Cambios

From Cochamo I walked 15KM on the road to Ralun crossroad (see transport section) Basic shop Minimercado El Cruce at Ralun Cross. Then 9KM on a good dirt road with a little traffic to 'Pass 510 metres'. You could probably hitch part of this if you want. After the pass the road deteriorates to a rough track. Cross a log bridge before Lago Cayutue. Beautiful campsite by the lake, one of the best on the GPT so far . On day 2 I walked to Lago todos los Santos & met Eduardo. He lives at the first house you come to NOBO just before the lake. He was busy & his boat was out of the water but agreed to take me for 80,000 CLP. Other houses & boats there are owned by weekenders who are rarely present. I believe Eduardo is your only option NOBO. However he said he is usually there & only goes to town occasionally. The crossing is spectacular with views of Osorno, Tronador & Puntiagudo. I continued to the camp at the hot spring. The spring is in a locked shed & there is a basic refuge there, also locked. Rudy came by on his horse in the evening to open the shed. 10,000 CLP to camp & use the spring. If you want to be sure the spring or refuge are open then call in at Refugio dos Condores NOBO. Note the location marked for Refugio dos Condores on Openstreetmap which is used by Gaia & other apps is not correct. The location marked on the track files is the correct one. After Refugio dos Condores you cross a small bridge & on a ridge there are two signs saying Aguas Calientes 2KM. Don't follow the track file here but go down left at the signs on a trail, cross a small stream & go up to a meadow with some farm houses. Go out flat across the meadow with the houses on your right, continuing on a trail in the forest. After 1.5KM you rejoin the track file. This is much easier than the track file route (I used the 2019 track file) Day 3: Pay attention after Pass 830M, there are a lot of switchbacks in the forest & the route is not obvious. Laguna los Quetros is also a very nice camp but I continued to Las Gaviotas. Got the ferry out at 8PM. This unscheduled ferry does not connect to a bus. I walked out 3KM to Entre Rios, cheap camping, cabanas & basic shop. The campsite has tap water & rabbits but no toilet or shower. The entire route has now been cut back, hardly any bush bashing. There are quite a few mud wallows on the track but you can go around them. Part of the route is on sunken trails & it's likely to flood out & be a mudbath after rain.

The ferry to Puerto Buey leaves right from the beach every day except Tuesday and Saturday, and costs 200 CLP as previously written. It leaves around 7-8 am and probably some other times as well, we took it Friday at 14 and we saw it leaving twice in the evening Thursday. Puerto Buey is even smaller than Las Gaviotas. The bus left from Puerto Buey (the shed where you get dropped of by the ferry) directly to Osorno at 15:30. We were told that the morning ferry matches a bus that only goes to Puerto Octay, but maybe there are more busses buses from there. As has been written before, it's possible to walk to Puerto Buey along a gravel road by the lake.

Also along Minimercado El Cruce at junction with the gravel road between Ralún and Cochamóin Ralun, very basic. They have drinks, probably wine & possibly pasta. There is a kiosk in Las Gaviotas by the beach with basic snacks & drinks but its opening hours are irregular. On the road 1KM before Ralun NOBO there is a food truck but it only opens in the evenings after 5PM & may be closed in low season. There are many lodgments and meal offersno other resupply options along the road Cochamo-Ralun although there are cabanas about every 4KM, some may provide food if you stay there.