Photo Credit:
Onna M. | IG: @onnadelmar | Original Post: June 18, 2020
At a Glance:
| Location: | Carr Austral, Puerto Río Tranquilo Río Ibáñez, Aysén, Chile Patagonia |
| Trail or Landmark Name / Map: | Marble Caves |
| Parking Coordinates: | -46.6229156,-72.6772916 |
| Photo Coordinates: | Near -46.6587619,-72.6277926 |
| Distance: | n/a |
| Time to Complete: | 2-3 hours |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
| Elevation Gain: | n/a |
| Quick Facts: | ✔ Entrance Fee: Varies, see below ✔ Kid Friendly ✔ Wheelchair Accessible (must transfer to boat) ✔ Restrooms Available (near the launch dock) ✖ Dog Friendly ✖ Bike Friendly |
Description:
The photographer posted this photo on June 18, 2020. Note that early morning is usually the best time to visit, not only because the sunlight hits the turquoise water just right, but also because the water is more peaceful in the morning. Winds tend to pick up in the afternoons, and cave tours may be cancelled if the waters are too choppy.
Formed by 6,000+ years of waves washing up against calcium carbonate, the Marble Caves of Patagonia are out of the way, but a true sight to behold. They are located in the middle of Lago General Carrera (General Carrera Lake) and are only accessible by boat or kayak through a tour company. Boats are cheaper (around 10,000 Chilean Pesos, or $13 USD / person at the time of this post), but kayaks will allow you to have more time to yourself in the tunnels. You can rent kayaks from a tour agency called 99% Aventura for around 40,000 Chilean Pesos (around $50 USD at the time of this post) per person.
Google Map to “Puerto Río Tranquilo” in Río Ibáñez, Aysén, Chile. Note that a 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended, as the dirt roads can get muddy and are filled with potholes. The parking coordinates listed above lead to one of the tour agencies that offers boat rides to the Marble Caves, but you will see many others along the lakefront. Most of them take cash only, and you can book your tour the same day or the day prior if you are there earlier (cannot book early online from what I can tell). The boat tour lasts about 2 hours, including 30 minutes of transportation to and from the caves each way. The boats will go inside the caves so you should be able to catch the image above.
The kayak tour, which you can book online ahead of time, lasts 3 hours. Park at the 99% Aventura Puerto Tranquilo office (“CARRETERA AUSTRAL, Río Ibáñez, Chile Chico, Chile” on Google Maps will get you close). You will be driven 5 km south to Bahía Mansa, where you will embark on your 20-minute kayak trip to the Marble Caves. You’ll explore the caves for about an hour before heading back to Bahía Mansa for the ride back to the Puerto Tranquilo office.
Helpful Links:
Reviews on Google
Additional Information
Additional Images:
