Refugio Cochamó

We had been wanting to hike in Cochamo for three years, but the weather made us cancel our trip the previous two. Other than a rainy day hiking in, the weather held for us. We were happy to arrive at the Refugio after a 5-hour or so hike in through a sometimes sludgy woodland trail. We were joined on the trail by at least 200 other hikers, mostly Chilean college kids on vacation. I was very happy to see them in the wilderness. We chose to stay in the Refugio rather than camp mainly because we knew it would be crowded, preferred not to carry in three meals a day, and thought we might meet some interesting folks, which we did. We had a delightful conversation with Daniel but did not meet Silvina. They are doing a phenomenal job of preserving a natural treasure of Chile! The staff was extremely helpful, especially Nair, the vegetarian dinner ample and delicious, the bed in the private room was comfy, and the dorms were quite adequate. I loved gliding over the river in a canopy chair to arrive at the Refugio. We met really nice hikers. It would have been fine to camp as well. In fact, the best views we saw were from the campsite. I hadn't researched the hikes and didn't realize most are technical, with ropes- better suited for climbers. But I am really glad that I visited this amazing natural forest preserve and hope that Daniel and Silvina are able to continue protecting it!

It took us 5 hours to hike into the lodge, and it was well worth every step. Be prepared and take it seriously, but it is not a difficult hike. The sun in summer does not set until 10pm, so start early and you'll have plenty of time to take breaks to enjoy the temperate rain forest that you hike through. ||||The family who runs this lodge have created a happy world of laughter that makes staying here such a pleasure. Delicious vegetarian food. I am a carnivore and I never left dinner feeling hungry. My friend is a vegetarian and she raved about the food. Order the plate every night, it is worth it. Be sure to stay several days; even though the hike in is beautiful, there are even more stunning hikes that originate from the lodge (DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT HIKING UP TO TRINIDAD). ||||I shared a private room with my wife, but the shared sleeping area seemed well taken care of too. Limited hot water, but it was super hot.

We recently spent two nights here and I can say it sure beats packing in your tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc, etc. Reservations are a must, especially in peak season (Jan, Feb) when the valley if full of climbers. The ladies who staff the Refugio were great and enormously helpful. Their English is quite limited but there are always Spanish speaking fellow travelers staying there. At present this is the only functioning place to stay apart from the campground. Despite the rain, we had a great, short trip, spectacular scenery. It is great even in the rain because the many waterfalls become event that much more beautiful. Food was good but the best part was being able to have a beer after the 5 hour trek in!

I stayed 4 night in this hostel. It’s very nice, charming, cozy and clean place. Hot Water in the Showers is only in the evenings available because they have to heat it with fire. This Hostel is a very nice opportunity if you do not like to camp or don’t want to bring your own tent to the valley. Be aware that you need to walk 4-5 hours to reach this place. It is also possible to reach this place with a horse. The Food which you can buy there is very delicious. The Dorm has 18 Bed but is usually quiet because all the people want to be fit for the next day for hiking or climbing.

If you're fit enough to get to the Refugio it will be an unforgettable experience. I'm not sure there's a more picturesque place you can stay with such great accommodations only minutes away from a bunch of incredible hikes. My fiance and I are in our mid 30s traveling for 6 months and so far this has been one of, if not the, highlight. We stayed in both the dorms and private room and both were clean and nice. Note, if you go in November I would recommend staying for at least 3 nights so you have 2 full days to hike as there is a decent chance that one gets rained out, which happened to us; we were very happy to have the extra day. I don't know what the weather is like in other months. Oh and the food is incredibly good at the Refuio.

We hiked the long trail in the rain to the refuge. It took us 5 hours on the way and 4 hours on the way back. You can rent horses to take you but it is a moderate just long hike. We were very pleased to be staying at the refuge which is beautiful. Well equipped to cook for yourselves and very comfortable for sleeping. We recommend having dinner cooked by the refuge as it is excellent!

There are a number of hikes in to the Andes in this area, but a lot of them are in national parks and the access and facilities can be haphazard. The land and refugio here are privately held (which comes with its own set of problems), so the trail and facilities cater more to higher volume public use. That said, higher volume still means you likely won't see too many other people going in or coming out.||||Drove from Puerto Montt, which took about 3 hours (main road can sometimes have work crews on it, this slows you down). Parked at the houses just off the road at the trailhead and hired a horse to take extra clothes and gear to the refugio (this needs to be planned out ahead of time). Trail itself is reasonably easy to follow (there's one spot that's a little overgrown, but stay high and you'll be ok). Took about 5 hours leisurely walking to get to the refugio. Last hour or so is thru grassy fields with great views of the mountains (if it's not too cloudy).||||The refugio is very comparable to those you'll find in the States or Europe. There are two private rooms each with a double bed (and door) and hostel "group" mixed sleeping for about another 10 people. There is a working shower with hot water (evenings only), a large great room with wood burning stove, and a kitchen with sink, burners and utensils. The staff also cooks breakfast and dinner (you have to make arrangements for dinner as it's not included with the bed). Dinner food was filling and plentiful, and mostly vegetarian unless you ask for additions. Think we had lentil Shepards pie one night, pizza the next, and a soup/salad/bread combination the third. All quite good and in keeping with the location. ||||Prices were in keeping with Chile and the general remoteness of the refugio (Chile is not cheap anymore, but this is definitely an affordable stop). I'd quote them to you, but they've likely fluctuated with the fluctuating peso/dollar. The owners of the property were straightforward and trustworthy in every dealing, so email them and they'll let you know the best rates.||||The setting, hikes and people you'll meet make this an almost guaranteed success (the weather's the only issue ... bring rain gear and be ready for some mud). Everyone we met was interested in sharing hikes, stories, a drink and a song (guitar on the wall). It's what hiking in the Andes should be and you're sure to take out some good memories.

Stayed four nights. After a wet and muddy hike, Daniel, Silvina and the other staff me and my hiking mates feel right at home. The cabin is wonderful: rustic and functional. The dorm room is the same. It's a big dorm, but the guests during my stay were on the same sleep schedule (early to bed; early to rise) so everyone slept great. The common area is super cozy and it's easy to make friends because people aren't on their mobile devices. If you choose to buy dinners, they're really phenomenal.||I was sad to leave Refugio Cochamo; I would return in a heartbeat. Gracias, Daniel y Silvina, por todo!