General Carrera Lake

General Carrera Lake is one of Patagonia's most beautiful bodies of water. General Carrera Lake is the Chilean name for the lake, which spans both Chile and Argentina. On the Argentine side, it is known as Lake Buenos Aires. However, both names are widely used and internationally recognized, so take your pick.

General Carrera Lake is a fairly large body of water. It has a total surface area of 1,850 square kilometers, 970 of which are on the Chilean side and the remaining 880 are on the Argentina side. In terms of size, it is Chile's largest lake and Argentina's fourth largest. The lake is 586 meters deep at its deepest point.

The lake is located in the least populous district of Chile, Aysén del General Carlos Ibáez del Campo, on the Chilean side. You shouldn't stress too much about remembering the difficult name: The Aysén Region is a common name for the area.

The lake is located in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina. This is also Argentina's least populous region, which may come as no surprise. General Carrera Lake is another excellent incentive to visit the region, while Los Glaciares National Park is undoubtedly its most well-known attraction.

If you're planning a trip to Patagonia, include General Carrera Lake on your itinerary. There is plenty to do at General Carrera Lake, so plan ahead of time what you want to do the most. General Carrera Lake is difficult to beat for sightseeing. This is without a doubt one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, surrounded by the Andes mountain range. The glacial origins of the lake are clearly visible, and this is a photographer's dreamscape. Fishing may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it is a very popular pastime at General Carrera Lake. Sport fishermen from all over the world visit the pristine lake for its abundant supply of trout and salmon.

Visitors with a sense of adventure won't want to pass up the chance to kayak on the lake and its surroundings. Kayaking is a great way to explore the lake's network of tunnels, marble caves, and other wonders. You can go hiking at General Carrera Lake, which is a perennially well-liked pastime in Patagonia. Although the terrain can be challenging, the hills and mountains that surround the lake offer numerous breathtaking vantage points of the lake itself.

This is the (slightly) challenging part. To visit the lake from the Chilean side, you must first travel to Coyhaique, the nearest city. In this case, "close" means a four-hour drive, so plan accordingly. It is entirely up to you whether to rent a car or use a tour operator. In any case, give yourself plenty of time to get there, see what you want to do, and get back. Of course, you could always choose to camp overnight - but keep in mind that it can get quite cold there!

Location: General Carrera Province, Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region, Chile, in Patagonia

Basin countries: Argentina, Chile

Surface area: 1,850 km2 (710 sq mi)
Max. depth: 586 m (1,923 ft)
Surface elevation: 217 m (712 ft)