Barcaza Padre Antonio Ronchi is the ferry that connects the Carretera Austral between Puerto Yungay and Río Bravo, through Fiordo Mitchell (free, 1 hour). Puerto Yungay – Río Bravo: 10 a.m., noon, 6 p.m. Río Bravo – Puerto Yungay: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 7 p.m. A sign on the north edge of town displays the current hours of this ferry. It also has a hand-carved sign below warning of the difficulty of hitchhiking northward.
Whether you’re bussing or flying out, Dan Carlos is the only act in town (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 3-6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-noon. Lago O’Higgins, between Río Pascua and Río Mayer). During the low season, bus service is less frequent. Rains or snows can temporary close the road at any time of the year.
Bus to Cochrane: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 8 a.m., $22, 7-8 hours. Plane to Coyhaique: (in summer) Monday, Thursday 1 p.m., $72, 1.3 hr There is no service from Villa O’Higgins to Caleta Tortel, and the Villa-O’Higgins – Cochrane bus does not meet the Cochrane – Caleta Tortel one. You’ll have to walk the 22 kilometers (13.7 mi) to Tortel or try hitchhiking (difficult).
To get from Caleta Tortel to Villa O-Higgins, you might be able to make the connection with the Cochrane-Villa O-Higgins bus south, though it will be tight. A bus plies the Lago Quetro -Puerto Yungay-Caleta Tortel route (Puerto Yungay: Thursday 8 p.m., $4).
Pick-up truck to Puerto Bahamóndez: January-February: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday; early-March: Wednesday, Saturday, $3. This may be paid in US dollars, Euros, Argentine pesos or Chilean pesos.
Boat Hielo Sur runs the Puerto Bahamóndez – Candelario Mansilla ferry, the first leg of the Paso Dos Lagunas border crossing into Argentina (Carretera Austral, across from the airport, Tel.: 43-1821, E-Mail: hielosur@villaohiggins.com, URL: www.hielosur.com).
For complete information, see Carretera Austral and Northern Patagonia Border Crossings – Paso Dos Lagunas.
Once a week during the summer, this boat brinmgs supplies to the isolated homesteads around the lake, instead of going to Glaciar O’Higgins. In winter, the boat only runs weekly.