About 58 kilometers north of Villa Mañihuales [1], overlooking the Río Cisnes canyon in the shadow of 2,095-meter Cerro Alto Nevado, the Villa Amengual dates from 1983; it owes its existence to the Carretera Austral. A few kilometers south, an eastbound gravel road climbs the valley to the settlement of La Tapera and a rarely used border crossing to Argentina.
Distinguished by its shingled chapel, built in the Chilote immigrant style, Villa Amengual is a popular stop for cyclists, as one of few places with food and accommodations between Mañihuales and Puerto Puyuhuapi [2], another 60 kilometers north over rugged terrain.
Residencial El Encanto (Castro 33-A, US$6 pp) and Residencial El Paso (Arias 12, US$6 pp) both have simple rooms with shared bath and serve meals.
Amengual has a spiffy new Oficina de Información Turística, open in summer only, that doubles as a crafts shop.
All northbound buses from Coyhaique [3] pass through Amengual, but some turn west toward Puerto Cisnes [4] from a junction just a few kilometers north of town.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/chile/northern-patagonia/-northern-carretera-austral/villa-manihuales
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/chile/northern-patagonia/-northern-carretera-austral/puerto-puyuhuapi
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/chile/northern-patagonia/coyhaique
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/chile/northern-patagonia/-northern-carretera-austral/puerto-cisnes