Marble Caves, Chile

Marble caves (Capillas de Mármol or Marble Chapels) are in the General Carrera Lake of the Aysen Region. These caves are naturally shaped by the powerful waves eroding the calcium carbonate rocks for over six thousand years. The cave walls are smooth with vibrant colors that change depending on the time of the year and water level. The nearest airport in this region is Balmaceda (BBA) which is 3-4 hours away from the marble caves. the region is also home to other attractions like Laguna Cerro Castillo, San Rafael glacier, and Queulat National Park which should also be explored on the same trip. The best time to visit the Aysen region is during the summer season, which lasts from December to March.

How I Booked the Trip to Santiago

I was lucky to find award space in Delta One, and I used my Flying Blue miles for the award booking. I am not going to post any flight pictures in this post which is about the Marble caves, but the experience was fantastic in Delta One.

Santiago to Balmaceda

After arriving at the BBA airport, I recommend renting a car to explore the Aysen region on your own. It is important to get the local currency before leaving the airport, as there are no ATM machines in Puerto Tranquilo and most hotels accept only cash payments. Credit cards are accepted at local restaurants, tour offices, and gas stations throughout Aysen.

Car Rentals in Balmaceda

Car rental prices tend to be higher than average in this region, so I recommend calling Hertz (1800-654-3001) for a price quote. If you have the Amex platinum with the Preferred Hertz Member Program, the price is significantly cheaper (make sure the agent is aware of your Gold Plus status). Driving times are overestimated in Google maps due to the 30km speed limit but we were able to drive at 60-80 km per hour.

Exploring the Aysen Region

Aysen Region contains Cerro Castillo, marble caves, San Rafael Glacier, and Queulat National Park. There is a significant driving distance between all these attractions and interested readers should plan accordingly.

Mirador Ventisquero Colgante viewpoint

A 3.5 mile hike to the viewpoint will reveal the the hanging Ventisquero Colgante glacier https://www.alltrails.com/trail/chile/aysen/mirador-ventisquero-colgante–2?u=i.

Recommended Aysen exploration path

• Rent a car at Balmaceda airport and drive 45 min to Villa Cerro Castillo to stay 1-2 nights; Do a day hike to explore Cerro Castillo glacier and lagoon (cost for the hike – 18000 CLP or $20 USD).
• Drive 2 hours to Puerto Tranquilo to stay 1 night and see the marble caves on a 3-hour boat trip on the same day evening or the next morning (cost – 15000 CLP or $15 USD for the boat tour). It is important to time the tour with sunrise and/or sunset to see the beautiful color of the caves.
• Drive 3-4 hours to Coyhaique; stay 2-3 nights in Hotel Loberías del Sur (~$120 per night) or any other hotel in Coyhaique;
• Take a catamaran tour from Puerto Chacabuco to see the San Rafael lagoon and glacier the next day (cost $315).
• Drive 3 hours to Queulat National Park and explore the hanging glacier and the waterfalls (cost -Free).
• Return to Balmaceda airport to catch a flight to Santiago.

Laguna Cerro Castillo

Villa Cerro Castillo is a small village located within an hour’s driving distance from Balmaceda airport with several dining and accommodation options. I highly recommend spending 1-2 nights here on the way to see the marble caves to enjoy a day hike to see Laguna Cerro Castillo.

Marble Cave Tours

It only costs 10,000 CLP ($15 USD) to navigate to the marble caves (1h30min). One can also arrange guided tours to visit the marble caves of Puerto Sanchez, which have different architecture. A single boat tour to combine both caves lasts around 3 hours and costs ~ 20,000 CLP. Few agencies at the lake bank operate from 8 AM to 4 PM and it is easy to get on the list of 5 required passengers. There are several nearby restaurants close to the river. Kayak trips, including a professional guided 2-hour tour, cost ~30-50,000 CLP and they leave from Puerto Marmol, which is a few miles away from Puerto Tranquilo.

San Rafael Glacier and Lagoon Tours

The San Rafael glacier is constantly calving, with large chunks of ice crashing into the lagoon below, making it one of the few glaciers in the world surrounded by lush rain forest.

The San Rafael glacier can be accessed by leaving from the docks of either Bahia Exploradores or Puerto Chacabuco as explained below.

Reaching Laguna San Rafael from Puerto Tranquilo

Laguna San Rafael boat tour (8 hours) online booking with credit card payment ($315) is possible (hotel pick up optional) with an Argentinian travel agency (https://www.tangol.com/eng/tour_laguna-san-rafael-boat-ride_day-tours_puerto-rio-tranquilo_cl_2557). These prices are higher than booking directly with local tour companies (~$240) but finding local tour companies that are operational post-COVID can be difficult.

The Laguna San Rafael boat tour requires a 2-hour drive each way to the Bahia Exploradores dock from Puerto Tranquilo. The boats used by these companies are on the smaller side, compared to the large catamaran offered by the Hotel Loberías del Sur described below. Boats fit up to 14 passengers in a tight space with little headroom and a very small toilet. The boat also has a top deck for taking pictures of glaciers.

Reaching Laguna San Rafael from Puerto Chacabuco

Visitors staying at Hotel Loberías del Sur (~$315) can take a large catamaran tour to see Laguna San Rafael and save 4 hours of driving to the Bahia Exploradores dock from Puerto Tranquilo compared to the method above. I recommend first-time visitors take this catamaran to see the San Rafael glacier and lagoon to enjoy a nice and large boat compared to the small boat experience.

Hotel Loberías del Sur

Hotel Loberías del Sur http://www.loberiasdelsur.cl/en/ is a well-known 4-star hotel (reasonably priced) located in Puerto Chacabuco, which offers several boat tours from the hotel. They offer a catamaran tour to San Rafael glacier for ($315) and also a 3-day Marble cave tour for ~$660 USD ($540 for double occupancy). It is unnecessary in my opinion to waste 3 days visiting the Marble Caves which can be easily done in a day for $15-30.

Patagonia National Park

Once in the Aysen region, you can also choose to visit the newly opened Patagonia national park containing both Tamango & Lago Jeinemeni scenic national reserves. It is about a 4 hour drive from Puerto Rio Tranquilo, which we did not have time to visit during our trip. The entrance fee to Patagonia National Park is 8400 CLP per day for international visitors.

Summary

Chile has incredible and diverse natural wonders ranging from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia. The Aysen region has very unique scenery, which is seen nowhere else on the planet (marble caves, Queulat hanging glacier, San Rafael glacier lagoon) with very few crowds compared to Torres Del Paine national park.