Are you thinking of touring Lake Llanquihue and Todos Los Santos? Then you have come to the right place, here is an incredible itinerary to help you plan your trip.
Día 1 Puerto Varas
In the morning you have to start with a must-see in the region, Los Saltos del Petrohué, an impressive place inserted in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park.
To get there from Puerto Varas you must take route 255 that goes west on the way to Ensenada and after about 45 minutes by car you will arrive at the entrance, there are places to park and the tickets range from free access for children and people with disabilities to the CLP$6,200 for foreign tourists, since 2020 you can buy your ticket online at https://www.aspticket.cl/ which is highly recommended since this, in addition to being the first national park in the country, is also the most visited.
This place not only has a privileged view of the Osorno volcano, but you will also see impressive waterfalls from first-level walkways, which also have access for people with reduced mobility and interpretation panels in braille. If you want to give this place more time, you can go rafting on the river, some agencies that comply with all the regulations can be found here.
If you saved time by buying the ticket online, you can continue along the same route for about 10 minutes and you will arrive at Todos Los Santos Lake, where you have an offer to have lunch and even sail if you want to give this beautiful place more time, otherwise you can return to Puerto Varas and make a stop to eat in Ensenada. On a good day this return path is amazing.
In the afternoon the city of Puerto Varas is a panorama in itself, this place that must be one of the most beautiful in Chile, has a wonderful waterfront, overlooking the Osorno volcano and heritage sites such as the Lutheran Church, the Pablo Museum Fierro or the Monument to Princess Likarayen, you can go into the city itself and tour its houses with larch facades, many of them recognized as Historical Monuments, or visit the Philippi Park, which has a short low-difficulty trek through a small forest that It takes you to the upper part of the city, watching the sunset from here is quite an experience and the best thing… completely free.
Day 2 Llanquihue and Frutillar
If you are a bird lover, you should leave early to Llanquihue, known as the city of wetlands, it has more than 72 hectares of these privileged ecosystems for birders, and of the 16 that exist, two must-sees are the Frogs Wetland, with species such as the swamp crow, the cuca heron and the unmistakable seven colors and the Laguna el Loto, which receives its name for housing large quantities of this introduced aquatic plant. The most outstanding species are: the pidén, the tagüita, herons (cuca, chica and grande) and the most striking, perhaps, is the presence of a colony of yecos, which have made this lagoon their home, building their nests in the only existing eucalyptus in the middle of the lagoon. All these places, although they are not protected wilderness areas, are very fragile ecosystems, so we must behave very respectfully and, of course, do not litter.
The new Llanquihue waterfront presents another good panorama for visitors, the recently restored pier and the Los Cisnes beach with its sculptural interventions are an increasingly well-known postcard.
In the afternoon Frutillar is a great option to continue getting to know the basin, its heritage houses, many of them located on the waterfront, tell us the history of this place, which, like the other communes that make up this destination, were colonized by immigrants. Germans, who brought their customs, forms of construction and of course their gastronomy. The must-see of Frutillar is undoubtedly the Teatro del Lago, this place, which seeks to contribute to the quality of life of people and a happier and more integrated society through access to beauty, has been fundamental in the denomination that Unesco gave to Frutillar, recognizing it as a city of music. In summer you can go to the different shows that make up the musical weeks and the rest of the year, there is also a cultural offer and guided tours of the venue.
Continuing along the waterfront you can visit the pier and embark on a tour sailing by catamaran or kayaking for the more adventurous. If you want a more cultural panorama, the German Colonial Museum, has permanent exhibitions developed with the valuable collections it houses, meetings, temporary exhibitions of art, culture and science and other educational activities are held for the benefit of the community, its gardens... simply beautiful.
Day 3 Puerto Octay
Puerto Octay is located in the northern part of Lake Llanquihue, it is the ideal place for those seeking the beauty of Puerto Varas or Frutillar but without large crowds of tourists and with assured tranquility.
An excellent option is to participate in the workshops of Botes de Octay, an initiative linked to the Llanquihue Creative Destination, which seeks to promote activities that bring the family together, linked to the enjoyment of the lake that surrounds them and at the same time rescue traditional trades such as construction and carpentry. naval. Here you can create your own sailboat and then sail with it on the lake.
Mauricio Oyarzo Cárcamo
Ecotourism Manager
bad photographer but good traveler