Chile's Southern Lakes Crossing
Which is the most beautiful lake in Chile?
Of the dozen or so major lakes in Chile's "Southern Lakes District" travelers invariably score Lago Todos Los Santos as tops.
It differs from the others by being hidden deep within the mountains. It is surrounded by much virgin forest, in contrast to the other lakes in the Andean foothills which have farms and villages scattered around their shores.
Lago Todos Los Santos forms part of the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park which includes the Fuji-like volcanic cone of Osorno at Petrohue, the spiky volcanic neck of Puniagudo, and extends to the Andean frontier with Argentina culminating in icy Cerro Tronador 3460 meters high. A visit here is an ecological adventure not to be missed.
The lake was discovered and named by Jesuit missionaries in 1670 when seeking a route across the high Andes to establish a mission in Patagonia. The lake and mountain pass remained forgotten for 180 years. In the late 1800's it became an important commercial link and migration route for the German settlers from Chile's Llanquihue region. Once across the Andes and into Argentina they developed haciendas around Lago Nahuel Huapi and founded the town of San Carlos de Bariloche.
When the railway line from the Atlantic coast reached Bariloche in 1934 the commercial boat traffic declined and tourism began to develop.
Today this spectacular scenic route across the Andean mountain chain is a major tourist attraction traversed each year by thousands of domestic and international travelers. It involves three catamaran trips linked by buses and takes a full day in summer but maybe two days in the winter because of short daylight hours and snowy conditions.
You can start the crossing either from Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas in Chile, or do the reverse trip starting in San Carlos de Bariloche which is the tourist center for the Argentine Lake District and end up in Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt.
Puerto Montt is the northern fiordland seaport of Chile. It has strategic importance as a terminal for cruise ships and car ferries going south to fiordland, as far as Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas. It is a major local fishing port, exporter of wood chips and has a Chilean naval presence. As such, it is picturesque, but in parts scruffy, like most seaports. Many tourists prefer to stay at smaller, more beautiful, Puerto Varas, some 20 kms inland, located on the shores of Lago Llanquihue.
The tour buses from Puerto Montt pick up passengers at Puerto Varas and skirt around the southern shore of Lago Llanquihue towards the symmetrical snowy cone of Volcan Osorno (2652 meters) and up the Petrohue Valley. Not so long ago the Petrohue River flowed into the lake. A volcanic eruption sent lava flows across the valley and diverted the river to end up into the Reloncavi Estuary. These lava flows have caused the river to create a magnificent foaming cascade called the Saltos del Petrohue, which is an interesting half hour stop for tourists.
The road ends at the village of Petrohue on the lake shore where there is a boat jetty and Information Center for the National Park. Nestling within the trees is Hotel Petrohue in truly a wonderful spot. Trout fishing is good in the lake and the first few kilometers down stream but after that it is more the domain of white water rafters.
The catamaran cruise across the lake to the tourist village of Peulla and the unique journey beyond to Argentina is ably described by the operators CruceAndino. Their website provides a map, scenic details, dozens of photos, route timetable and travel advice. What more could you want except a fine day!
In the summer peak period (Dec - Jan) the catamaran is crowded. It can take 340 passengers and runs every day, with one or two exceptions. There are usually spare seats any day except maybe in holiday periods. In January the "tabano", or horsefly, is particularly bothersome.
If your do the trip with a package tour your itinerary is fixed so you take pot luck with the weather. A rainy day is no good to see the mountain scenery and you may be disappointed. Alternatively, the independent traveler has the advantage of being able to wait in Puerto Varas for a nice sunny day and then buy a ticket early in the morning. The bus office and company website provide weather reports for days ahead.
You don't have to go all the way to Argentina! The rigmarole of passport, visa and customs inspection can be avoided by not crossing the frontier.
A popular alternative to crossing the Andes is to take the catamaran on Chile's most beautiful lake to Peulla and have lunch there (2 hour stop) at the historic Hotel Peulla. You can return in the afternoon with all the tourists coming the reverse direction from Argentina. Budget travelers can take their own lunch and sit by the lake shore to enjoy the scenery. Non budget travelers can stay a few days at the hotel.
Similarly, if you are based in Bariloche, Argentina, you can do a day trip on the catamaran "Condor" from Puerto Panuelo on Lago Nahuel Huapi, to Puerto Blest and back and so see the magnificent mountain and lake scenery on the Argentine side of the Andes. The climate is drier and more sunny on the Argentine side of the mountains.
This "Southern Lakes Crossing" of the Andes is one of Chile's many fantastic tourist attractions. Rugged mountain scenery rises from dense beech forests. Cascading waterfalls, majestic volcanoes and deep blue lake waters are all at their pristine best and await you. It is the most scenic route to cross the Andes, between Chile and Argentina. Give it a go!