Lakes, Volcanoes, Snow and Waterfalls

There is a huge difference between the geography and environment of northern Chile and southern Chile. Where in the far northern regions there are mountains that seem to consist entirely of mine tailings, the southern mountains are snow-capped, and the countryside verdant. As my very gracious host noted as we were driving from Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas, “Puerto Varas is a little paradise that has yet to be discovered by tourists” and after spending 3 days in the town and its surroundings, I totally agree. It is actually a place where I would seriously consider living even if it does have an active volcano. I was picked up at the airport in Puerto Montt, only 25 kilometers from Puerto Varas. The temperature was chilly, it was still late winter/early spring when I arrived in October. It was week 6 of my travels, and I was more or less on track with my schedule.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparations for a Road Trip

Puerto Varas is situated next to a large lake, and I can well imagine that in the summertime it must be a spectacular place to walk along the boardwalk, or to simply sit and enjoy the weather and sun. There is a sleepy quality to the town, and the ‘heart’ of the town is quite compact – a few square blocks with restaurants and shops and other services and outlets intended for residents and visitors alike. I was warmly welcomed into the home of a Producer/Director with whom I had worked in Thailand a few years earlier, and the hospitality of the family was outstanding. I sauntered around the town a little bit in the late afternoon, and checked out some of the small streets. The following morning, I was taken to a car rental agency where I would rent a car for 2 days so that I could drive around the region and explore for myself all the wonderful places. After the car rental agency the first stop on my way was a travel agency that offered bus and boat tickets that would carry me across several lakes and through several passages on my way across the border between Chile and Argentina in two days’ time. By 9am I set out on my circumnavigation of Lago Llanquihue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s snowing on the slopes…

I love road trips, and I was not disappointed by this particular day’s drive. The road conditions were excellent where the road was paved, but by nature I like to take smaller, less-traveled roads, and so I spend quite a lot of the way on gravel roads, but the choices paid off, as I followed the thin lines shown on a map on my phone screen. I made my way up a mountain, Volcan Osorno, to an area still covered in snow, with a ski lift in operation, and several die-hard ski enthusiasts still making their way up the mountain for their final ski runs of the season. The weather was cold, and damp, and after a few moments of traipsing around in slushy snow I found the interior of the car preferable, and cranked up the heat. I slowly wound my way back down the mountain, and was rewarded with a beautiful few of the lake further down below. Continuing my twisting journey I entered one small town after another, and passed by several farms and homesteads – many of them very German-looking, and one can only wonder who settled these places. One property I passed by was completely surrounded by a palisade, with CCTV cameras mounted at regular intervals; I could glimpse in the distance a house that looked rather Bavarian…

 

… and sweltering down below

From the snowy conditions on the shoulders of Osorno to a hike through the forest to a waterfall, I passed from one season into another, and where I had been freezing in the snow only 40 minutes earlier, I now found myself sweating as I made my way along a forest trail to the falls. There are many beautiful natural places in this area of Chile, and I am certain there are many others elsewhere in the country; I am equally certain that this region must be a paradise for nature lovers and campers, with plenty of diversion and high-octane activities to participate in during the summer months.

 

From the waterfall I continued on my slow drive around the lake, and as I stayed near the shore, I passed through farm lands, with fields lying ready to be seeded, while in a more balmy area, I could see several herds of dairy cattle enjoying the afternoon sun. One particular town looked much more tourist friendly than others, and on the banks of the lake stood what appeared to be a combination restaurant and theatre, while on the opposite side of the street spectacular houses rose slowly up the hillside. I checked later with my host what property prices might cost here, and was given a price that equaled that of real estate prices in some cities in Canada – obviously not affordable. I passed through several more towns, and by 4pm had circled the lake and was on my approach back to Puerto Varas. I had covered nearly 160 kilometers by driving around the lake, and it had taken nearly 8 hours. It had been a day well-spent, one that ended with another great dinner in the company of wonderful friends.