Stand Out Places & Activities:

Termas de Huiffe, Termas Geométrica, Climbing Villarrica Volcano, Rafting, Fly Fishing, Trekking

Pucon is almost unique in Chile. It is very much like a small mountain village, in the style that you may find in North America and totally unlike any other village in Chile. It has that “mountain lodge” style in the streets and offers a few boutique-like small shops, warm and cosy cafeterias, and some decent restaurants. There is also a kind of good feeling “vibe” in and around Pucon.

Pucon also has a large, black-sand beach, from where there is sailing, swimming, jet skiing and paragliding, and all around is surrounded by stunning scenery. On one side are steep sided, forested mountains that resemble the kind of scenery more akin to somewhere in Thailand or elsewhere in South-East Asia, then behind the village is the impressive Villarrica, snow-covered, perfectly conical, active volcano, whereupon at the lower levels are covered by large, native forests. There is also a ski centre halfway up.

In short it is in a stunning location, and also a main place for outdoor activities.

Things to See and Do from Pucon

To begin with there is the National Park Villarrica, which encompasses the Villarrica Volcano and most of the area around it.

Pucon is a base from which to participate in white-water rafting, zip wire, horse riding, trekking, skiing (winter months on the volcano), kayaking, trekking, climb the volcano, fishing, bathe in hot springs as well as plain relaxing. There is also an incredibly interesting, large, long and deep volcanic cave to explore, located about a quarter of the way up the volcano road. And, finally, for now, there is a wonderful panoramic view that offers incredible sights for exceptionally long distances from the ski station, halfway up the volcano.

As great as Pucon is, the only negative is that because it such a wonderful place, it has become popular and during the Chilean summer months of January and February when it can be a little “crowded” in the village as well as traffic build up on the local roads. However, if you let us (ExperienceChile.Org) select the right hotel for your stay, we can arrange things so you will not be affected so much by this scenario.

In addition to letting us include the right hotel for your stay, each of the partner hotels we work with offers a uniquely different experience, which, in itself, will be worthwhile even if you do not wish to venture out.

Panguipulli village, like Lican Ray, is a residential place and not as strong a tourist destination as Pucon. It is a rustic village and has a charm to it.

From Panguipulli, if you head east along the northern lake-side road for about 47km you will come to a mountain village called Choshuenco. Considering that when you head east, in Chile, you will eventually hit the Andes mountains, and here is no exception. The scenery along this route is beautiful, lake and forested mountain territory, like being maybe Canada, or the Alps, it has that kind of feel to it. Choshuenco is a very “authentic” rustic, quiet, rural village that birders the lake. From here, along an unpaved road it is 16km, heading up, to a tiny settlement called Puerto Fuy (more on Puerto Fuy further below), passing on the way the Huilo-Huilo resort.

This area is very interesting. For one, about 5km BEFORE reaching Puerto Fuy is the “fantasy, children’s story book place” called Huilo Huilo.

Huilo Huilo is an inspiring, creative, and unique concept comprising of hotels within buildings that are made to look like trees, mushrooms and wood-fairy houses. The story here is that the owner was (and still could be) a “logger”. In other words, he made his business, and money, from cutting down beautiful, native trees. However, he had a “brain wave” to get into “eco-tourism” by way of building structures (by the way, native forest had to be felled prior to the construction of the “Huilo-Huilo resort”) in the heart of the forest and therefore generate income from tourism and not depend on cutting down beautiful forest.

The experience of sleeping within a building that looks like a giant mushroom, or Baobab Tree on the outside, is a novel one, as is the first hotel they built that resembles something out of Hansel and Gretel with a waterfall cascading down the side of a “fairy house”. And, from here, it is possible to get to see natures marvels such as the raging Fuy river cascading down the Huilo-Huilo falls, the nearby volcano and enjoy being in “the forest”.

In the beginning the project really looked like it could be something fantastic, but unfortunately it has developed into a bit of a “Disney Land” in the woods and has become “popular” and not exclusive. There is also a brewery opposite the resort, and just what that has to do with this beautiful part of the World we do not understand.

Yes, Huilo-Huilo, will be liked by some people. If you feel that you wish to include Huilo-Huilo in your itinerary we will be pleased to make that happen, but you will need to let us know because we do not automatically have Huilo-Huilo down as one of our partner hotels. It is, however, a unique place and worth a visit if you are in the area.

Argentina

If you are on a self-drive, you would take this route to get to San Martin de Los Andes in Argentina, or perhaps even to Bariloche, or, of course, in reverse.

On the southern shore of the lake is the village of the same name, Lago Ranco. This is a village surrounded by nice scenery and in one place you could be forgiven thinking that this is the Alps because the green, rolling hills and steep-sided mountains look like parts of the Alps.

If you have the desire this is a lake that you can drive around completely on a paved road. The total distance would be 122km.

At certain locations around the lake are large, private homes.

To get here you take the paved road directly from Ruta 5, opposite Osorno city (but do not go into Osorno – not a particular interesting place). From Ruta 5, heading directly east the drive is 47km through nice countryside, to Entre Lagos, which a small settlement at the western end of Lake Puyehue. From Entre Lagos the road follows the southern shore of the lake to a place called Nilque, which is just a reference point. From Nilque it is around 10km or so up to the Termas de Puyehue and a further 12km to the ski centre of Antillanca.

These hot springs are part of a large complex focussed on “good health”. It is, in reality, a health spa, but unlike any one you have previously seen. The actual building is immense in size, like something that the Germans would have built to “make an impression”, and, indeed, in this part of Chile, as well as over the border in Bariloche, there are many buildings that were constructed by the Germans who settled in these parts after the Second World War. The exterior is formed from large; stone blocks and the main entrance is like a towering entrance to a cathedral.

You can stay over at Termas de Puyehue in a nice guest room, enjoy good food and then get a massage, mud bath and soak in modern, thermal water pools. Apart from that you can enjoy very clean, fresh air and walk through the woods.

Antillanca Ski Centre

The drive up to Antillanca, which is located on the side of a Volcano of the same name, is absolutely beautiful. The paved road passes through a forest of varied tree types and when driving the route when there is snow around it feels just like driving through a mountain forest in North America or the Alps.

The actual ski centre is a rustic place with an old-world charm.

Bariloche

This is the large Argentine city by a lake and a centre for lake and ski activities in Argentina. A number of clients like to traverse from Bariloche to Chile because it offers a good link between the key places of interest in each country.

More than any other lake in the Chilean Lake Region Lago Llanquihue retains the most physical evidence from the early German settlers. Apart from the main population centre of Puerto Varas, around the lake there are numerous old, German-style houses from the era of when the settlers arrived, just after the end of World War II.

There are also numerous bed and breakfast and hotel options where one can stay if self-driving.

Like the Lake Ranco, it is possible to drive completely around Lake Llanquihue in a full circle. Therefore, if we assume that the drive route is “anticlockwise” and starting at Puerto Varas, the next settlement is Llanquihue. This is an authentic, Chilean, “rustic” village about 9km north from Puerto Varas, and not much here with regards to tourist interest.

Frutillar and the Teatro de Los Lagos

Next along the western shore is Frutillar. Here there are two Frutillar’s. One is called Frutillar Alto and the other is called Frutillar Bajo.

Frutillar

Frutillar Alto is not the place to see, this is a rather ordinary small, residential settlement located high up from the lake (hence the word “alto”). However, Frutillar Bajo is the place to see. You need to go through Frutillar Alto first, before driving downhill to Frutillar Bajo.

Frutillar bajo is on the lake shore and about 17km north from Llanquihue. Frutillar is an “original” German style village, styled by the German immigrants who settled here after World War II. It is “clean and ordered”, with a number of residential homes, cafes, cake and gift shops.

Teatro del Lago

It is also, amazingly, home to one of the best Operatic Theatres in the Southern Hemisphere, called Teatro del Lago” whereupon operatic and classical concerts are performed, usually in January and February attracting some of the best in the business. This building is modern, with large windows as well as being covered in places with a nice, wooden façade, and situated on its own pier.

Puerto Octay

Next up on our tour around Llanquihue lake is the village of Puerto Octay. This is 27km north from Frutillar, following the north-western side of the lake. The drive to Puerto Octay is through rural, rolling hill countryside, often where cows and sheep are grazing, with the occasional glimpse of the fantastic snow-topped Osorno Volcano to the right, the other side of the large lake.

Puerto Octay is a rustic settlement, when we say rustic, there are many wooden houses covered in traditional wooden tiles.

From here the road continues, around the north-eastern side of the lake and to the base of Osorno Volcano to a place called Ensenada which is 62km, by road, from Puerto Octay.

This stretch of road passes directly through remote, lake-side land totally on the other side of the lake from Puerto Varas.

Just before Ensenada, on the left, is the entrance to the road that then climbs up the Osorno Volcano and the ski centre. During the summer it is worth coming up here on a clear day to see the incredible, panoramic view.

At Ensenada there is only a rustic hotel.

Once past this hotel, if you turn left at the junction you will get to a place called Petrohue after 19km, which is at the western end of Lago Todos Los Santos as well as the entrance to the National Park called Vicente Perez Rosales. Just before arriving to Petrohue there is the Petrohue waterfalls on the right side, which, when the river is full, are very impressive with water thundering through channels in the rock, and then cascading down into the river below. On a clear day there is also a fine backdrop view of the conical, snow-covered Osorno Volcano.

However, if you turn right at the junction just after Ensenada Hotel, you will be following the final part of the circle that leads back to Puerto Varas, and the distance from this junction to Puerto Varas is 50km.

Therefore, the total road circumference of Lago Llanquihue is 165km.

Route to Bariloche in Argentina

There is a route from Puerto Varas to Bariloche in Argentina that goes over the Andes and involves a navigation on three lakes. It is a long day if you do not break it at Peulla, but very pretty.

Starting from Puerto Varas the transfer is by bus to the western end of the Lago Todo Los Santos (which is an emerald green in colour, on a sunny day), where the Petrohue hotel is located (just down from here), whereupon passengers will embark to a catamaran that then navigates the length of the lake to a place called Peulla located at the far eastern end of the lake. This is where there is a hotel and where passengers can overnight. If you stay overnight, or just have lunch at the hotel, the journey continues in another bus that passes up and over the Andes and through a forest, before coming down the other side and into Argentina. Here, there are two more lake navigations, the final one leading to Bariloche with a bus transfer to your final destination hotel.

This a very picturesque journey, albeit long, but serves also, as a good way to get from Chile across to Argentina, or vice-versa.

As a side note, there is an alternative of a road transfer all the way, but via another route.

Frutillar Bajo (20 km north from Puerto Varas)

It is important to note that there are two Frutillar’s. One is called Frutillar “Alto” (high) and the other is known as Frutillar “Bajo” (low). The Alto is a non-descript settlement on the higher plateau up the hill from Frutillar Bajo. The Bajo Frutillar is the small settlement beside the lake and is the place of interest, but access to here is via the Alto settlement and then down a steep hill directly to the lake.

Frutillar Bajo is located on the western shore of the Llanquihue (pronounced “yan-kee-way”) Lake, 42km north from Puerto Montt and 20km north from Puerto Varas. In 2017 it was recognised by UNESCO as part of its “Creative Cities Network” (UCCN), largely, if not entirely, because it has one of the best musical theatres in the Southern Hemisphere.

The village, like most of the settlements in the Chilean Lake Region, was founded by Germans looking for a better life at the end of the 19th Century. Officially Frutillar Bajo was founded in 1856 under an authorised (by the then Chilean President Manuel Bulnes) German colonization plan for southern Chile.

The village, in appearance, looks “very German” with its neatly cut streets and clean appearance. There is a German museum here depicting the history of the colonization as well as the “Teatro del Lago”, a World Class musical venue. Although there are musical concerts held throughout the year, there is a main classical music festival during the summer months of January and February, which often includes opera.

About half a km south from the centre of the village is a small yacht marina from where people can keep and sail small boats on the lake.

There is a plan afoot too, for a new suburban development involving a golf course, apartments, houses, shops, and sports facilities.

Puerto Octay (47km north from Puerto Varas)

Further around Lake Llanquihue, 27km north from Frutillar, and therefore approximately 47km north from Puerto Varas is Puerto Octay. Officially this village was created by German settlers in 1852, again, under the plan for Germans to colonize southern Chile.

Prior to the opening, in 1912, of a railway line connecting this north-western part of the Llanquihue Lake with Puerto Varas at the south-western end, Puerto Octay (puerto means port) was an important navigational hub for boats connecting to Puerto Varas.

Puerto Octay still retains some of the historical charm from the settlement days with some of the original, wooden buildings still upright and in use, especially the rustic Hotel Haase – well worth a stop off for coffee, or a typical Chilean lunch.

Close to Puerto Octay there is also a forested peninsula (access is on the right-hand side if coming from Frutillar), a few kms prior to arriving at Puerto Octay, and where there is an nostalgic, historic hotel called Hotel Centinela. Here, the English Royalty (prior to HM Queen Elisabeth) came to this very hotel for hunting and fishing. From this point there is a fine view to the Lake and Osorno Volcano on the other side.

Llanquihue Perimetre Road

There is a way to drive completely around Llanquihue Lake from Puerto Varas passing into, or by the villages of Frutillar and then Puerto Octay.

Once past Puerto Octay the paved road runs for 7km until meeting another paved road and at this crossroads you turn right. Note: there is also a short cut, but this involves a section of unpaved road that also meets the second road – this route follows more closely to the lake shore out of Puerto Octay.

After 17km you will arrive at a tiny settlement called Puerto Klocker. At this point you will be on the eastern side of Lake Llanquihue.

The road cuts through forest, with the lake on the right and the hills leading to Osorno Volcano on the left.

After a further 33km the entrance road that leads up to the Osorno Volcano ski centre is on the left. The road up to the ski centre is paved and with many curves, but once up there the view is incredible.

Past this entrance road to the Volcano it is about 3km to the crossroads at Enseñada where, on the left is a very old and rustic hotel. At the crossroads if you turn left you will get to the Petrohue waterfalls, Lago Esmeralda and Vicente National Park and if you turn right, you will get back to Puerto Varas, which is 50km from this point.

The total circumference road distance around Lake Llanquihue is approx: 157km

Volcan Osorno

The Osorno Volcano has a summit at 2,652m above sea level and dominates the eastern shore of Llanquihue Lake. It is constantly covered in snow from its perfect conical top down to about halfway, and this cone shape can be seen from tens of kilometres away, and very clearly from Puerto Varas, which is at least 50km directly opposite at the other side of the lake.

Within the whiteness covering the summit are numerous crevasses and glaciers, however, there is also a ski centre about two thirds of the way up and here there are ski pistes. Also, from the ski centre restaurant and ski-lift base, there is a superb, panoramic view covering a huge chunk of the area around the lake and past Puerto Montt, even on to Chiloe Island (on a clear day of course).

Located about 16km from the crossroads at Enseñada, on the right, is the entrance to the Petrohue waterfalls, just within the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. This is where the Petrohue river, coming out from the lake Todo Los Santos, thunders through narrow channels that have been eroded, over time, in the lava rock. When there is lots of water the sight is very impressive, less so when the water is low. On a clear day the white snow cone of the Osorno volcano provides a spectacular backdrop.

About 3km beyond the turn off to the Petrohue waterfalls is the entrance to the southern lake shore of the Lake Todo Los Santos (All Saints Lake).

The lake is elongated in shape and surrounded by thick, Valdivian Rain Forest. The colour of the water is usually emerald green and makes for an impressive sight.

There is a hotel located in this area called Hotel Petrohue, a beach and woods to walk through. However, at this point there is also the jetty where people board (or disembark) the catamaran that navigates the length of the lake to a place called Peulla. Here, people can overnight prior to continuing the trip over the Andes and on to Bariloche, the large Argentine city the other side.

Note: ExperienceChile.Org can include this trip in your overall itinerary. Just ask.

In Puerto Varas village there are some local excursion operators that can arrange rafting and kayak on the Petrohue river, near the Petrohue waterfalls, or we: ExperienceChile.Org can build this activity into your itinerary if you ask for it.

In the centre of Puerto Varas village there are a couple of shops that specialise in fly fishing gear as well as arrange actual fly fishing. There are a number of rivers and lakes in the area ideal for trout and salmon fishing.

Alternatively, we at ExperienceChile.Org can include fly fishing in your travel itinerary – please just ask.

Premium Hotels

These are hotels that merit the distinguished classification of being above those that are not in the premium category. These hotels offer better, overall services, well furnished and decorated rooms, courteous staff – all the ingredients that combine to form the “better than the rest” position.

Good Level Hotels

The hotels we have put into the "good level" category are those hotels that do not merit being in the "top level", but are not at the lowest level either, hence "mid level". Usually, these hotels are perfectly good for a couple of nights and offer "practical" accommodation and facilities. If you are looking for only a "place to stay" and nothing more than a mid-level hotel will suffice.

Boutique Hotels

These are hotels that we feel offer something special such as a great view; a great location; a special feeling and / or are just unique and different to the norm.

Approved Hotels

During our inspections we ask the hotel owners if we can stay overnight at the hotel. We ask this because staying overnight is vastly different to just popping in with a quick visit. We like to know what the noise pollution is, what the breakfasts are like, how comfy the beds are, what the staff are like.

Therefore, if you see “inspected & approved” we are saying that we feel the hotel is perfectly good. If it does not have “approved” it means we have not stayed overnight or we feel it is not up to the level that our clients will require.

Inspected Hotels

The reason we have a selected number of hotels that we choose to work with is because we regularly visit the hotels in Puerto Natales in order to know what they are really like. We cannot rely on the hundreds of often “suspect” reviews published in the internet. Therefore, we try to promote the better hotels that we know will make your trip more enjoyable. However, if you see that we have “inspected” a particular hotel, this does NOT mean that we recommend it necessarily. The ones we recommend are “approved”.

Other Hotels

We also include in the accommodation section information on hotels that are not, perhaps, that great, and in some cases maybe they are a little “tired”, but clients will often ask for such hotels because the cost is lower or because they are under the mistaken belief that they are better than they are. We have not said derogatory things about these hotels, but if you see a lack of enthusiasm in the description you can derive that that particular hotel is “average”.

Charles Darwin

Chiloe Reasonably Accessible Archipelago Islands to Visit

In the island archipelago east of Castro there are numerous islands connected by ferries. If you have the time, of course, you can visit all those that have a ferry service, however, for the purposes of practically we are only highlighting some of the more accessible islands here below.

Lemuy Island

Located south of Castro, and just past the village of Chonchi (home to the Chonchi UNESCO church) there is navigational access by ferry from Huicha. En-route to Chonchi is also the UNESCO church of Vilupulli.

Lemuy is home to nine, small villages. The ferry arrives to Chulchuy, on the south-western shore of Lemuy and from here are the locations for these UNESCO classified churches: Ichuac, Aldachildo and Detif. There are also remnants of a native Valdivian forest where there is a hanging walkway through the tree tops. In the south-eastern corner of Lemuy there is a narrow, almost sea level stretch of land that connects to an almost independent smaller sector of the island.

Caucahué Island

Caucahué if translated to English means “place of seagulls” (so watch out above your head!). This island is opposite the village of Quemchi, which is approximately halfway between Ancud, in northern Chiloe and Castro further south. To get here you need to divert east from the Ruta 5 to Quemchi.

On this island (population of around 638 inhabitants as per the 2021 census), are still native forests that come down to the sea. It is home to a variety of birds.

To get to the island it requires a short, 20-minute ferry crossing from Quemchi.

Quinchao Island

From Dalcahue, a village 25km north of Castro, is a ferry that takes visitors to Quinchao Island, where the village of Curaco de Veléz is located. This s a very small, quaint village dating back to 1660 and where the Quinchao Church is located. There is rolling countryside on this island as well as the Achao and Quinchao UNESCO Churches are to be found.

Aucar Island

Located a little south of Quemchi, which itself is located on the eastern coast halfway between Ancud in the north and Castro further south, this island is actually connected to the mainland by way of a wooden footbridge. The island is cut off by the tide, thus it is only an island at high tide. On the island is a large botanical garden that contains all of the naïve flowers and trees of Chiloé.