Cochrane is a town in southern Aysén and the largest town on the Carretera Austral south of Coyhaique. Originally named Pueblo Nuevo, the town was renamed Cochrane in honor of Lord Thomas Cochrane: napoleonic war hero, disgraced British parliament member, and Vice Admiral of the Chilean Navy. Cochrane was extremely isolated until 1988, when construction of the Carretera Austral finally reached the pueblito. Today, the town is a regional hub and a fundamental pitstop for cyclists and backpackers en route to and from Villa O'Higgins.
The rugged, relatively dry area surrounding Cochrane is ripe for discovery. To the town's north, Reserva Nacional Tamango provides a high-quality, wilderness experience for trekkers looking to get off the beaten path. The reserve also claims to be home to the largest population of huemul (South Andean deer) in Chile.
Best in Cochrane
Eat & Drink
La Taberna Tehuelche Cerveceria
Centrally-located pub serving delicious home-brewed craft beer, pizzas, sandwiches and protein plates. Draft beer can be ordered by the liter and meal portions are generous — the tablas calientas are seriously massive and sure to satisfy even the hungriest cyclist. The interior of the pub features expertly crafted tables & benches and local art. Patio-seating is available out front.
Stay
Camping San Lorenzo*
Clean site with friendly staff that won't break the bank (~$5,000 CLP). Features a shared kitchen and two bathrooms. There is wifi, but don't expect too much from it. Note that it is essentially sharing someone's garden as a campsite: space is limited and the place is usually full in the high season.
* Bicycle Patagonia recommends forming a group of 4 (or more) and renting a cabaña, which are plentiful in Cochrane.
Explore Nearby
Puerto Bertrand
At the southern tip of Lago Bertrand, where the powerful Río Baker is born, sits Puerto Bertrand, a tiny town famous for it's fishing. The Carretera Austral connects the town with nearby regional hubs of Cochrane and Chile Chico. Tourism is growing here, and organized river-rafting and fishing tours are available. Puerto Bertrand has two small markets (cash only) and various accommodation options (during the town's annual fishing championship, held every February, accommodation can be difficult to find).
Valle Chacabuco
Once merely a sheep estancia, today Valle Chacabuco is a key stop for trekkers exploring the Reservas Nacionales Jeinimeni and Tamango. Situated at the heart of the future Parque Patagonia, the tiny village contains accommodation (camping and a luxurious lodge) and easy access to trails heading north toward Chile Chico and south toward Cocrhane.
For an extremely detailed history of the village, check out the Conservation Patagonia blog.
Vehicle Access
From Carretera Austral (17 km north of Cochrane & 2.5 km south of Río Chacabuco bridge), head east on X-83 toward Paso Roballos. Follow the road for 11km for Valle Chacabuco.
Río Baker
Chile's largest river by volume, Río Baker's is born just south of Puerto Bertrand, at Lago Bertrand's southernmost point. Fueled by glacial runoff from Lago General Carrera and Lago Bertrand, the river (eventually) empties into the Pacific Ocean near Caleta Tortel. Due to mapping errors, many maps erroneously label the river as "Río Cochrane." The river tracks the eastern frontier of the Northern Patagonian Ice Field, through Chile's Aysén region.
Lago Cochrane
Lago Cochrane is a large, boomerang shaped lake to the east of Cochrane and is the southern border of Reserva Nacional Tamango. The lake spans between both Chile and Argentina, and on the Argentina side it's known as Lago Pueyrredón. It is the source of Río Cochrane which flows west into Río Baker and eventually the Pacific Ocean.
History Spotlight
Lord Thomas Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane (1775-1860) was a British/Chilean sailor who joined the British Royal Navy at the age of 17. As a commander during the Napoleonic Wars, he successfully performed many daring maritime maneuvers, leading Napoleon himself to nickname Cochrane: Le Loup des Mers (“The Wolf of the Seas”).
In 1807, Cochrane was elected to the British parliament, where he championed parliamentary reform. He was dismissed from the British Royal Navy following a controversial conviction in the Great Stock Exchange Fraud of 1814 (eighteen years later, he was pardoned and reinstated).
In 1818, at the request of Bernardo O’Higgins, Cochrane sailed to Chile to assist in its independence effort against Spain. He became a Chilean citizen in December 1818, thirteen days after arriving in Valparaiso. After being appointed Vice Admiral, Cochrane reorganized the Chilean Navy and lead the successful capture of Valdivia from Spain. This effectively ended the last vestiges of Spanish power in mainland Chile — from Valdivia, Spanish forces retreated first to Osorno, then to Chiloe, where they were eventually defeated.
In 1820, Cochrane assisted in the independence of Peru by blockading the Pacific coast and capturing Esmeralda, which, at the time, was the most powerful Spanish ship in South America.
Cochrane also aided Brazil in its independence efforts from Portugal and Greece in its independence struggle against the Ottoman Empire.
by John Cook (based on a painting by James Ramsay)
Bike route from Cochrane to Caleta Tortel