The Chilean Lake District has about ten major lakes located between the foothills of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean coast. They are of glacial origin and were covered in snow and ice for most of the last Ice Age going back some 100,000 years. Nowadays the permanent snow is confined to the high Andes and the tops many spectacular volcanoes that occur every 70 kms or so. Each lake has at least one adjacent volcano on the horizon which gives the Chilean Lake District a unique landscape.
There are two main entry points for tourists to visit the Lake District. They are Pucón in the north, and Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas, in the south. The quickest way is to fly from Santiago to southern seaport of Puerto Montt (ca 950 kms) and stay at a hotel there, initially. Alternatively, first class buses run overnight from Santiago to Pucón, and also to Puerto Montt via Puerto Varas.
Pucón is the adventure play ground for the northern part of the lake district. It is a small town resort on the shore of Lago Villarica. Accommodation is plentiful ranging from the huge Gran Hotel Pucón on the lake shore to many motels, guest houses and inexpensive hospedajes. Chileans rapidly fill up places over the public holidays to go skiing or participate in other outdoor activities. Tourists should book ahead at these times.
Main street Pucón, Avenida O’Higgins, is awash with adventure sport agencies enticing young backpackers eager to test their daring at white water rafting, mountain climbing, trekking, skiing and snow boarding. Rubber boats, canoes, kayaks, climbing ropes, crampons and ice axes clutter these establishments making you feel you should join in the fun. A popular excursion is the guided climb to the summit of nearby snowcapped Volcán Villarica (2847 meters). Always it has a column of steam wafting from the crater. It provides superb views of Lago Villarica and the towns of Villarica and .Pucón.
More gentle and contemplative activities abound for the less active tourist. You don’t have to climb to the top of the volcano to get a fantastic view of the countryside. Take a half day trip by minibus to the Villarica ski lodge and have a frolic in the snow. The view is just as good. You can study the recent lava flows and all the wonderful alpine vegetation, noting how it changes with altitude, from the lowlands all the way up to the snow level.
White water rafting is promoted on the boisterous glacier-fed Rio Trancura. More sedate float trips in pointy rowboats are offered on the gentle Rio Liucura, which is good for trout fishing. No white water is traversed. One simply drifts slowly down river viewing the scenery and wildlife, stopping here and there for photos and exploration.
Float trips are also organized on the rivers that flow out of the lakes, from where they wind calmly through lush farm lands to the sea. The Rio Tolten, at Villarica township, is a favorite for this and there are many others. Fishing can be done from the row boat (a precarious activity) or more safely from various strategic landing points. The excursion can be highlighted by a barbecue on the river bank out in the wilderness, supplemented with a bottle of Chilean red. Once back home at the hotel you can ask the chef to cook up your trout for dinner!
All these outdoor activities can make you very cold and wet.. Afterwards, what could be better than relaxing in a warm spa or nearby volcanic hot spring? These are called "termas" in Chile and are found clustered around the base of volcanoes. Your guest house manager may be able to arrange a quick trip to a nearby termas, either a free natural one, or a tourist spa resort like Termas de Huife.
The next lakes south of Pucón are Lago Calafquen, followed by Lago Panguipulli and so on down to Lago Llanquehue, which is the largest, on the shores of which lies the tourist resort town of Puerto Varas. Each lake has its own little villages, farming community, wonderful mountain scenery and adjacent volcano just waiting for exploration. You would need a spare month to visit all the lakes, but a lost month well spent!
Further south is the city of Puerto Montt, the capital of the 10th region (Los Lagos). It is an important sea fishing port and export place for wood chips. Many cruise ships call in here to allow tourists to go on various scenic trips to the hinterland.
At Puerto Montt the craft market stalls are down near the waterfront. It’s great to just amble along Avenida Portales viewing all the goods for sale and eventually ending up at the fishing port of Angelmó, a walk of about 3 kilometers. The Angelmó fish market offers every imaginable tasty morsel from the sea. Huge salmon and rainbow trout of 3 kilos or more are piled high next to conger eels, corvino, heaps of mussels, octopus, sea urchins and bales of seaweed. Smoked salmon and rounds of farm cheese (queso del campo) are irresistible. Samples are great for snacks.
The fish market surrounds the dozens of comedores, or tiny seafood restaurants, where it is easy to have a lost afternoon sampling superb dishes washed down with a vino or beer. The owners are very insistent that you taste their wares making it difficult to choose between them without offending the cooks. Of course, you can always come again next day to spread the tourist dollar!
About 20 kms inland is the very pretty town Puerto Varas located on the shores of Lago Llanquihue (like yankee-way). It is small enough to walk around from your hotel or hospedaje near the lake front. A hike up Cerro Calvario beyond the railway line will reveal a fantastic view of the lake and distant volcanoes of Osorno and Calbuco covered in snow.
From the Plaza de Armas on the lake shore you can stroll out in the mornings or evenings and watch how the local lads catch trout from the end of the muelle (stone jetty). There is a lively Casino and small craft market. A tour agency here will arrange for you a "Southern Lakes Crossing" through the Andes mountains by bus and catamaran to Bariloche in the Argentine Lake District, acclaimed to be the best day excursion in all of South America. Don’t miss it!