The needle of the over 100-year-old gramophone scratches across the grooves of the record. The sound of a tango emanates from the large funnel. Tito is visibly proud of this heirloom from his grandfather. It dates back to a time when the first settlers from Argentina were trying their luck down here in central Patagonia. Tito is the kind of gaucho you see in films: His skin is leathery, his body really wiry from working in the fields and with the horses. The 62-year-old's hard life is plain to see. His gaze falls on our high-tech e-bikes:
In the past, we didn't calculate in weeks or months, but in seasons. That's how long it took to exchange our agricultural produce up north for other goods. You, on your electric horses, you look like you've come straight from the future.
That may be true, but our "time capsule" in the form of an aeroplane still needed 48 hours to beam us from spring in the northern hemisphere to the beginning of autumn in the southern hemisphere to central Patagonia. "It's not too cold for biking in autumn," Pato had promised us, "...and the colours are much brighter." Nevertheless, we should pack enough warm clothes, as there won't be many shops where we will be travelling to buy a thick jacket in an emergency. And so Tom Öhler and I end up in Balmaceda with unusually thick bike luggage for 12 days.
Aysén - the unknown Patagonia
The Patagonia region stretches across practically the last 2000 kilometres of the South American continental tip and is divided in two by the Andes mountains: The eastern, Argentinian side is desert-like and dry. The western, Chilean side, on the other hand, is characterised by rugged mountain peaks, glaciers with deep blue lakes and huge rainforests. A place of longing for nature lovers, adventurers and mountaineers.
There weren't that many mountain bikers when Pato decided to turn his back on the capital Santiago de Chile in spring 2020 and relocate to Patagonia with his family. As a mountain guide and mountain biker, he deliberately decided against the tourist hotspots of Torres del Paine and El Chaltén: "Of course these are beautiful areas, but as a mountain biker you are only allowed to ride on the wide gravel tracks there. It's different here in the Aysén region. You will experience it!"
Coyhaique - the Whistler of Patagonia
In Coyhaique, the regional capital of Aysén, the numerous bike shops immediately catch our eye. Lots of mountain bikers weave through the traffic. Pato points to a mountain behind the town: "More than a dozen trails start up there. I'll ride up there with you tomorrow morning." And by early, the Chilean really does mean early, as it is still dark when we get back into his pick-up in the morning. But we can watch the mountains wake up.
As we come to a halt at the radar station at the summit, the surrounding mountains glow in a soft, orange-coloured light. It's a scene you want to breathe in deeply, but I've barely pulled the door handle to get out when the wind rips the door from my fingers. Wow!
Pato laughs: "Yes, the Pacific winds sweep through the mountains here practically unchecked. Wait, I'll park the other way round."
The gusts of wind are not only strong, but also freezing cold. It feels at least 10 degrees colder than down in the city. That's why we don't linger long with the beautiful view. "Vamos hermanos!" shouts Pato and sets off at a good pace. There is no sign of a trail. We plunge after him into a huge sandy gravel field and try to imitate the Chilean: simply make wide turns. It feels like riding in deep snow - and when we stop at the tree line after a few hundred metres and look back, it really does look like that: Everyone has carved their own line into the slope.
In the forest, the road becomes earthy, rooty and single-track, just as we know it. "Let's do it again," Tom shouts enthusiastically as we reach the outskirts of Coyhaique. No problem: the shuttle is ready and waiting - off we go on the next lap. But this time Pato takes a different direction at the top of the gravel slope and a few kilometres later we are standing in front of a ski lift that has seen better days. "Our original plan was to build a bike park with a lift here," Pato explains. But after the initial euphoria, it was realised that - in contrast to Whistler - there are simply not enough bikers here for such a project.
Expedition to the glacial lake
Villa Cerro Castillo is the name of our next spot. A small nest at the foot of a 2674 metre high mountain massif of the same name. Less than 400 people live here, but Pato and his family are among them. A few bicycle tourists sometimes get lost here, but no mountain bikers with suspension travel. Except Pato, of course. "I'll show you my home trails, but would you like to try out a new route with me afterwards?" Sure, we do!
We reach the starting point of our mini-expedition after an hour's drive. Thanks to motorised assistance, we cover the first part of the route quickly and easily on wide logging roads. Then it gets more challenging. We are faced with a massive, steep scree slope. A glance at the map confirms my suspicions: we probably have to go up there.
I decide to leave my bike here and continue on foot. Pato and Tom shoulder their bikes and off we go. We trudge through alpine gravel for two hours and when at least 100 metres of altitude still loom over us, I break off. "Go on, I'll just follow you with the drone!" I can see on my display how the boys take off at the top: Pato goes first, Tom follows behind. The two of them cut deep tracks in the gravelly ground, I can hear them whooping from afar. "That's freeride, hermanos," shouts an enthusiastic Pato as they finally swing off next to me and high-five each other.
We continue down to the glacial lake. It feels like we're in a high alpine landscape, easily around the 3000 metre mark - but it's hard to believe: it's just 1100 metres above sea level. Nevertheless, a huge glacier tongue is stuck in the mountain directly behind us and there is no vegetation in sight far and wide. Actually, only our breathing confirms that the altitude information on the map must be correct.
In the wild south: a ride into the past
"Let's go further south, there are still a few spots waiting for you that you have to see," Pato announces after a few days on his home trails. We haven't been sitting in the pickup for long before the deep blue waters of the Lago General Carrera on. Chile's largest lake, which stretches across the border into Argentina. The road soon changes from tarmac to gravel. "This is the end of tarmac," Pato explains. "Except for a few metres through the villages, this gravel road now stretches all the way to the southernmost tip of our continent." Thank goodness we're not travelling here on our bikes. With all the traffic, we would have been bound to get pneumoconiosis.
It is already evening when we arrive at Gaucho Tito's house. His son Eugenio is friends with Pato and has invited us along. The boy is a passionate mountain biker and glacier guide himself. Pato, Eugenio and Tom pass the time with an old gaucho game: the foot bone of a cow has to be thrown as close as possible to a target. Tito, on the other hand, prefers to show me his grandfather's gramophone and then turns his attention to the creaking tango sounds of the fireplace. The pieces of meat for our dinner are about to sizzle over it.
The next morning, Pato makes room in the back of his pick-up. In addition to the three e-bikes and our equipment, two tents and a full set of camping gear are now also to come along. It would be a shame to leave Patagonia without having spent a night in a tent, says the Chilean. And he has already scouted out the perfect spot: we pitch our tents near Miraflores, right on the banks of a river, with a clear view of the Andes mountain range. Later, around the campfire, we gaze up at a night sky with constellations that are completely unknown to us and Pato talks about his vision: "One day, I will have turned this region into a bike destination. It has the potential."
We can only agree with him, because Puerto Guadal, the last trail spot on our trip, also impresses with epic backcountry trails. The town itself is a sleepy nest, but we meet even fewer people on the mountain trails around it in two days. "Hermanos, I have good news and bad news for you," Pato tells us the evening before our return journey. "The bad news is that the ferry from Chile Chico to Puerto Ingeniero is fully booked, so unfortunately we can't take the lorry." So another eight hours travelling halfway around the lake? Phew.
Okay, what's the good news? "From here, it's another 105 kilometres to the ferry port in Chile Chico. You can manage that with the e-bikes, and there's definitely room for cyclists on the ship.
So Tom and I get to enjoy the longest bike stage of the trip. Fortunately, the road is not part of the busy north-south axis. We might come across 20 cars when the going gets tough! Instead, the landscape changes every half hour and, together with the two-hour ferry ride across the lake, we get a full load of glossy Patagonia at the end.
We only realised how lucky we were with the weather on the drive to the airport, as it was suddenly pouring with rain. In fact, we had 12 days of sunshine in a row and not the four seasons in one day that Patagonia is otherwise so famous for. This makes it almost a little difficult to fly back into the future with our 48-hour time capsule.
Our guide Pato Gocola
Born and raised in Santiago de Chile, Pato made a name for himself early on in the Chilean mountain bike scene as an extreme biker. In 2024, he successfully completed his long-running project to cycle the highest mountains in Chile. He lives with his family in Villa Cerro Castillo.
What you need to know - info & tips
Patagonia is one of the wildest regions on earth. In Coyhaique, you can still find the usual infrastructure and a lively bike scene. Behind it, towards the south, you find yourself battling through the wind and weather, increasingly deserted.
How to get there
From Europe you fly to Santiago de Chile (SCL, flight time from Frankfurt from 18 hours) and from there by domestic flight to Balmaceda, Patagonia (BBA, flight time 2.5 hours). Balmaceda is the most important airport in the region. From here it is about 55 kilometres by car to the town of Coyhaique.
The precinct
Patagonia stretches across the southernmost tip of the South American continent, covering an area around five and a half times the size of Germany. However, only two to three million people live in Patagonia. The Andes divide the region into two climate zones. Pacific winds storm unchecked into the western, Chilean part and often cause extreme weather changes there: Patagonia's famous four seasons in one day. The eastern side of the Andes, which faces away from the weather, rarely experiences any of this. Argentinian Patagonia is therefore desert-like and dry.
Best time to travel
The Chilean summer lasts from November to the beginning of March with daytime temperatures averaging 15 to 20 degrees. The weather is most stable in February and March.
National parks
In principle, biking is permitted throughout the country. However, the national parks each have their own rules. In most cases, mountain bikers must stay on the main trails. For example, around the famous Torres del Paine in the south of the region.
Coyhaique Bike Park
The capital of the Aysén region (57,000 inhabitants) is surrounded by mountains and is therefore pleasantly sheltered from the wind. Skiers come here in winter and more and more mountain bikers in summer. This is also because the local bike scene has now created and signposted a number of trails here. In the long term, an old lift is to be reactivated here in order to get a little closer to the great bike park model of Whistler. Until then, e-MTBs and shuttle vehicles are being used here.
Travelling expenses
Patagonia is not one of the cheapest South American holiday destinations. The price level is roughly the same as in Europe. However, accommodation in the high season and entry to the national parks are relatively expensive. However, self-catering travellers in rented motorhomes can expect a budget of 60-80 euros per day. Local currency: Chilean pesos (1000 CLP = 0.89 euros).
Guided tours
Even if you are self-catering, it is best to hire a guide for the first few tours. This way you quickly get a feel for the special trails, have the shuttle service with you and learn how to deal with the strong wind. A good address in Coyhaique that offers a complete service for bikers: patagoniabikers.cl
