Horseback
Trekking
From
shelter to shelter
The
6000 km./3728 miles long Chile Trail is one of the longest
trekking trails in the world, or at least that is what it is
going to become. So far, parts of the trails have yet to be
determined or marked and preparations for hikers are few. One
of the few exceptions lies right in the heart of the country,
east of Talca and Linares. This area must be the only place
in Chile that can be explored on horseback, riding from shelter
to shelter. The horses can be rented on the spot from the arrieros
or you can book a guided tour.
Starting
point
Talca
How
to get there
There
are public busses that run daily from Talca to Argentina across
the Pehuenche pass. We get off the bus at the Curilinque Bridge
over the Maule River. This is where our tour begins.
Day
1
5
h, 480 m/1575 ft. 
,
370 m/1210 ft. 
We
cross the Curilinque Bridge (750 m/2460 ft. and, instead of
following the international road, we turn right 100 m/330 ft.
further down the road. After about 5 km/3 miles, this quiet
road goes zigzagging uphill through beautiful forests, until
we arrive at a pass with an elevation of 1200 m/3940 ft. A small
religious shrine indicates the highest point. On both sides
of the pass there are trails branching off to Laguna Verde in
the east and a Mirador (lookout) in the west.
However,
we continue along the dirt road, arriving at the Lamalodge
shelter at 850 m/2800 ft. after 5 hours. This shelter is run
by Turismo Caminante in Talca and
has eight bunk beds, a common area with a kitchen and hot showers.
Valle Melado, a trekking paradise with an extension of 2450
km/1500 square miles but only 270 inhabitants, can be explored
along many routes from here.
Day
2
7
h, 905 m/2969 ft. ,
950 m/3117 ft.
We
continue along the dirt road half way downhill until the road
meets the Melado River. Here we turn right past some farms.
After 45 minutes we arrive at a place where a thick cable stretches
across the river. When we get to this point, all we have to
do is shout for somebody from the other bank to pick us up with
the small raft secured to the cable and ferry us across.
We
now take the trail known as the Sendero de Arrieros along the
riverbank. This trail leads through beautiful forests, passing
nice sandy beaches and meadows. After another two and a half
hours, we arrive at customs and the police checkpoint at 750
m/2460 ft. (170 m/560 ft. ,
285 m/935 ft. ).
Here we have to register. The trail carries on along the river
for another 15 minutes beyond the checkpoint and ends at a loop.
Then it winds up the left side of the slope for 30 minutes before
reaching the entrance of the Melado tunnel at 795 m/2610 ft.
This is our last chance to get water before the ascent.
The
trail continues the meandering uphill climb for one hour and
45 minutes, until it reaches the pass at 1400 m/4590 ft. At
1030 m/3380 ft. we arrive at the Placilla Plateau. On the right
side of this plateau, the Chile Trail continues towards the
north to Laguna Melado (2,5 h, 715 m/2350 ft. ,
40 m/130 ft. ).
Part
of the descent that follows is over rough rock, but also through
soft forest soil. It is accompanied at all times by a great
view of the Ancoa valley. After another hour and a half (20
m/65 ft. ,
625 m/2050 ft. )
we arrive at the Melado lodge, a comfortable bungalow construction
with a restaurant. Do not miss the day hike to the source of
the Ancoa River from this point!
Day
3
The
Chile Trail continues downhill through beautiful forests until
the second bridge over the Ancoa River. Here we leave the dirt
road and follow a small trail that starts left of the bridge
on the south bank of the river. This trail leads to Chupallar
where there are daily busses to Linares. If you do the trail
on horseback, you can reach the Rabones inn on the same day.
On foot, the same tour (which is not described here) takes 2
days.
Maps for this tour
