Things to do in The Lakes District
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Parque Nacional Huerquehue
A gem of the area, Parque Nacional Huerquehue protects 12,500 hectares (30,888 acres) of rivers and waterfalls, alpine lakes and araucaria forests. It's easily accessible and has an array of trails. Conaf sells decent trail maps at the entrance, where there's a Centro de Educación e Intepretación Ambiental (park information office).
The Los Lagos trail (one way 3-4hr; 9km/5.5mi) switchbacks through dense lenga forests with rushing waterfalls, then enters solid stands of araucaria surrounding a cluster of pristine and placid lakes.
Most hikers turn back at Lago Verde and Laguna el Toro, the largest of the cluster, but continuing on the northern loop to Lago Los Patos and…
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Fogón de Cotelé
Reviews are mixed as to whether it’s still the best steak in town, but the experience at this intimate quincho-designed steakhouse with just seven tables surrounding an open hearth is priceless. Watching the owner methodically slow-cook your chosen weight of bife chorizo evokes Picasso in his prime. Just down the road in Pelluco, it can easily be reached by colectivo or buses from the terminal marked Chamiza (CH$300). Reservations are a good idea, especially Thursday through Sunday.
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Cruce de Lagos
Many travelers enjoy the scenery around Lago Todos Los Santos, which can be crossed either as a day tour or as part of the bus-boat excursion across the Andes to Bariloche, Argentina. If the weather is clear it's a pleasant tour, but otherwise it can be quite frustrating. Only one company, Cruce de Lagos, does the trip; reservations are made through Andina del Sud.
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La Maga
There is a parrilla for every budget on Fresia between Gerónimo de Alderete and the plaza, but this Uruguayan steakhouse stands out for its bife de chorizo and house-cut fries. It’s not the cheapest, but there’s a consensus it’s the best with bang-on service to boot.
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Trawen
Like everywhere else in town, there’s an outfitter element to this innovative and wonderfully casual deli that churns out some of Pucón’s most interesting flavor combinations: ravioli with Roquefort and roasted apples, Antarctic krill empanadas. It’s kind of a writer hangout, too.
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La Olla
Serving the best seafood in town, this place packs in locals and tourists alike. The ceviche caribeño, with salmon and congrio, is a meal in itself, as is the caldillo (broth). Don't pass up the cilantro (coriander) and garlic bread spread.
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Parque Nacional Villarrica
This national park is one of the most popular in the country because of its glorious mix of volcanoes and lakes. Its proximity to Pucón makes Villarrica accessible for everyone - from bus trippers to climbers, skiers and hardcore hikers. The park's highlights are the three volcanoes: Villarrica, Quetrupillán and Lanín.
The park's 60,000 hectares (148,263 acres) are officially divided into three sections called Rucapillán, Quetrupillán and Puesco, and are crisscrossed with an array of hikes from quick day jaunts to long multi-day traverses.
The hike up to the smoking, sometimes lava-spitting crater of Volcán Villarrica is a popular full-day excursion, leaving Pucón ear…
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Volcán Villarrica
It may seem shocking that so many people live and go about their daily chores in the shadow of the smoking and rumbling Volcán Villarrica. The 2847m-high cone is a basaltic volcano with an open crater and a violent history that includes at least four fatal eruptions. Carbon dating has determined that Villarrica had a massive eruption around 1810 BC.
The first historically recorded eruption was in AD 1558 and since then, the volcano has had small to medium eruptions on well over 50 occasions. The largest modern eruptions were in 1640, 1948 and 1971.
That 1971 eruption opened a 4km-wide fissure, spurting out some 30 million cubic meters of lava and displacing several rivers…
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Huilo-Huilo Reserva Natural Biosfera
The road to Puerto Fuy on Lago Pirihueico parallels Río Huilo Huilo, which tumbles and falls through awe-inspiring scenery. Huilo-Huilo Reserva Natural Biosfera, encompassing 1000 sq km of private land, has developed the area for low-impact ecotourism and runs two spectacularly insane hotels: La Montaña Mágica, a Frodo-approved spire with a fountain spewing from the top and full of kitschy furniture and supernatural design touches; and the new Hotel Baobob, a Gaudi-inspired inverted cone suspended in the treetops with a restaurant serving international cuisine with Mapuche touches. The reserve offers numerous outdoor adventures (trekking, climbing, mountain biking, hor…
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Parque Nacional Conguillío
The centerpiece of Parque Nacional Conguillío, an Unesco Biosphere Reserve, is the Volcán Llaima (3125m), one of Chile's most active volcanoes. Llaima means ‘Blood Veins’ in Mapudungun and that’s just what tourists visiting the park got on New Year’s Day 2008. Since 1640, Llaima has experienced 35 violent eruptions. In other words, this monster likes to cough up blood.
Despite the firespitting, this wonderful park, created in 1950 primarily to preserve the araucaria (monkey puzzle tree) and 608sq km of alpine lakes, deep canyons and native forests, has reopened.
You can access Parque Nacional Conguillío from three directions. The first, and shortest (80km), is d…
reviewed
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Río Liucura Valley
This richly verdant valley offers myriad termas (hot springs), El Cañi nature sanctuary and views of the silver-ribbon Río Liucura. El Cañi is proof that citizens can affect conservation of old-growth forests. When logging threatened the area in 1991, Fundación Lahuen purchased land to develop a park for education and to protect 400 hectares (988 acres) of araucaria forest.
A hiking trail (9km (5.5mi); 3hr) ascends the steep terrain - the first 3km (1.8mi) is very steep - of lenga and araucaria to arrive at Laguna Negra.
On clear days, the lookout - another 40 minutes - allows for spectacular views of the area's volcanoes. In summer, when the trail is easier to find, …
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Mountain Biking
Mountain bikes can be rented all over town. Some of the small unnamed bike shops along the side streets (Arauco for example) have just as good bikes and better prices than the larger agencies on Av O'Higgins. Daily rental prices are negotiable and a brand new bike with full suspension will set you back a bit more than an older bike will.
The most popular route is the Ojos de Caburgua Loop. Take the turnoff to the airfield about 4km east of town and across Río Trancura. (Extensions off this route include the Lago Caburga to Río Liucura Loop and the full Río Trancura Loop.) Two other popular trails that are close to town are Correntoso and Alto Palguín Chinay (to the Palguí…
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Termas de Puyehue
Alcohol problem? Can’t shake cigarettes? Battling a time-consuming porn habit? There’s no cure here for those, but the therapeutic waters at Termas de Puyehue are said to cure just about everything else. This baronial destination resort, set on an elegant 36 sq km just off Ruta 215, 76km east of Osorno, bills itself as Chile’s first five-star, all-inclusive resort. It is indeed impressive: colossal stone archways, never-ending staircases, heated hallways, three thermal pools, a full-blown spa and three restaurants. The waters aren’t in as good a shape as the resort itself (the outdoor option with views is preferred), but if it eases your arthritis and rheumatism, who …
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Rafting & Kayaking
Pucón is known for both its river sports and the quality of the rafting/kayaking infrastructure. Most of the larger agencies run rafting trips. The rivers near Pucón and their corresponding rapids classifications are: the Lower Trancura (III), the Upper Trancura (IV), Liucura (II-III), The Puesco Run (V) and Maichín (IV-V). When negotiating a rafting or kayaking trip, recognize that stated trip durations often include transportation, not just the time spent on the water.
Prices vary depending on the season, the number of people per raft/kayaking trip, the company and level of challenge. Many of the rivers are swollen in the winter and closed for sports, although it is …
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Cerro Ñielol
Cerro Ñielol is a hill that sits among some 90 hectares of native forest – a little forested oasis in the city. Chile’s national flower, the copihue (Lapageria rosea), grows here in abundance, flowering from March to July. Cerro Ñielol is also of historical importance, since it was here in 1881, at the tree-shaded site known as La Patagua, that Mapuche leaders ceded land to the colonists to found Temuco. Whether or not the actual papers were signed on the hill is up for debate. The park has picnic sites, a small lagoon, footpaths and an environmental information center. Take bus 1 from the centro to get to the entrance.
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El Cañi
The nature sanctuary El Cañi is proof that concerned citizens can make a difference and affect conservation of old-growth forests. When logging interests threatened the area in 1991, Fundación Lahuen, a small cluster of concerned folks with start-up funding from Ancient Forests International, formed to purchase the land and develop a drop-dead-gorgeous park with an emphasis on education and scientific research. This success story is now a reserve that protects some 500 hectares of ancient araucaria forest, all of which has been turned over and now successfully maintained by a local guide association, Cañe Guides Group.
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Cervecería Kunstmann
At Cervecería Kunstmann, on Isla Teja at Km5 on the road to Niebla, you’ll find the South’s best brewery. Call ahead if you’re interested in a free tour, but we know you’re really just here for the suds. Make sure to try the unfiltered versions of the Toro Bayo and lager at this large brewpub and beer museum – they aren’t available anywhere else. In the evening, the hearty German fare includes lots of pork chops, späetzle, sauerkraut, and apple sauce, which – let’s be frank – is only good if your name is Rolf and you suffer from a debilitating case of homesickness. Bus 20 from Carampague to Isla Teja (CH$300) can drop you off.
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Museo Regional de La Araucanía
The Museo Regional de La Araucanía is housed in a handsome frontier-style building dating from 1924, this regional museum has permanent exhibits recounting the history of the Araucanían peoples before, during and since the Spanish invasion. A display on Mapuche resistance to the Spaniards illustrates native weapons, but overlooks the Mapuche's effective guerrilla tactics. There's a good photographic display of early Temuco, including buildings destroyed in the earthquake of 1960.
Everything is well presented but labeled in Spanish only. Bus 9 runs from downtown to Av Alemania, but it's also reasonable walking distance.
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Parque Nacional Alerce Andino
Although lightly visited, the mountainous 40,000-hectare (98,842-acre) Parque Nacional Alerce Andino provides excellent opportunities to hike through rare and protected old-growth alerce forest. Lush evergreen forest ranges from sea level to 900m (2953ft), a thick twisting medley of coigue and ulmo, ferns, climbing vines and dense thickets of quila.
You can camp at a dozen Conaf campgrounds, and backcountry camping is another possibility. Several agencies in Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas arrange hikes and tours of the park. It's well worth the effort, if you have the time!
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Fundación Chol-Chol
Unfortunately, the best and most responsible spot to buy Mapuche gear is 16km out of town. This nonprofit, Fair Trade organization works with 600 rural Mapuche women to offer top-quality weavings and textiles made entirely by hand. Throw rugs, wall hangings, bags, shawls – nothing is cheap, everything is simply gorgeous. To get here, take any bus towards the towns of Nueva Imperial, Carahue or Puerto Saavedra from the rural bus terminal and ask to be let off at the Fundación. If you can’t make it, a few of their wares are available at the gift shop in the museum.
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Av Angelmó Street Stalls
Along busy, diesel-fume-laden Av Angelmó is a dizzying mix of streetside stalls (selling artifacts, heaps of smoked mussels, cochayuyo - edible sea plant - and mysterious trinkets), crafts markets and touristy seafood restaurants with croaking waiters beckoning you to a table. Enjoy the frenzy, but keep on going..
The best quality crafts and food are found at the end of the road at the picturesque fishing port of Angelmó, 3km west of downtown. It's easily reached by frequent local buses and colectivos
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Termas Los Pozones
The most popular termas to visit from Pucón has six natural stone pools with a variety of temperatures spaced along the rushing Liucura river. It’s open nearly 24 hours but gets crowded, so come during nighttime hours (8pm to 6am). It can be a fun spot – people drink alcohol in the pools – so don’t count on a place to meditate. A few changing rooms are built overtop the main pool with ladders right into the water. Transportation from Pucón ($10,000) is included in the admission price. Keep an eye on your valuables.
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Museo Histórico y Arqueológico
Mapuche artifacts – including jewelry, musical instruments and roughly hewn wooden masks – are the focus of the Museo Histórico y Arqueológico, alongside the tourist office. Gracing the grounds is a Mapuche ruka, oblong-shaped with thatched walls and roof, traditionally built by four men in four days under a reciprocal labor system known as minga. Reeds from the lake provide the thatch, which is so skillfully intertwined that water cannot penetrate even in this very damp climate.
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Outdoor Experience
This small, highly recommended agency may not have the fancy vehicles and other ornaments of some of the large commercial operators, but it has an unparallel level of expertise and experience. It puts a lot more thought and personal touch into its excursions than the competition.
If you are motivated to not only get to the top of Volcán Villarrica or hike through El Cañi reserve, but to learn something about mountaineering, local history and geography in the process, this is your top choice in Pucón.
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The Travellers
Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Italian – it’s a passport for your palette at this resto-bar that is Ground Zero for foreigners. The walls are lined with classic B+W pop culture pinups and postcards from amigos the world over, and the music is equally all over the map (Shania Twain to Tom Jones?). German and English traveler advice is available, and so are half-priced drinks at the lengthy Happy Hour (6:30pm to 9:30pm). These guys know their stuff – they knew we wrote for a guidebook within seconds.
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