakfast and dinner (you have to make arrangements for dinner as it's not included with the bed). Dinner food was filling and plentiful, and mostly vegetarian unless you ask for additions. Think we had lentil Shepards pie one night, pizza the next, and a soup/salad/bread combination the third. All quite good and in keeping with the location. ||||Prices were in keeping with Chile and the general remoteness of the refugio (Chile is not cheap anymore, but this is definitely an affordable stop). I'd quote them to you, but they've likely fluctuated with the fluctuating peso/dollar. The owners of the property were straightforward and trustworthy in every dealing, so email them and they'll let you know the best rates.||||The setting, hikes and people you'll meet make this an almost guaranteed success (the weather's the only issue ... bring rain gear and be ready for some mud). Everyone we met was interested in sharing hikes, stories, a drink and a song (guitar on the wall). It's what hiking in the Andes should be and you're sure to take out some...

We had been wanting to hike in Cochamo for three years, but the weather made us cancel our trip the previous two. Other than a rainy day hiking in, the weather held for us. We were happy to arrive at the Refugio after a 5-hour or so hike in through a sometimes sludgy woodland trail. We were joined on the trail by at least 200 other hikers, mostly Chilean college kids on vacation. I was very happy to see them in the wilderness. We chose to stay in the Refugio rather than camp mainly because we knew it would be crowded, preferred not to carry in three meals a day, and thought we might meet some interesting folks, which we did. We had a delightful conversation with Daniel but did not meet Silvina. They are doing a phenomenal job of preserving a natural treasure of Chile! The staff was extremely helpful, especially Nair, the vegetarian dinner ample and delicious, the bed in the private room was comfy, and the dorms were quite adequate. I loved gliding over the river in a canopy chair to arrive at the Refugio. We met really nice hikers. It would have been fine to camp as well. In fact, the best views we saw were from the campsite. I hadn't researched the hikes and didn't realize most are technical, with ropes- better suited for climbers. But I am really glad that I visited this amazing natural forest preserve and hope that Daniel and Silvina are able to continue...

It took us 5 hours to hike into the lodge, and it was well worth every step. Be prepared and take it seriously, but it is not a difficult hike. The sun in summer does not set until 10pm, so start early and you'll have plenty of time to take breaks to enjoy the temperate rain forest that you hike through. ||||The family who runs this lodge have created a happy world of laughter that makes staying here such a pleasure. Delicious vegetarian food. I am a carnivore and I never left dinner feeling hungry. My friend is a vegetarian and she raved about the food. Order the plate every night, it is worth it. Be sure to stay several days; even though the hike in is beautiful, there are even more stunning hikes that originate from the lodge (DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT HIKING UP TO TRINIDAD). ||||I shared a private room with my wife, but the shared sleeping area seemed well taken care of too. Limited hot water, but it...