Culture, gastronomy and nature in Chiloé, an all-inclusive 2 day / 3 night program

Program

Day 1
Pick up from Ancud
In the early evening we take you to the hosts’ guesthouse in Chepu, 30 km from Ancud.
Evening meal prepared by the hosts.

Day 2
Hike to the privately owned nature park of ‘Ahuenco’ on the other side of the ‘Chepu’ river
Ahuenco Park borders the national park of Chiloé and consists of 800 ha protected land.
The hike starts on the other side of the Chepu river and the first part goes through pasture land. After about 15 minutes the scenery changes dramatically and we will arrive at the spectacular beach of ‘Aulén’. Once we have crossed this long beach full of aquatic birds you continue along the coastline following steep cliffs. Some parts here go through dense forest and others on pasture land with low shrubs.
After about two and a half hours we will arrive at Ahuenco beach. A penguin colony settles here every year from September till April. With low tide it is possible to cross the beach and observe the penguins from a distance.
Important! To get to the observation hut and see the penguins it has to be low tide. This changes every day and sometimes the tides have their own way and it is impossible to cross the beach.
A pick nick lunch is served here and there is plenty of time to relax and take in the scenery.

Short film on the hike to Ahuenco

Day 3
Visit of the villages and churches of the east coast
From your cabin in Chepu it is a one hour drive along the last stretch of the Pan American highway to the city of Castro. First stop is the colorful UNESCO World Heritage church, designed by an Italian architect in 1910 to be build in stone but eventually built by local carpenters out of wood. We also stop beside the houses on stilts, called ‘palafitos’, in two different places.
A leisurely drive takes us to the village of Dalcahue where we take the ferry to the island of Quinchao. In the quiet town of Curaco de Velez we’ll see the beautiful Black necked swans and groups of migratory birds like the Hudsonian godwit and whimbrel who come here every year from north america to feed.
In Achao we visit the oldest church of the island, built in 1754 and model for most of the other wooden churches of Chiloé.
Back on the main island we visit the village of Dalcahue with its famous handicraft market, UNESCO church and ‘cocinería’. A ‘cocinería’ is a range of small restaurants where you can see  how the food is prepared. In Dalcahue the ‘cocinería’ is next to the waterfront and we’ll have our lunch here among the locals.
In the afternoon we continue our trip along the east coast and the first stop then is the tiny village of San Juan de Calen. Two families still dedicate themselves to the art of wooden boat building. The pretty church of San Juan stands almost into the sea and if possible we’ll have a look inside.
Next stop is Tenaun. The church of Tenaun is famous for its colorful towers and spectacular setting beside the sea overlooking the Andes mountain range.
Quemchi and the island of Aucar are our next destination. A 500 meter (547 yard) long wooden bridge connects the main island with the tiny island of Aucar. This is an ideal place for people who like to observe birds. There is also a cemetery on Aucar and a small botanical garden.
In Quemchi we visit the port and main square before heading back to your guesthouse.

Day 4
Transport to Ancud
After breakfast your host will take you back to Ancud

 

What is included in the price:
Land and maritime transportation, all meals and drinks, service of a private bilingual guide, lodging