Lakes, Waterfalls, Border Crossing, Daffodils

Daffodils in early spring, southern Chile

“I wandered lonely as a cloud

Across the water to the border between Chile and Argentina – day trip.

The day for the actual reason for my trip to Puerto Varas arrived. I had enjoyed the two days I spent here immensely, but it was time to move on to my next destination, San Carlo de Bariloche, Argentina. I had researched this particular method of crossing the border before leaving Canada. When I first started more or less planning the trip, I took a look at the map, and most people simply accepted the standard route, crossing from Chile to Argentina from Santiago to Mendoza. But that route leaves an entire 2,000 kilometer stretch of Chile unexplored. I wanted to go further south, Tierra del Fuego if possible, and so I started looking for alternative options. The geography and the season made it difficult to go so far south, as did my economic status – I simply couldn’t afford the extra few thousand dollars it would take to go all the way south – and so I had to opt for a more sensible crossing point. I came across Bariloche as a place to visit in winter, the ‘Switzerland’ of South America. I saw pictures of the city in winter and summer, and it truly did seem to be a wonderful place to visit. I started looking for ways of traveling from Chile to this place, and came up with the route I was to follow from Puerto Varas to San Carlo de Bariloche: Bus, boat, bus, boat, bus, boat, and bus. Three lakes, three boats, four buses.

Osorno, the volcano that towers over the region.

Majestic Mountain

There are a number or alternative companies and schedules available for people to enjoy this very scenic route, including some trips that include an overnight stay in a wonderful hotel near the border. My friend and host delivered me to the bus stop for the start of the tour, and was kind enough to return the rental car for me. I boarded the bus with a host of other travelers, and we set out on our day-long trip. The first stop along the way was a park that featured a nature walk and a wonderful waterfall. I would have explored further, but the price of entry, US$15, combined with the extreme cold, and the warning from the guide that most of the trail would not be accessible, left me nearer the main buildings, enjoying a cup of coffee instead of warding off the cold on a bluff buffeted by winds at the cost of 15 bucks (if I wanted to get any colder I could do it easier elsewhere, and for free). With the 45-minute stop over, we moved on again, and soon made our way to the dock where our boat waited. Luggage stored, the engines started to turn over, and we were on our way. The sun rose over the surrounding mountains, promising a great day ahead. The harbour fell away behind us, and the sun started to warm the decks. I looked around and to the front; the lake stretched as far as the eye could see with mountains along both sides. I turned around, and there behind me, I could see Osorno, the iconic volcano of Chile. The peak was shrouded in clouds, but the sun was doing its best to burn them away, and after nearly 30 minutes on the water, the full mountain came into view. The passengers streamed onto the after deck, all taking their selfies and group shots before returning to the comfort of the cabin; a memory of their visit to this magnificent region forever digitally stored.

No trespassing on this private property complete with waterfall.

Towering Waterfall

We continued our journey and approached a sheer cliff that rose majestically out of the lake, and suddenly the reason for our diversion became visible, a set of waterfalls cascading down along the cliff face from a great height above and joining the lake only a little distance from us. It was a private property, and we could see a house higher up, built onto the mountain slope. From the diversion to the waterfall we moved on and made our way to a pier from where it was only a short walk to a set of buildings and the official Border station of Chile. The view of the surroundings was beautiful, and already a few daffodils were blooming; it was spring in the mountains of southern Chile. With the formalities completed, we moved to a nearby hotel for lunch before continuing our trip by bus to the next lake inside Argentina. We passed through some beautiful areas, with icy rivers, snow-capped mountains and forests soon to turn the drab grey of winter into the brilliant hues of summer.

Mountains on all sides along the route to Bariloche by boat

Crossing the border

A special stop along the way allowed for a few moments of exploration and photographs at the official border markers for Chile and Argentina before resuming our trip to the next boat landing. For the following few hours we powered across another lake before finally reaching our final destination and the buses that would take the passengers into Bariloche. By the time I reached Bariloche it was already dark, and it took me nearly 25 minutes to climb up a hill to find my accommodation for the night; then another 45 minutes to find an ATM and dinner, learning along the way that none of my ATM, debit, or credit cards seemed to work in cash machines in Argentina – a problem I would have to resolve the following day after a much needed rest.