Beyond Patagonia: Take the road less obvious to Chile’s Lake District

You have a gorgeous Lake District at home. Why travel halfway around the world to see lakes?” a helpful American friend asks. “I’d spend more time in Patagonia.”

Chile’s Lake District, two-thirds of the way down this long and skinny country, separating the otherworldly Atacama in the north and the south’s dramatic Torres del Paine, often gets the middle-child treatment. But after all that ruggedness at the extremes, this verdant region’s postcard-pretty landscape is easy on the eyes. Think snow-topped volcanoes, startling blue lakes and oddly enough, even a German town or two.

Spread over 250 miles, the region stretches from Temuco in the north to the Pacific-lined, working-class Puerto Montt in the south. Both serve as transport hubs rather than serious destinations in their own right. But their terminus are more promising – Temuco is the gateway to the glitzier sibling Pucon, located 68 miles away on the banks of Lago Villarrica, while Puerto Montt’s airport is a half-hour’s leafy drive to Puerto Varas.  

As one of those annoying travellers who wants to go everywhere, choosing between the two is impossible. Both boast of volcanoes, national parks, lakes and activities like hiking, as well as adventurous things to do with boats. My husband, on the other hand, is blissfully immune to these life-stunting issues. Easily seduced by Osorno volcano’s description as Chile’s Mount Fuji, he makes up his mind for the both of us – Puerto Varas it is.

The town is perched on Lago Llanquihue’s southernmost point. The lake, lavishly spread over 870sq km, is the second-largest in Chile. Although we arrive late at night, the first glimpse of the perfectly-shaped, majestic Osorno towering over the lake leaves us speechless. The husband has proven that his instincts could be trusted.  

The walk from our charming B&B to the lake offers a first taste of the “City of Roses”, as Puerto Varas is fondly called. Its juxtaposition of German architecture with centuries-old Chilean houses featuring neat, green lawns is a revelation and is a reminder of the city’s history. The Germans who fled the 1848 Revolution settled in southern Chile, building landmarks like Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus (modelled after the Marienkirche in the Black Forest), Kuschel House and German House, which have since been declared cultural heritage sites. 

You’d think the collision of two such distinct cultures would be jarring, but there’s a picturesque harmony to the town.

Waking up to a crisp, sunny morning, we see Osorno and its temperamental sibling Mt Calbuco clearly for the first time. The latter erupted on 22 April, 2015, 42 years since its last display of might, as a result it’s closed to travellers. But Osorno is very much open and, given the weather in Puerto Varas is mercurial, a beautiful day is not to be wasted, so we take the first tour out.

This symmetrical, glacier-topped local celebrity is one of the most active volcanoes in Chile. Classified as a stratovolcano (built up of alternate layers of lava and ash), Osorno towers over Lago Llanquihue and Todos los Santos lake at 2,652 metres, within the boundaries of Vicente Perez national park. It last erupted in the mid-19th century, and one of its eruptions in 1834-1835 was witnessed by none other than Charles Darwin.  

It’s about a 50-minute drive to Osorno. On the way, we stop to visit some of the local residents: the llamas. These shy, domesticated cousins of the alpaca are very good friends to the communities in the Andes, with their wool often used for craft products. At a local farm, one docile female takes a shine to my husband, while the others keep their distance and watch over the baby of the family.  

Reluctantly, we part company for the winding road to the Osorno ski resort where an immense crater at the base gives us a glimpse into the lively volcano that lies beneath. Mountain biking, hiking, and chairlifts ferrying passengers to the snowy peak – there’s something for both the active and the lazy here. It’s possible, even for a novice, to climb Osorno in a day – but we plump for the chairlift this time. As we climb higher, a sense of exhilaration sets in that cuts deeper than the biting cold. Llamas, a gleaming glacier, the majestic Andes, a panoramic lake view – what more can one ask for?    

Good weather is in short supply the next morning. We take a local bus to Frutillar, another lakeside town brimming with charm, roses and distinct German influence – and, as it turns out, music. The town was named Chile’s first Unesco Creative City of Music.

Teatro del Lago, the world-class, lakeside concert hall hosts events throughout the year, including the annual classical music festival Semanas Musicales de Frutillar. Worth seeing for its architecture alone, the $25m centre put Frutillar firmly on the global map.  

To soak it all in, we spend the day walking along its black-sand beach and attractive promenade, exploring the German-style houses, eating ridiculously good, cheap food and drinking beer from Valdivia, a local producer of excellent craft brews.  

On our last day, we head for the turquoise waters of Petrohue falls in Chile’s first national park, Vicente Perez Rosales. The waterfall thunders through a narrow volcanic rock canyon shaped by lava. According to legend, it’s home to a puma-style monster with a claw at the end of its tail. It’s best to get there before the tourist buses arrive, but even selfie-takers can’t ruin the experience of the falls with the volcano in the background.  

Vicente Perez Rosales is also home to Lago Todos Los Santos. Dubbed the Emerald Lake, it seems less primed for visitors, with a narrow entrance and a bare-bones parking spot for boats. Here, you can get a boat to Puella, a small ecological village, and take in wonderful views of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes, and the wee Margarita island.  

Walk away a little, and you’ll find nooks and crannies in which to just plonk down and soak in the enormity of this lake, cradled in the bosom of the Andes. For all my umming and ahing, I can’t help but think Puerto Varas is definitely the right choice. The moral of the story? Sometimes it’s good to trust the better half...

January and February are summer months in Chile, spring and autumn are attractive seasons with fewer visitors.

Public buses run frequently from Puerto Varas to Frutillar, Puerto Octay and other towns. Shared transport to and from Puerto Montt airport is the cheapest option.  

Visit chile.travel.

Tourists are permitted entry into Chile provided they submit a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before boarding their final flight into Santiago; a passenger declaration form; and have health or travel insurance that covers Covid-related medical care up to a minimum of US$ 30,000.

Since 8 December, all travellers entering Chile are exempt from quarantine restrictions. Chile is on the travel corridors list, meaning returning travellers are not required to self-isolate upon entry into the UK. Visit the FCDO website for the most up-to-date travel information.

Namrata Bhawnani is the co-founder of the green travel website Ecophiles