There is a lot of information one should know before going to the valley. The following are some of the most important for your visit.
This is not an area for visitors without mountain experience. Extensive mountain trekking experience is required. If you are a beginner with minimal or no experience, we recommend that you consider a national park or other destination that is more accessible and friendly to first-timers.
Some of La Junta's trails are particularly dangerous. The trails that access peaks and some high valleys are demanding, exposed and dangerous. The Arco Iris is one of the most popular treks, and a very dangerous one because of its steep slopes and possibility of deadly falls. Trails with these characteristics are recommended for people with mountain experience.
This area is also very isolated. The nearest basic assistance service is in the town of Cochamó. Any accident in the La Junta sector can result in serious injury or even death.
The popular "slides" or "toboganes" are extremely dangerous. They are the source of most accidents in Cochamó. Don't be fooled by the fun videos you'll find online. The videos do not show the brain injuries, fractures, cuts and other accidents that many people have already suffered after sliding down or just walking on the slippery rock. It is important not to forget that this accident involves not only the reckless person but many other people.
Round trip from the trailhead to La Junta / Toboganes is very demanding and not recommended. It is essential to be in very good physical condition and start early for this 8-to-12-hour hike. Round trip is a journey of 24 kilometers that can also have a lot of mud. See La Junta / Toboganes in a Day.
Respect the accesses provided and private property. Don't jump or go through fences.
Read and respect signage.
Please never camp on the shores or beaches of rivers and lakes. Let's take care of these common use spaces and the waters used for drinking. Camp only in established campgrounds.
Don't pay for access. If a private individual, landowner, campground or anyone else tries to charge you for access to a river, waterfall, lake, climbing area or other place of interest, don't pay. The only places where they can demand payment are campgrounds and lodges. There have been a few cases and you should know what to do. See Access is always free within the Cochamó Valley for more information.
Some important points are mentioned here, but there are more. You can see more essential information about your visit at What to Know Before You Go to Cochamó Valley.
Thanks to the work of local Chilean gauchos, climbers and other trekking enthusiasts, there are a variety of options for walking, trekking and accessing climbing walls. They include the trail to La Junta, the La Junta trails and the trek to Lago Vidal Gomaz / Manso.
The trail from the Visitor Center to La Junta is the main entrance and exit to the valley. It requires a 4-to-6-hour hike, through forest, pampas, watercourses of all sizes, mud, roots and boulders. You can see its description in more detail and see photos at The Cochamó Valley Trail - La Junta.
From La Junta you can access magnificent trails and some summits. These hikes allow you to immerse yourself in the Valdivian rainforest, ancient alerce forests, granite walls, waterfalls, breathtaking views and the possibility of seeing a condor up close. Most of the hikes take all day.
Continuing up the valley and then to Lago Vidal and the Manso River is a multi-day trek. Here are some links for more information.
• PasionPorLaRuta: Travesia De Cochamó a Paso el León, Cruzando a pie la Cordillera de los Andes
• WikiExplora: Travesia Cochamó - Paso el León
• AndesHandBook: Travesía Cochamó - Puelo
We recommend reading the following:
Each month can highlight the beauties of the valley. With the exception of winter, it can be a challenge to choose when to go. And to complicate planning, Patagonian weather is difficult to predict.
A common mistake is not knowing how long to go for, booking for only one night and once up there regretting not having booked for more days. Going up for one night is only recommended if there is no other option. Getting to La Junta requires logistics and energy and if you stay only one night you will spend most of your time going up and then down.
Stays for climbers usually can be weeks to months depending on their goals. There are discounts in the campground para tales estadías. Para ayudar programar tu viaje de escalada, debes ver como Planning Your Climbing Trip.
Reserve your spot before you go. Visitors must have and show a confirmed reservation before they are allowed to enter the Cochamó Valley Trail. Campgrounds and lodges are usually at maximum capacity during the summer and long weekends. Help care for the valley by respecting its maximum capacity. See the page Why reserve?
Camping La Junta offers an ideal base camp in the epicenter of the valley. You can also opt for a bed, bathroom, hot shower and meals at the Refugio Cochamó (bed & breakfast).
To see other options, go to reservasvallecochamo.org.
Hay varias opciones de camping y hospedaje en el comienzo del sendero o bien cerca. Algunas de las recomendadas son:
• La Frontera Hostal y Camping
• Camping El Laurel
See more options at reservasvallecochamo.org.
At Lago Vidal there are options at each end of this long lake separated by a 3-to-4-hour trek. The Bahamonde family has a campground on the northeast shore. On the south side Doña Luisa and Don Maqui run a hostel and campground.
Provisions in La Junta: During the high season, it is sometimes possible to find bread or other very basic provisions. However, you should not count on them. Buy all the necessary supplies before you arrive.
Fires are prohibited unless in established fire rings within campsites and not during a warm or dry period. Use stoves over campfires for cooking due to lack of firewood and air pollution. When there is no wind, La Junta and other sectors may have a cloud of smoke above campfires and La Junta in general.
Cooking: The campgrounds in La Junta do not offer cooking supplies like pots, pans, cutlery, etc. You must bring your own. Fuels, as shown in the photo, can be purchased in Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt in many hardware stores or large supermarkets in the camping sector. You can recycle the cartridges at the recycling center at the Visitor's Center.
You can opt to have your packs carried up by a packhorse, or pilchero. You can also choose to ride up. Check out the packhorse page for more details.
Before the 1990s, only guachos, a few locals, rumors of Butch Cassidy and occasional tourists traveled the Cochamó Valley. In the late 1990s, hikers and climbers began to explore, opening climbing routes to snow-capped peaks, photographic records of waterfalls, pristine rivers and an almost magical forest. Stories of a new Yosemite from Chile attracted many more, especially since this Yosemite has no cars nor roads and fewer people.
The revelation to the world of this green and wonderful corner, an amusement park for lovers of nature and adventure sports and outdoor life served at the time to save it from a fate of hydroelectric dams and deforestation.
While the popularity of the area has not stopped growing, in recent years it has had to face new threats that in the end always have to do with greed and selfishness, situations where individual needs prevail over the conservation and care of Cochamó's unique natural resources and of course over the common good: heli-tourism, megaprojects, overpopulation, abandoned garbage and pollution, are just a few of the problems.
Fortunately much of the local community, non-profit organizations and many people who live elsewhere, but have left part of their hearts there, are working to keep this wonder roadless and consolidate it as a collaborative protected area.