After hiking in El Chaltén, I headed back to Chile to Puerto Rio Tranquilo for the marble caves, a group of marble rocks which have been naturally eroded and shaped by wind and water over a long period of time. The most famous formations are the marble cathedral and chapel.
Logistically they’re not the easiest to get to. They lie on the Lago General Carrera lake (South America’s second largest lake) near the Chilean Argentinian border.
I didn’t appreciate how tricky it would be to get there, nor did the other girls I was with. When you add expensive accommodation (on hostelworld and booking.com) to the mix, my two friends decided to stay in Argentina and go straight to Bariloche.
I was reluctant to skip them as I’d heard good things and they were also in the right direction for the other Chilean towns I wanted to visit. I decided to still give them a go.
I’d originally planned to leave El Chaltén on the Monday night bus to Los Antiguos. However, after finding out that accommodation was pricier than expected and the weather wasn’t going to be good, I very last minutely changed plans.
Surprisingly, it was very easy to transfer my bus ticket to the next day without any charge! I’d also luckily booked a bed for that night just for us to use throughout the day so we could shower etc. I had no idea that it would come in so handy and be my bed for that night (especially as the hostel was fully booked!).
I used the next day to do a bit more research for the following week and to try and find cheaper accommodation for Puerto Rio Tranquilo.
I created a Couchsurfing account in the hope I could stay with someone. Amazingly, someone replied to my request and I stayed in a tent for the night before doing the marble caves tour the following morning.
The tour
There are two options for visiting the marble caves: by boat or by kayak. Boat is the cheaper of the two options costing $10,000CLP per person for 1/1.5hrs when there are 5 people minimum.
Kayaking costs $35,000CLP per person for a 3 hour trip. If you’re in a group you might be able to negotiate a lower rate. I was able to pay by card which helped me save my cash!
I did a boat tour the next morning at 10am once a group arrived. It was the ideal weather for a boat trip – blue sky and sunshine. We went first to the caves and were able to boat down a few narrow channels.
At the cave section there are a few rocks that look like a turtle, whale and dog’s head. A tiny bit of imagination is required! We then saw the cathedral and chapel formations which are really cool! It’s amazing how they’ve been eroded into these shapes over time.
When to do the tour
I wanted to do the tour in the morning as I’d read it was the best time of day due to the sun’s location. Speaking to Daniel (who I couchsurfed with), he didn’t think there was a massive difference and he’s seen them at most points of the day.
If you would like to see light flickering on the walls then morning is the best time. Our boat guide also said the same effect happened in the afternoon too. I can’t promise though!
I’d also read a blog before visiting saying the caves were a disappointment and the blogger visited in the wrong season. I saw them mid March so as the summer season comes to a close and autumn starts. The lake was startlingly blue!
How to get to the marble caves
The best place to visit the caves is from Puerto Rio Tranquilo. I mentioned at the start that they’re not the easiest to get to. If I wasn’t passing through the area I doubt I’d take a detour just to see them.
I visited the marble caves from El Chaltén. I got the 9pm night bus from Chaltén to Los Antiguos ($2090ARG) and then a second bus crossing the border from Los Antiguos to Chile Chico ($250ARG). We arrived to Los Antiguos at 6am and waited in the bus station for our 8.30am bus to Chile Chico. Buses from Bariloche also stop at Los Antiguos if you’re travelling south.
Once in Chile Chico I then bought a ticket for a minivan to Puerto Rio Tranquilo. It cost $14,000CLP and the drive takes around 4hrs. Our minivan left at 10am and arrived around 2pm. It’s a really scenic drive and bumpy at times! It felt like we practically drove around the whole lake!
I hopped off the bus a little before Puerto Rio Tranquilo as my couchsurfing place to stay was slightly out of town. It was actually a really handy location as the guy I stayed with worked for a tour company. Tours to the caves leave 2 minutes from where I’m staying!
You can also get to Puerto Rio Tranquilo from Coyhaique which is an approx 4.5hr drive. Buses leave daily and pass through the other towns on route. The other option is to hitchhike which I think I’ll be trying when I go to Villa Cerro Castillo.
I didn’t see many cars going from Chile Chico to Puerto Rio Tranquilo so not sure how long you’d be waiting for a lift.
Final thoughts
Getting to Puerto Rio Tranquilo and the marble caves is not that easy. If you’re on a tight schedule then a detour to the caves is probably not worth the effort or fuss. That said, I really really enjoyed the caves and seeing them in the morning light was very cool.
Also whilst getting to them isn’t the most straightforward, don’t let the logistics put you off. It’s totally doable and a lot easier to figure out in person since most bus schedules haven’t made it online yet.
I’m super glad I factored the caves into my route plan. If you’re passing through, they’re worth a stop, especially if you get good weather!
I’m now headed to Villa Cerro Castillo where I’d like to do the Cerro Castillo day hike. Then it’s onwards to Coyhaique and Futaleufu before I cross the border back into Argentina.
P.S. If you are headed to Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Villa Cerro Castillo, make sure you have cash as there are no ATM’s. The closest places with ATM’s are Chile Chico and Coyhaique.
