Cambios

The regular hiking and packrafting route passes the Chilean border control post in Candelario Mansilla and the Argentine border control post at the northern end of Lago el Desierto. These posts are 26 km apart (shortest distance) and if you do not walk into these two border controls posts yourself you will not get the required exit and entry stamp and become an “illegal immigrant”in the neighboring country. Don’t expect aanything at the border itself or to get stopped by the police in the corresponding places.

Don’t expect Be aware that the GPT route takes a significant detour between these border controls and crosses the actual border at an non-officil location at the Refugio el Diabolo. If you ask the border police for permission to get cross the border in this location than your request will probably be denied so better don’t ask and just tell that you are on the way to the Chile/Argentina without specifying the exact route (when asking for your exit stamp).

But the GPT route crosses the actual border at We have taken this non-officil location at the Refugio el Diaboloofficial route twice in January 2017 and January 2019 without any issue.

We Worst case scenario is that you arrive with a several days old exit stamp on the other side and the border control police becomes upset and ask you to walk back on the shortest route (Option 1) to get a fresh stamp but I have taken not heard this route twice happening in January 2017 and January 2019 without any issuerecent years.