Search Site 

Routes

A number of different routes have been developed on Isla Navarino. From one day to five comfortable days mostly on made up trails. You can choose routes based on the level of difficulty and trip duration you want.

During the summer of 2001 the Ministry of National Property remarked the signs and did extensive work in recent years to help promote the treks into Navarino. The signs follow the French method of signage with 38 SNUPIEs 'Numeric System of Points of Special Interest' and are easy to follow in good weather. In thick mist a detailed route description with bearings and good compass work is also required.

All routes can be done either way round but it is generally easier to go the way indicated by the numerical markers.

Dientes de Navarino
A 54km, four or five day trip to see the most spectacular peaks of the island. You will camp mostly at lakes around the treeline (to allow for the possibility of some shelter). The trail has been well prepared by the Municipality with markers and small bridges over some wet areas.

Day 1 leave the town going past the Plaza de la Virgin and dirt road to the town dam. Take the new clearly marked path that runs off left of the river. The path zigzags up through the forest with a view point around 290m. You soon leave the forest and reach the peaks of Cerro Bandera. Tricky route finding in any mist will have you traversing above the tree line for about one and a half hours. This should leave you to descend a steep slope to the Laguna del Salto at 480m. There are several good camp areas here.

Day 2. Circle Laguna del Salto and climb up a steep sided gully to the South. Follow a beautiful small winding valley. After crossing a river, go right and up a grassy hill. Follow the crest of the hill until arriving at a small rocky pass - Paso Primero. After the pass follow the creek through a high valley to reach Paso Australia. Right of the lake traversing the slope to Paso de Los Dientes. Go down the valley passing to the left of the lake. There is camping around the lake at the foot of a prominent pyramid peak (Cerro Gabriel) or you can continue on about another hour to Laguna Escondida Most of this route is above the vegetation line - you are walking in open country on sand and rocks - usually on good trails.

Day 3. Leave the lake at its outlet and through a valley to Paso Ventarron. Turn right then down to the valley to the foot of Paso Guerrico. a short but steep walk to the pass then circle laguna Hermosa left to the outlet. Go North to Laguna Martillo. Good camping at the S. end.

Day 4. From the outlet of Laguna Martillo a white rock points the way to Paso Virginia. Right of next lake work your way to the pass. Keep right of stream to Pass. Stop! Likely cornice over 300m cliff. Move right to easier but steep ground then descend off snow if possible down to left shore of Laguna Los Guanacos. On down to right side of Laguna Las Guanacas and enter woods before outlet. Descend avoiding beaver dams. Work your way down to the fish factory. 8km walk or hitch back to P. Williams. Cars often stop.

Cape Horn - Lake Windhorn Trip
A 41km, four day trip to the superb fishing lake of Windhorn. There are two main routes that are usually combined to give a round trip. The first day can be the same as Los Dientes de Navarino trip or an alternative start from the old native village 2km E. of P. Williams. There is a basic cabin with mattresses and cooking equipment in generally poor state at Lake Windhorn - most people put their tent up in the cabin! You will need a tent for the first night anyway. You may then stay as long as you wish at the lake. Largely dependant on the 'catch'. Thirty trout in a day is not unknown.

Cerro Bandera
A cleared track with boards over wet sections up to the spur Cerro Bandera, this is a popular walk with locals. Expect 4/5 hours return to a point on the spur around 550m and see the now fallen metal Chilean flag from a time in the eighties of heightened tension with Argentina. You will pass the town water supply after about 45 minutes of dirt road then it's off into the forest on the superbly made trail. A viewpoint at 290m gives a bench for a breather and superb views of the Beagle Channel and Darwin Range. etc, etc