About half way from Santiago to the South of Chile lies the Lake District. This area is connected with Argentina’s Bariloche District through a system of lakes that may be navigated in order to cross the border from one country to the other. Many travellers choose to do just that, usually with the help of a local tourism agency that can book all ferry tickets and bus land transfers in advance.

For shorter trips, the gateway to the Lake District is the airport in Puerto Montt. There are several daily flights from Santiago to Puerto Montt. Flying remains the fastest way to reach this area that is located about 1000 km from Santiago.

We stayed in Puerto Varas, a small lakeside town, 16 km from the airport in Puerto Montt. The town is quite small and more charming than Puerto Montt (the regional capital). Also, it provides better access to the national parks and a very picturesque view over the snow cones of two volcanoes (Osorno and Chalbuco).

The town was settled by Germans in the 1850s and that this is apparent in the architecture of the houses and the ubiquitous signs with ‘Kuchen’ : cake, usually eaten with coffee in the afternoon. Our hotel was La Cabana del Lago, chosen mainly for its location close to the center. While it still preserves a bit of charm in the common spaces, the rooms are showing their age. There are newer hotels around lake Llanquihue but some of the nicest ones are a bit far, especially if you move around on foot.

To get an overview of the area, you should plan to spend about 4 nights in Puerto Varras. If you have no time pressure, you can use the location to access Chiloe island and extend your stay in the area to a bit more than one week. Chiloe has beautiful scenery and is not yet on the map of many travellers to Chile. We took a one day trip but wished we have stayed longer.

The Lakes District is also a great family destination. There are plenty of outdoor activities to suit all ages and the infrastructure caters well to families. We’ve met a couple of families that stopped in Puerto Varas on the way South and really enjoyed their time exploring the nature. If travelling with the family, the easiest way would be to rent a car from one of the many rental companies in Puerto Varas. Public transport is present but might be a bit unreliable, especially in shoulder season.

What should you visit if staying in Puerto Varas for 4 days? A suggested itinerary is below:

Day 1: Take the time to walk the streets of Puerto Varas and admire its wooden houses. The lake promenade offers nice views of the lake and volcanoes. There are many outdoor shops in this small city so if you are heading to Patagonia, you might want to shop here for any missing items as there is plenty of choice of brands.

The city’s landmark is a red and white wooden church with 3 towers, located a bit higher, just off the main road. If the weather permits you can also do a navigation on the Llanquihue lake. The navigation price starts at 10,000 CLP for an adult. There is a small city beach with black sand that will provide some entertainment to little ones if sightseeing becomes too boring.

Day 2, venture out of town following the road that circles the lake with direction Petrohue Falls. There is a local bus going to the falls from in front of the Paseo mall but it only goes once every hour in shoulder season. We decided not to rent a car and went to one small travel agency (LS Travel Group) located in Plaza de Armas square. They organised a transfer for us to visit Petrohue Falls, Todos los Santos lake and the Osorno volcano. They specialise in small group travel ( we were actually the only ones in the car during the trip) and provide a driver-guide. During the trip, the guide stopped at several viewpoints and haves us plenty of info on the indigenous flora and fauna.

Once you reach the ski station on the Osorno Vulcano you can take a ski lift to reach a lovely valley viewpoint. On the right of the ski station, a small path will also take you to a higher elevation where you can admire the cone of Chalbuco volcano and the valley between the two volcanoes. Depending on weather, you might find yourself above the clouds.

The access to the Petrohue falls and Green Lagoon is very easy with a carrier as the path is reasonably flat. The car can park just in front of the Osorno ski station so access is straightforward. Only if you want to climb further on the volcano, you would have some difficulties if accompanied by young children as the path gets a bit steep.

Day 3: discover Chiloe, at least a small part of it. This is a big archipelago ( there are several islands and the biggest one is called Chiloe) and you would need several days if you want to really immerse yourself in the nature of this place. Imagine rolling hills and painted houses on a blue background: it is a lovely quiet place. Even if you do not have the time for a long layover, we still believe that even a shorter trip will give some insight into this ancestral land, the last bastion of Spanish colonisation.

We chose again the knowledgeable and super nice guys at LS Travel Group to show us around as we were seeking to understand more about the history of the place. If you are by car, there is no difficulty in accessing it on your own. First you would need to make your way to Pargua ( about 50 min from Puerto Varas) and take a ferry across the channel. A one way crossing for a small vehicle is 13,000 CLP and takes 20-30 min.

If you only have one day on the island you would have to choose which part to visit. The entire island is about 190 km long and 60 kmwide with the South being a bit less easy to access by road. After doing some research, we decided to focus on the North part, including Castro, Ancud and the penguin colony in Punihuil. If you are into visiting UNESCO heritage sites, you should definitely aim to visit one of the wooden churches that Chiloe is well known for.

Ancud has a small but very well designed museum that showcases the beginning of Chiloe’s human settlement and later colonisation. For fossil enthusiasts, there is a skeleton of a big Blue whale in the interior garden. A very impressive sight, especially if travelling with older kids with an interest in animals.

Another highlight of the island is a visit to the penguin colony located in Islotes de Puñihuil. This is a natural monument and a breeding ground for Magellanic and the near-extinct Humboldt penguins, and a haven for blue whales. Following the road signs with ‘Pinguineria’ will take you to a remote beach on the North West of the island. Here, two companies organise boat trips to three neighbouring rockets where Magellanic and Humboldt penguins make their nests. The closer to the Summer months you visit, the more penguins you will see fishing and then making their way waddling up the rocks to bring food to the family. When we visited, the 30 min navigation costed 7000 for adults and 3500 for kids between 2 and 10 years old. There were 5 trips each day and for each of the two companies so try to get there before lunchtime.

During our three days in the Lakes District we tried a few restaurants recommended by locals. The one that gets top marks for view (in the pier), food ( good pizza and tartar) and family friendliness (high chairs, big tables and changing tables) is Mesa Tropea. Not to mention that they have their own very nice craft bier. We loved it so much we went there twice. It is very popular but if you go early ( 18h30 or so) you should be seated rather quickly.

Another good option for a quick lunch and extremely good cakes is Cafe Mawen. They also make fresh alfajores (biscuits with dulce de leche cream) that will make a lovely gift. They have high chairs too.

For some delicious seafood, try Casavaldes. It is a bit more expensive but remains a solid recommendation for good fish and nice lake views.

What are your favourite spots in Puerto Varas? We would love to hear you feedback. Thanks for reading and happy travels!

CGK